iOS 8.2 Release Date Confirmed

The iOS 8.1.3 update’s short reign is over. The iOS 8.2 update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch will roll out to compatible iPhones, iPads and iPod touches today bringing the Apple Watch app and bug fixes for iOS 8 problems.

In the tail end of last year, Apple released an iOS 8.2 update into its beta program for developers. Over the past few months, Apple’s slowly inched toward an iOS 8.2 release date for iOS 8 users and today, the company finally confirmed an iOS 8.2 release date for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The iOS 8.2 release date is today.

Today, Apple will replace iOS 8.1.3 with an iOS 8.2 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update will deliver support for Apple’s new Apple Watch application and it’s also expected to bring enhancements and fixes for iOS 8 problems. iOS 8 problems continue to plague iPhone and iPad users and Apple is looking to stamp those out ahead of the Apple Watch arrival.

Apple’s change log notes the big changes coming with the iOS 8.2 update and they include additions to the Health application, an app that will play an integral role in the arrival of the Apple Watch. The changes to the Health app include:

• Adds the ability to select the unit of measurement for body temperature, weight, height, distance, and blood glucose
• Improves stability when dealing with large amounts of data
• Includes the ability to add and visualize workout sessions from 3rd-party apps
• Addresses an issue that may have prevented users from adding a photo in Medical ID
• Fixes units for vitamins and minerals
• Fixes an issue where Health data wouldn’t refresh after changes data source order
• Fixes an issue where some graphics showed no data values
• Adds a privacy setting that enables turning off tracking of steps, distance, and flights climbed

There are also a number of enhancements and bug fixes that are expected to alleviate some of the problems with Apple’s iOS 8 software. Here are the enhancements that are on board iOS 8.2.

• Increases stability of Mail
• Improves stability of Flyover in Maps
• Improves stability of Music
• Improves VoiceOver reliability
• Improves connectivity with Made for iPhone Hearing Aids

Here are the bug fixes that will help accompany the iOS 8.2 update to iPhones, iPads and iPod touches all over the world:

• Fixes an issue in Maps that prevented navigating to some favorite locations
• Addresses an issue where the last word in a quick reply message wasn’t autocorrected
• Fixes an issue where duplicate iTunes purchased content could prevent iCloud restore from completing
• Resolves an issue where some music or playlists didn’t sync from iTunes to the Music app
• Fixes an issue where deleted audiobooks sometimes remained on the device
• Resolves an issue that could prevent call audio from routing to car speakers while using Siri Eyes Free
• Fixes a Bluetooth calling issue where no audio is heard until the call is answered
• Fixes a timezone issue where Calendar events appear in GMT
• Addresses an issue that caused certain events in a custom reoccurring meeting to drop from Exchange calendar
• Fixes an certificate error that prevented configuring an Exchange account behind a third-party gateway
• Fixes an issue that could cause an organizer’s Exchange meeting notes to be overwritten
• Resolves an issue that prevented some Calendar events from automatically showing as “busy” after accepting an invite.

These come from Apple’s official iOS 8.2 change log which means that iOS 8.2 is far more substantial than a typical iOS bug fix update. These changes aren’t just limited to just a few devices either. The iOS 8.2 update will be rolled out to all iOS 8 powered devices, a list that includes:

• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 5c
• iPhone 5
• iPhone 4s
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad mini 3
• iPad mini 2
• iPad mini
• iPad 4
• iPad 3
• iPad 2
• iPod touch fifth-gen

Apple is also expected to deliver an iOS 8.3 update and an iOS 8.4 update ahead of an iOS 9 update. Release dates for those updates remain unknown though the iOS 8.3 update is already in the beta program and should arrive sometime before summer.

The iOS 8.3 release is confirmed to have wireless support for CarPlay on board. It’s also expected to bring better support for two-form authentication for Google apps like Gmail. According to 9to5Mac, it’s also going to bring some small changes to Emoji, links to the Mayo Clinic in the Health app, and Apple Pay support for China. It should also bring some improvements to Siri’s voice.

In March, Apple will reportedly start a public iOS 8.3 update beta to let users test out the new update well ahead of the iOS 8.3 release. The program will allow Apple to test the updates on a wider range of devices, networks as well as app and accessory combinations. As we note in every iOS review, the performance of an iOS update can vary from one device to the next based on several different factors.

An iOS 8.4 release is also rumored for the summer and it’s expected to deliver a music subscription service that could give Spotify increased competition. This update is expected to arrive ahead of an iOS 9 update slated for the fall.