Apple iOS 14.5 launches next week, takes on Facebook and Google tracking

Patrick Holland/CNET This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple headquarters. One of Apple’s biggest privacy changes in years is coming in a software update you may barely even notice until after you install it on your iPhone. The new software, boringly named iOS 14.5, will be released next week, Apple said Tuesday in a press release for the new AirTags trackers after its April product launch event. It includes the typical fixes you’d expect in a minor software update. Apple will now allow people to unlock their iPhone with their Apple Watch, which is handy when wearing a face mask in public to protect against the coronavirus. People using Apple Maps can also report accidents they see on the road. And of course there’s new emoji, like a heart on fire, a dizzy face and an exhaling face.  The most controversial change comes when people open up apps from companies like Facebook. There, they’ll be asked whether they consent to having their activity tracked across apps and websites they use. Facebook will begin including a message in its app to explain what it uses this tracking for, but it has also…
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