Apple iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 have been released ahead of schedule, and they bring significant new features, bug fixes and security patches. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who Is It For?
Apple iOS 16.3 is accessible for all iOS 16-viable gadgets, this implies the iPhone 8/iPhone X and more current. iOS 16 dropped help for the iPhone 6S and 7 territories as well as the iPod Contact. Be that as it may, basic fixes have additionally been delivered for these more seasoned models. Kindly read my new iOS 15.7.3 and iOS 12.5.7 aides for more on this.
Apple affirmed auto-update defers last year, yet sharp upgraders can set off the update physically by means of Settings > General > Programming Update. Assuming you are running fresher beta programming (see ‘The Street Ahead’ segment toward the end), you should unenroll your gadget before the update shows up.
The Deal Breakers
The initial 24 hours for iOS 16.3 are promising, with negligible reports of issues from upgraders across tech discussions and online entertainment. I have found disconnected occurrences of lost transporter signal and a bug caused in the Twitter application while sending a tweet (logical fixable through an application update). There are likewise grumblings about battery duration, however the last option is normal subsequent to introducing an update due to reindexing, which can last a couple of days.
iOS 16.3 likewise contains some in private fixes (progressively normal with Apple’s product refreshes) for alerts and the AirPods battery gadget, which could wrongly show 0% charge.
It is significant that in spite of this generally solid picture, there are still a ton of bugs in iOS 16 that clients affirm iOS 16.3 doesn’t address. These incorporate telephone misfires, Apple Music bugs, touchscreen issues and a framework information bug that has tormented a subset of clients for the last two iOS ages.
So What Do You Get?
Apple’s iOS 16.3 release notes list the following new features, fixes and patches:
• New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month
• Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
• Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
• Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls
• Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
• Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen
• Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max
• Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status
• Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
• Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly
Support for security keys has been requested for years and is the highlight here. It is also an important catch-up to Android, which has supported this functionality for some time. Note the Apple Music Classical app has not arrived, despite references to the upcoming app leaking in iOS 16.3 beta code.
As for fixes, the two standouts are the change to making Emergency SOS calls, following numerous accidental calls to emergency services, and addressing the bizarre horizontal lines bug. The latter had picked up considerable momentum in recent weeks, but the fix dispels fears that it was a hardware flaw.
iOS 16.3 Security
Apple’s iOS 16.3 security page discloses that the update contains 13 security patches. These are spread across multiple areas, including the kernel, Mail, Maps, Safari, Screen Time and Weather apps.
Apple has patched a zero-day vulnerability for older devices via iOS 15.7.3 and iOS 12.5.7, the latter going all the way back to the iPhone 5S released in 2013. That fix is not in iOS 16.3 because it was already patched in iOS 16.1.2. The lessons learned from this are twofold. First, Apple really does support older devices for far longer than rivals. Second, if you want priority patching, you will need a device running the latest version of iOS.
Apple iOS 16.3 Verdict: Upgrade
Apple iOS 16.3 is a useful update in terms of features, fixes and patches and early reports indicate it is stable. The caveat is iOS 16.2 painted a similar picture, and serious bugs were spotted much later.
My advice for keen upgraders is to update because there are no obvious red flags out the gate. For more cautious iPhone and iPad owners, I will deliver my final verdict in a week, so bookmark this page.
The Road Ahead
Expect Apple to announce iOS 16.3.1 soon since Apple still has plenty of iOS 16 bugs to squash. I would also expect iOS 16.4 to begin beta testing within days.
If you want to try iOS updates before they are released to the broader public, you can join the Apple Beta Software Program. But remember beta releases will always come with more bugs and incomplete features, so I wouldn’t advise running it on a primary device.