Apple rolls out big updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple Watch

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Monday brought iOS 14.3, iPadOS 14.3, macOS Big Sur 11.1, watchOS 7.2 and more.
There are operating system updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

It’s a big day for Apple fans — there are software updates for iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

With an update, iPhone 12 Pro gets support for Apple’s new ProRAW image format. And all iPhone and iPads display new privacy info about third-party apps.

But primarily, the new versions are about adding support for AirPods Max and Apple Fitness+ to a range of operating systems. And bug fixes too.

Welcome to iOS 14.3 and iPadOS 14.3

The official release notes for the new iPhone operating system update say, “iOS 14.3 includes support for Apple Fitness+ and AirPods Max. This release also adds the ability to capture photos in Apple ProRAW on iPhone 12 Pro, introduces Privacy information on the App Store, and includes other features and bug fixes fo your iPhone.“ The iPadOS 14.3 notes are essentially identical.

AirPods Max are Apple’s pricey new over-the-ears headphones. And Apple Fitness+ is a $9.99-a-month subscription workout service that debuted Monday.

Plus, the App Store adds new privacy information revealing how third-party applications gather and use information from users.

macOS Big Sur 11.1 too

Monday brings the first significant update to macOS Big Sur, which debuted in November. This was an enormous upgrade, offering the biggest design overhaul to the Mac user interface in nearly two decades.

Release notes for the Monday’s update read, “macOS Big Sur 11.1 introduces support for AirPods Max, TV app enhancements, Apple News widgets, and privacy information on the App Store. This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac.”

Don’t forget watchOS 7.2 and tvOS 14.3

The new features in watchOS 7.2 are focused on support for Apple Fitness+, as the workout service is built around Apple Watch. Apple’s wearable is required for the work-out service, and that’s made possible with Monday’s system software update. Apple’s support website lays out all the changes.

And tvOS 14.3 also debuted on Monday, bringing tweaks to Apple TV settop boxes.

Get them all now

Beta testing for all these operating systems is over. Each of them is ready for users to install.

Get iOS 14.3 or iPadOS 14.3 by connecting to a Mac or a PC running iTunes. Alternatively, an over-the-air update is also possible. That’s accomplished by opening the Settings app and going to General > Software Update.

Install macOS Big Sur 11.1 by going to the Apple menu  > System Preferences, then clicking Software Update. Another option is to install the new version from the App Store.

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