Apple Announces iOS 15, macOS 12 Updates; Battery And Security Issues Fixed

Apple is releasing significant updates for the iPhone and Mac. Two major bugs have been addressed in the new iOS 15.3.1 and macOS 12.2.1 software releases. The WebKit exploit, which was just made public, placed the iPhone's security in jeopardy, while irregular Bluetooth connections on MacBooks caused a power drain.While the patches primarily address these two major vulnerabilities, the latest iOS and macOS releases also include other changes and improvements.

Apple Releases iOS 15, macOS 12

The iPhone's JavaScript implementation in Safari's browser's WebKit implementation was recently discovered to have a bug. Because all three devices use Safari, it had an impact on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Apple has strengthened security on the iPhone and Mac, according to the patch notes for both the latest iOS 15.3.1 and macOS 12.2.1 versions. Apple suggests that processing maliciously generated web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. The company stated that it is aware of a report that the issue may already be exploited, and that the problem is being addressed with better memory management.

Apple Fixes Bluetooth Battery Drain And Security Update Issues

Apart from WebKit security improvements, the new software releases address specific issues with the iPhone and Mac. Several MacBook customers complained that a problem in Bluetooth connectivity prevented their devices from sleeping properly, resulting in a battery depletion that was unexpected. This problem only affected MacBooks with Intel processors. The problem has been fixed, and the patch is included in the macOS 12.2.1 release.

The patch for the power drain issue was discovered alongside other things in the newest beta software of macOS 12 Monterey, but the stable macOS 12.2.1 simply fixes the bug and improves Mac security. However, it does not include any new features.

The iOS 15.3.1 update, on the other hand, addresses the WebKit weakness as well as a problem that caused Braille displays to cease responding. Again, this update does not add any new capabilities to the iPhone, so users may have to wait a bit longer for the Tap to Pay function to walk in.