iOS 8.3 Update: 5 Things iPhone & iPad Users Need to Know

Apple’s iOS 8.2 update still isn’t out but that hasn’t stopped the company from confirming an iOS 8.3 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models running its new operating system. With an iOS 8.3 update and release confirmed for the future, we want to take a look at the five things iOS 8 users need to know right now about Apple’s brand new update.

Apple has been busy in the months following its initial iOS 8.0 release for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch back in September. In the weeks since the release, the company’s rolled out six bug fix updates aimed at stabilizing the software. The company’s current version of iOS 8 is iOS 8.1.3, a large bug fix update that tackled iOS 8 problems and reduced the amount of storage needed to install its firmware updates Over-the-Air.

The company’s also confirmed two upcoming iOS 8 updates that will replace the iOS 8.1.3 update sometime in the future. One of those updates is iOS 8.2, an update that sits in the company’s beta program. The iOS 8.2 release is expected in March ahead of Apple’s Watch release. The Apple Watch release date is confirmed for a date before the end of April though Apple still hasn’t outlined an exact window for consumers.

iOS 8.2 won’t be the finale for iOS 8 it seems. Today, Apple confirmed another iOS 8 update in the form of iOS 8.3, an update that had been rumored for arrival ahead of the iOS 9 update later this year. With an iOS 8.3 update now on deck for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, we want to take a look at the five most important things to know, right now, about this new iOS 8 upgrade.

iOS 8.3 Beta 1

Apple today released its first iOS 8.3 beta which will be referred to us as iOS 8.3 beta 1. The update is currently available to users that are a part of Apple’s beta program. The arrival of the first iOS 8.3 beta comes just a few short days after Apple released its fifth iOS 8.2 beta, iOS 8.2 beta 5, to developers ahead of an upcoming release.

iOS 8.3 Release Date

The company did not attach a specific release date to the iOS 8.3 update which means that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users will likely be in the dark in the weeks leading up to its release. And while there isn’t anything available yet about its release, it’s clear that the iOS 8.3 update probably won’t be rolling out any time soon.

Apple’s iOS 8.2 update is confirmed and rumors point to an arrival sometime in March ahead of the Apple Watch release. Rumors have specifically hinted at a release in the second week of the month though that remains unconfirmed. With an iOS 8.2 release on tap for the coming weeks, an iOS 8.3 release is probably weeks, if not months away.

The company usually releases several beta upgrades before releasing iOS software to the public so we should see the company produce a number of iOS 8.3 betas in the weeks ahead.

Who Will Get iOS 8.3?

The iOS 8.3 update is confirmed for devices running the company’s iOS 8 operating system. That means that owners of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, and iPod touch fifth-generation will all be getting the iOS 8.3 update down the road. The iOS 8.3 beta 1 is available for all of these devices right now.

iOS 8.3 Features

The full iOS 8.3 change log is still a bit of a mystery, even as the smoke clears from around the initial iOS 8.3 beta 1 release. Apple’s x.x update’s usually come with bug fixes though they will often deploy new features to the iPad and iPhone. For instance, iOS 8.1 delivered the company’s brand new Apple Pay service to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

According to TechCrunch, the iOS 8.3 beta brings Wireless CarPlay support. Right now, CarPlay works only with a wired connection and it looks like iOS 8.3 will finally bring wireless capabilities to the popular feature. 9to5Mac also discovered an easier way to use two-form authentication for Google accounts connected to the iPhone and iPad.

As the iOS 8.3 release gets closer, and as Apple rolls out more betas, we should start to see the full iOS 8.3 change log come together. For now, it looks like the update will be focused on CarPlay with potential bug fixes in tow.

iOS 9

Finally, iOS 8.3 could mark the end of a long road for iOS 8. While we could see Apple release bug fixes in the aftermath of the iOS 8.3 update, it does look like the company is prepping an iOS 9 release for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch later this year.

The company historically has shown off its brand new updates on stage at WWDC, its annual developers conference, in June. It’s not clear if iOS 9 will be shown off there but thanks to an early report, we now have some early details about the update that will likely follow iOS 8.3.

According to the leak, the iOS 9 update will focus on stability upgrades, similar to Apple’s OS X Snow Leopard update for Macs that rolled out in 2009. This doesn’t come as too much of a surprise given that there are still several long-standing iOS 8 problems that the company didn’t address with iOS 8.1.3 or any of its other iOS 8 bug fix updates.

The leak points to a “huge” effort on making iOS 9 more stable, fixing bugs and delivering better performance with the update. iOS 9 isn’t expected to arrive for several months at least which means iPhone and iPad users dealing with iOS 8 problems will need to look to iOS 8.2, iOS 8.3 and any bug fixes that come in between for help.