Access to Local Network
Regarding apps accessing the local network, you state that they now have to ask. Does that mean that they were accessing it prior to now, without permission?
iPad Pro, iPadOS 14
Recent updates have introduced additional privacy controls - now with greater granularity of control that can now restrict access to network services.
One way to look at the new controls is introduction of a rudimentary “Application Firewall” - that enhances the existing “sandbox” security architecture.