| Cult of Mac

Apple releases security updates for iOS, iPadOS and watchOS alongside final macOS Sonoma beta

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The new software updates effect Macs as well as security updates for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
The new software updates effect Macs as well as security updates for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
Photo: Twelve South

Apple issued emergency software updates Thursday for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch that patch security vulnerabilities the company says may have been actively exploited. Among other things, the release notes for iOS 17.0.1, iPadOS 17.0.1 and watchOS 10.0.1 indicate the updates fix a problem that could allow a malicious app to bypass signature validation.

The updates, which Apple recommends all users download as soon as possible, come just days after the company pushed its latest operating systems live. However, if you plan to pick up an iPhone 15 tomorrow, you might want to hold off. If you update your current phone to iOS 17.0.1, you would need to update your new iPhone as well before setting it up from a backup.

Apple protects older iPhones from Pegasus hack

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iOS update blocks Pegasus spyware from iPhones
Install iOS 15.7.9 on your older iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware.
Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac

The newly-released iOS 15.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.6.9 and iPadOS 15.7.9 are intended to protect older computers from hackers, including those using the Pegasus spyware.

Apple recently introduced security patches for newer versions of these operating systems to close the same security vulnerability.

Install these updates ASAP to protect your iPhone and Mac from hackers

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iOS update blocks Pegasus spyware from iPhones
Install iOS 16.6.1 on your iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware.
Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac

Apple released iOS 16.6.1, macOS 13.5.2, iPadOS 16.6.1 and watchOS 9.6.2 on Thursday to address a potentially serious security vulnerability. All the updates fix security flaws, including one that may already have been exploited by hackers to deliver the infamous Pegasus spyware.

So don’t delay — update your devices with these patches soon.

EU Digital Markets Act will open iPhone to sideloading of apps

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The European Union takes another step toward rough regulations on tech giants like Apple.
The European Union takes another step toward tough regulations on tech giants like Apple.
Photo: Freestocks.org

Now that iOS and the App Store have been labeled “gatekeepers” by the European Commission, the EU’s Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow users to install applications directly onto iPhones. And sideloading is just one of the sweeping changes resulting from the DMA. Users apparently will be able to replace Siri with one of its rivals, for example. Other services, like iMessage, might require modification later.

One thing’s clear: The iPhone won’t be the same after the Digital Markets Act goes into effect in spring 2024.

iOS 17 beta 7: All the new features and changes

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iOS 17 preview
The fourth iOS 17 developer beta is here with some minor changes.
Photo: Apple

Apple continues beta testing iOS 17, with the seventh beta dropping on August 22nd. As the beta program has progressed, the company has made fewer and fewer user-facing changes to new builds.

It’s the same story with iOS 17 beta 7, which hardly packs any meaningful changes or improvements. Below is everything new in the latest iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 beta.

Long iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 beta-testing process nears end

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iPhone with iOS 17 logo
The months-long wait for iOS 17 is almost over.
Image: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

The launch of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 is drawing close, as the many steps of beta testing for these operating systems are almost finished. The same holds true for tvOS 17, and watchOS 10 is nearly as close. Apple likely will release them all in September.

macOS Sonoma, however, isn’t expected to debut until later.

How to get the latest iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 public betas

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iOS 17 and iPadOS 17
Here's how to install the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 public betas on your iPhone or iPad.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The second iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 public betas became available Monday so anyone who wants to start tinkering with the new features can try these well before the autumn release.

Among the more significant changes in iOS are personalized contact posters in the Phone app, home screen widgets go interactive, and autocorrect is smarter. iPadOS gets many of those same features, as well as signifi can’t Lock screen improvements.

Want to try the changes out for yourself? We’ll show you how.

iOS 16.6 and macOS 13.5 are less than a week away

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iOS 16.6
iOS 16.6 is almost here, along with an array of other Apple OS updates.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The release candidates for iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5 were seeded to developers on Tuesday. These are the final betas of minor bug updates without significant new features, but nevertheless they will be worth installing when the final versions are released, almost certainly within a week.

The same is true for iPadOS 16.6 RC, watchOS 9.6 RC and tvOS 16.6 RC.

Debugged iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response patches are ready for installation

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Apple releases debugged iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response patches
The Rapid Security Response patches that Apple released then withdrew have been fixed and re-released.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Apple’s on again/off again Rapid Security Response patches for iOS 16.5.1, macOS Ventura 13.4.1 and iPadOS 16.5.1 are once again available. These have been cleared of the bugs that caused Apple to withdraw them after the initial release.

The updated RSR patches are critical because they close a security hole that has been exploited by hackers.