With iOS 15, Apple is not only introducing many new features but also a so-called legacy program. This allows you to name people who will have access to your Apple ID account after your death.
This new feature does not appear to be live at this time. However, based on Apple's description, it will give your friends or family members access to your photos and other important data after you die. This is an important innovation for iOS, because if someone dies with a locked iPhone, iPad or Mac, it is difficult, if not impossible, to gain access to the device - even with a death certificate.
Digital Legacy allows your loved ones to manage your data to gain access to important accounts and personal items such as photos that would otherwise be lost.
iOS 15 also introduces account recovery contacts
Managing digital data after death is something Apple has lacked until now, and with so much data online, it's become a particularly important issue. Social networks like Twitter and Facebook have tools for setting up legacy contacts that can archive an account. Google, for example, maintains an Inactive Account Manager that releases control of an account to a specific person after a certain period of time. In addition to the Digital Legacy program, Apple will also allow users to set up Account Recovery Contacts. People designated as account recovery contacts can help you regain access to your Apple ID if you forget your password. Both features will be available with the release of iOS 15 in the fall. (Photo by Pierre-Olivier / Bigstockphoto)