Minecraft‘s latest update has dropped and it has so much in store for us. Around the end of the year always seems to be the biggest time for Minecraft updates and news and this year is no exception…there is a lot in store. Take a look below at all the new features, mods, and skins that are in the game as well as patch notes and more!

New Features

Spectator Mode

• When cheats are enabled, players can go in and out of Spectator Mode using the Personal Game Mode option in World Settings or the ‘/gamemode spectator’ command
• Spectators have a reduced HUD that does not show the crosshair, hotbar, XP, health, hunger, or armor
• Players’ inventory, health, held items, etc, are unchanged when switching in and out of Spectator Mode
• Spectators are always flying and cannot be grounded
• Spectators pass through solid blocks and entities without collision
• Spectators can see out of solid objects when inside blocks
• Spectators cannot take damage and are not affected by any blocks, mobs, items, portals, or effects
• Spectators cannot use items or interact with blocks or mobs
• Spectators cannot open their inventory or interact with block screens, like Chests or Furnaces
• Spectators cannot be seen by mobs or other players, except other players in Spectator Mode
• Spectators appear as a transparent floating head to other players in Spectator Mode
• Spectators are not needed to sleep to pass the night
• When playing in first person perspective, spectators do not see their arm or held item
• Spectators generate chunks, if they fly to new chunks
• Spectators do not spawn any mobs
• Non-persistent mobs around spectators will check for distance to any non-spectators when deciding if they should despawn
• Commands can select and act on spectators
• A list of fixes since the last release can be found below in the Vanilla Parity section below.

New Touch Controls

• New touch controls are now enabled on touch devices by default
• Players can choose between “Joystick & tap to interact”, “Joystick & aim crosshair”, or “D-Pad & tap to interact”

New Default Skins

• New characters have joined Steve and Alex! These character skins can be selected in the Dressing Room

Vex

• Updated the model and texture of the Vex
• The Vex retains a slightly larger hitbox to make it easier to fight

Vanilla Parity:

Mobs

• While playing tag, baby Villagers will now run at a quicker speed that matches Java Edition

Blocks

• Wooden Doors, Iron Doors, Wooden Trapdoors, Iron Trapdoors, and Fence Gates now use the same opening and closing sound effects as Java Edition
• Updated Pressure Plates to have different pitches based on their behaviour to match Java Edition
• Added unique button click sound for Wooden Buttons to match Java Edition
• Crimson and Warped block sets now have a unique set of sounds
• Chiseled and Cut Red Sandstone now have smooth undersides (MCPE-20006)
• Projectiles landing on Mud will no longer shake repeatedly (MCPE-153744)
• Amphibious mobs no longer have trouble pathfinding around Mud Blocks (MCPE-153961)
• Mud and Soul Sand Block bounding boxes now matches their visual bounding boxes for when a player places the blocks (MCPE-162252)
• Lily Pads now pop with sound and particles when run into by a Boat (MCPE-65138)
• Most blocks destroyed from lack of support now have visual particles, audio effects, and cause vibration events
• Coral Fans can no longer be placed on the side of Slab blocks (MCPE-116986)
• Coral Fans can now survive on top of solid transparent blocks like Glass (MCPE-112407)
• Fixed a bug where placed Light Blocks were invisible even while selecting a Light Block

• Open container, Command Block, or Structure Block screens now close when players enter Spectator Mode
• Spectator Mode now appears on the list of Personal Game Modes in Settings (MCPE-156688)
• Allays no longer throw items to spectators (MCPE-162873)

Experimental Features

• Introducing the next major update experimental toggle! Enable the “Next Major Update” toggle in world settings to enable this content
• These features are a work in progress and are still in active development. The design and functionality of these features will likely change before they’re released
• Please remember: Worlds that have used experimental toggles will always be flagged as “Experimental”. We recommend keeping these experimental worlds as separate copies from your main saves. More information can be found in this article

Bamboo Wood Blocks

• Added the Bamboo family of blocks as a wood type and use for Bamboo
• Added Bamboo Raft

Camel

• Added Camels, which can spawn in desert villages
• Two players can ride Camels together
• Camels are tall animals and riders are high enough off the ground, out of range from mob melee attacks
• Camels can walk and sprint, or dash with a short burst of speed
• Camels randomly sit down for short periods of time and flick their ears about

Chiseled Bookshelf

• A new, chiseled variation of the Bookshelf
• Can store Books, Book and Quills, and Enchanted Books
• Holds up to 6 Books. Keeps the stories and lore of your world safe
• Comparators can detect the last book placed/removed. Perfect for hiding secrets in your spooky library

Hanging Sign

• A new type of Sign that can be placed beneath and on the side of blocks
• Hanging Signs are available for all wood types
• Hanging Signs can also be placed under narrow blocks with center support, like Fences

Source.