Apple Releases iOS 14.2 for iPhone, Introducing 100+ New Emoji, Eight New Wallpapers & More

Apple just released iOS 14.2 for iPhone, which introduces multiple fun new features and changes. There are 117 new emoji, such as a seal, ninja, bubble tea, and smiling face with tear. Eight new wallpapers can also be found, each containing a light and dark mode variant. HomePod's new Intercom feature appears too. And those are just a few of the things to look out for.

The release came just before 10 a.m. PDT on Thursday, Nov. 5, six days after the iOS 14.2 RC (release candidate), which Apple pushed out to iOS developers and public beta testers. An RC, formally known as a GM (golden master), is the same version as the official update but released to beta testers ahead of time to identify any potential bugs or issues.

Don't Miss: 12 New Features & Changes in iOS 14.2 for iPhone

iOS 14.2 includes the following improvements for your iPhone:
Over 100 new emoji, including animals, food, faces, household objects, musical instruments, gender-inclusive emoji, and more

Eight new wallpapers in both light and dark mode versions

Magnifier can detect people nearby, and report their distance using the LiDAR sensor included in iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Support for iPhone 12 Leather Sleeve with MagSafe

Optimized battery charging for AirPods to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your AirPods spends fully charged

Headphone audio level notifications to alert you when audio level could impact your hearing

New AirPlay controls to stream entertainment throughout your home

Intercom support with HomePod and HomePod mini using iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay

Ability to connect HomePod to Apple TV 4K for stereo, surround sound, and Dolby Atmos audio

Option to provide statistics about Exposure Notifications, without identifying you, to participating Public Health Authorities

This release also fixes the following issues:
Apps could be out of order on the Home Screen dock

Camera viewfinder may appear black when launched

The keyboard on the Lock Screen could miss touches when trying to enter the passcode

Reminders could default to times in the past

Photos widget may not display content

Weather widget could display the high temperature in Celsius when set to Fahrenheit

Next-hour precipitation chart description in Weather could incorrectly indicate when precipitation stops

Voice Memos recordings are interrupted by incoming calls

The screen could be black during Netflix video playback

Apple Cash could fail to send or receive money when asked via Siri

Apple Watch app may unexpectedly close when opened

Workout GPS routes or Health data are prevented from syncing between Apple Watch and iPhone for some users

Audio is incorrectly labeled as "Not Playing" in the CarPlay Dashboard

Devices could be prevented from charging wirelessly

Exposure Notifications is disabled when restoring iPhone from iCloud Backup or transferring data to a new iPhone using iPhone Migration

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

The company also released iOS 12.4.9 for older iPhone models that can't run iOS 13 or iOS 14. Namely, those would be the iPhone 5S, 6, and 6 Plus, as well as the iPod touch (6th generation), iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad Air. This update doesn't include any of the above new features and changes but does add security patches.

How to Update Your iPhone to the Latest Version of iOS

To run iOS 14.2, your iPhone needs to be compatible with iOS 14. If so, open Settings –> General –> Software Updates, then follow the on-screen instructions to download and install iOS 14.2. Remember, your iPhone needs to be charged to at least 50% to begin installing. If you have "Automatic Updates" enabled, you can simply let your iPhone update overnight.