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One of the biggest features coming with iOS 14 is the ability to change your default browser and email apps. It’s something Android users have always had, and it makes sense for Apple to open up the walled gardens a bit. With so many great and fantastic apps available for download from the App Store, the change made sense.
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However, iOS and iPadOS users don’t stop there. There have been many requests made to Apple to change the default music player. For years, we’ve been relegated to being able to only use Apple Music, but that all changes with iOS 14.5.
What’s new in iOS 14.5?
At first glance, you might think that iOS 14.5 was more than just a “point” version. There are many new features that aim to improve your daily life. Most notably, if you have an iPhone and a compatible Apple Watch, you can actually unlock your iPhone through your watch while wearing a mask.
Other new features include AirPlay 2 support for Fitness +, which is quite useful considering the number of new TVs coming out with AirPlay 2 on board. Plus, there’s additional support for the all-new next-generation Xbox Core and Sony DualSense game controllers. The real advantages here go to the DualSense, as there are only more built-in sensors. But it’s still great to see Apple providing support for both.
Finally, iOS 14.5 finally supports 5G connectivity if you use your iPhone with two SIM cards. Previously this was locked to only one SIM card at a time, but now you can experience 5G with both SIM cards installed.
It is important to note that iOS 14.5 is still in its infancy, as it has only just gone through the Developer Beta program. However, Apple has already released the beta version of iOS 14.5.2, so it shouldn’t take long for the public version to be released.
How to change your default music app with Siri
As we mentioned above, iPhone and iPad users are clamoring for the ability to change default music app. Even though there are tons of ways to get Apple Music for free, some people just like to stick with Spotify or some other music streaming service.
With the beta of iOS 14.5, you can finally turn off the default music app when making requests with Siri. Previously, you would make a request, and even if all other music streaming apps were installed, Siri would use Apple Music by default. But this is no longer the case. Here’s how to change your default music app when using Siri:
- Press and hold the Side button until the Siri logo appears.
- Say “play X song”, in our example we asked Siri to play “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin.
- Choose a music app from the list.
Once done, Siri will submit your request and the song will start playing from the service you selected. However, it’s important to note that there are more apps available than just music players. For example, when we tried to play ‘Immigrant Song’ by Led Zeppelin, Siri provided more suggestions for apps like Dark Noise and Books.
Conclusion
It’s absolutely fantastic to see Apple opening up the walled gardens piece by piece. It may have taken all the way to iOS 14.5 and iPhone 12, but it’s finally happening. Now it’s only a matter of time before we can place icons wherever we want on the home screen. But hey, that’s a request for another day, and we hope Apple brings the magic with iOS 15.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the United States.
He’s written for a variety of sites over the years including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while working in the moonlight as a freelance writer at night.
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