patches

Fix is on the way for Apple Watch battery woes

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Apple Watch Series 3
If a recent watchOS update cut your Apple Watch battery life, there's good news.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Many Apple Watch wearers suffered from shortened battery lives after upgrading to watchOS 10, but the problem will be taken care of soon with a software patch, according to an internal Apple document.

While not affecting everyone with an Apple Watch, this a clearly a significant problem, considering the number of complaints about it online.

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.

How to install the new iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response [Update]

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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 launched in mid July a trio of Rapid Security Responses to fix urgent security problems in iOS 16.5.1, macOS Ventura 13.4.1 and iPadOS 16.5.1. It was then forced to withdraw them, but they have since been debugged and re-released.

These are the latest entries in a relatively new system created to quickly fix security holes without requiring a full OS update.

Apple withdraws latest iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response patches

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How to install the new iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response
This Rapid Security Response patch is no longer available.
Image: Cult of Mac

The Rapid Security Response patches released Monday for iOS 16.5.1, macOS Ventura 13.4.1 and iPadOS 16.5.1 have been pulled back by Apple. They made changes to WebKit, and reportedly were causing problems with some websites.

This isn’t ideal, as they were introduced to close a security hole that has been exploited by hackers.

Apple tests iPhone bug-fix system that doesn’t require full iOS updates

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Apple tests iPhone bug-fix system that doesn't require iOS updates
In the future, expect Rapid Security Responses from Apple for iOS, macOS and iPadOS.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A second round of ‘Rapid Security Response’ bug patches for the iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 betas were seeded to developers and other beta testers on Monday. At this point, Apple is testing the system for distributing these by releasing them for beta versions of the operating systems.

Once testing is over, these will allow Apple to fix security problems without releasing a full OS update.

Apple issues surprise iOS 14.8 update to fix severe security threats

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Surprise! Apple releases iOS 14.8
Just when you thought Apple’s next software release would be iOS 15…
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Apple rushed out updates for iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches on Monday to patch a pair of critical security vulnerabilities. The updates protect users from arbitrary code execution that can be triggered by maliciously crafted PDFs or web content, Apple said in its release notes.

In both cases, “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited,” the company said.

The updates include iOS 14.8, iPadOS 14.8, macOS Big Sur 11.6, watchOS 7.6.2 and security patches for Safari and macOS Catalina.

Install these critical security patches for Mac, iPhone,iPad and Apple Watch today [Updated]

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Mac malware is real. Watch out.
macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1 each take care of the same dangerous bug.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Three of Apple’s biggest products received security patches Monday — and another got its version on Thursday. You should probably install them as soon as possible.

The company started with macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1, and iPadOS 14.7.1 to fix a security hole reportedly used by at least one hacker already. That’s why they are “recommended for all users,” according to Apple.

Apple followed up Thursday by releasing watchOS 7.6.1 to patch the same bug on Apple Watch. It’s also recommended.

Adobe Got Burned For Ending Legacy Support – Will The Same Thing Happen To Apple?

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Adobe backpedals after demanding users upgrade to receive security patches
Adobe backpedals after demanding users upgrade to receive security patches

Last week, Adobe created a firestorm of user unrest when it issued a series of security bulletins impacting three applications of its Creative Suite and said that users must pay to upgrade to the latest versions of the apps if they wanted patches that would close the vulnerabilities.

The company was quickly besieged by users, technology professionals, and security experts demanding that it reverse course and offer security patches to users who couldn’t afford the upgrades (or didn’t want to spend the money). Even though company quietly backpedaled and announced it would offer security updates without acknowledging the reason for its about face or offering an apology, the gaffe raises concerns that Apple’s yearly OS X release cycle might lead it down a similar path.

New MacBook Airs Get Their First Software Update Correcting Graphic Issues

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post-65345-image-c2d428ecf501b1315fcb1b092ac9bc3e-jpg

Well, that didn’t take long: the first MacBook Airs were barely in users’ hands before Apple has seen fit to squirt out their new laptop’s first Software Update.

What does the update fix? Mostly graphics issues, including one which strikes when a user opens iMovie ’11. It also fixes some sleep issues when the MacBook Air is hooked up an external display.

Here are the official notes:

This update fixes a few graphics issues including: Resolves an issue where the system becomes unresponsive while playing back a movie trailer in iMovie. Resolves an issue where the system becomes unresponsive after waking from sleep when an external display is connected. This update is recommended for users of all MacBook Air notebooks manufactured in late 2010.

The update weighs a paltry 368KB and can be downloaded here.