Apple has released the latest iOS 13 and iPadOS update, which includes a new Communication Limits feature designed to augment the parental controls on iPhone and iPad.
The new iOS/iPadOS 13.3 update lands today and will enable parents to set limits on when contacts will be able to reach the young device user. So, parents will be able to choose which contacts can communicate with their kids during the screentime or downtime periods set for each app.
For example, you can set the Messages app to be open at all times to the parents themselves, while limiting the ability of their kids chatty friends to text when they should be doing homework.
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The feature, which was announced alongside iOS 13 at WWDC in June but left out of the initial builds, also includes the ability to select Communication Limits for apps like Phone and FaceTime.
In the release notes, Apple says the new Screen Time settings offer new “parental controls provide more communication limits over who their children can call, FaceTime, or Message,” as well as a “Contact list for children lets parents manage the contacts that appear on their children’s devices.”
Elsewhere, in the third major iOS 13 update of the cycle, there’s a new layout for leading newspapers in the News Plus service, while it’s now easier to inform recommendations by liking and disliking stories more easily. The Stocks app also includes stories from Apple News in English and French in Canada, while there’s also Breaking and Developing labels for Top Stories.
Apple is also fixing a metric poop tonne of other bugs and making just as many minor improvements to what has been the least smooth iOS release of recent times. They are explained by Apple as follows:
– Enables the creation of a new video clip when trimming a video in Photos
– Adds support for NFC, USB, and Lightning FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari
– Fixes issues in Mail that may prevent downloading new messages
– Addresses an issue that prevented deleting messages in Gmail accounts
– Resolves issues that could cause incorrect characters to display in messages and duplication of sent messages in Exchange accounts
– Fixes an issue where the cursor may not move after long pressing on the space bar
– Addresses an issue that may cause screenshots to appear blurry when sent via Messages
– Resolves an issue where cropping or using Markup on screenshots may not save to Photos
– Fixes an issue where Voice Memos recordings may not be able to be shared with other audio apps
– Addresses an issue where the missed call badge on the Phone app may not clear
– Resolves an issue where the Cellular Data setting may incorrectly show as off
– Fixes an issue that prevented turning off Dark Mode when Smart Invert was enabled
– Addresses an issue where some wireless chargers may charge more slowly than expected
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
