Apple
iOS 17.4 Update Rumored for March
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on a new iOS 17.4 update for iPhone and the software is currently slated to arrive in early 2024.
In the report, Gurman says Apple was forced to pause work on its upcoming iOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18 updates in order to fix bugs lurking in the upcoming updates for iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. The company reportedly paused development for a week.
He notes the halt applied to an unannounced version of iOS 17 for iPhone and iPad dubbed iOS 17.4. Gurman says Apple is planning to push the software to iPhone, and iPad, in March.
iOS 17.4 should serve as the company’s fourth milestone upgrade for iOS 17, following iOS 17.2 which is expected in December and iOS 17.3, which is likely in development behind the scenes.
iOS 17.3 should enter beta testing after iOS 17.2 arrives and if Apple’s on schedule, it should land for compatible iPhone models in January.
If iOS 17.4 arrives in March, it would fall in line with previous iOS x.4 updates. Earlier this year, iOS 16.4 landed on March 27th while iOS 15.4 dropped on March 14th back in 2022.
And given what we’ve heard about Apple’s plans for 2024, there’s a chance iOS 17.4/iPadOS 17.4 accompanies new hardware to shelves.
Apple’s reportedly working on new iPads, set for release in 2024. Three models, an iPad Air 6, an iPad mini 7, and a new overhauled iPad Pro are all expected to hit shelves next year.
We don’t have firm launch dates for these products yet, but Apple has announced new iPads in March in the past.
As for iOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18, these updates are expected to debut at WWDC 2024 next summer ahead of an official release in the fall.
According to Gurman, Apple finished the first “M1” versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 last month. And given that Apple only paused for a week, he believes the internal delay shouldn’t impact the consumer release of these upgrades.
Install iOS 17.4.1 for Better Security | ||||||||||||||||
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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 17.4.1 update right away. The iOS 17.4.1 update includes security patches, but Apple hasn't revealed them yet. It's probably waiting until it releases additional software for Mac and other devices. The update's patches will help keep your device and its data protected from harm. And that makes it an important upgrade. If you missed iOS 17.4 and older software, you'll get the security patches from updates you missed when you upgrade to iOS 17.4.1. iOS 17.4 had four security patches on board. The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. The company says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world." The iOS 17.3 update brought 15 new security patches to iPhone. The software also added Stolen Device Protection to iPhone. It increases the security of your iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID to gain access to passwords, make purchases in Safari, and more. This is useful if someone gets access to your iPhone and its passcode. iOS 17.2 delivered 10 new security patches to iPhone. If you wish to find out more, you can head on over to Apple's security site for the details. iOS 17.2 also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. The company also fixed an exploit that let the Flipper Zero multi-tool lock up iPhones. iOS 17.1.2 had two security patches on board. Both were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more, you can do so right here. iOS 17.1 brought 18 security fixes to iPhone. It addressed issues within Weather, Status Bar, WebKit, and more. iOS 17.0.3 brought two patches for two security issues Apple identified within the software. If you want to read about the patches, head here. iOS 17.0.1 delivered three important patches to iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. As for iOS 17 itself, it brought 40+ new security patches with it. A staggering number to say the least. If you want to learn more about them, head over to Apple. In addition to those patches, iOS 17 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent by AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app, FaceTime, and the systemwide photo picker. You now have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks. Apple's also improved sharing permissions and you now have more control over what you share with the apps on your device. The company also notes that starting in iOS 17, Voice Memos encrypts the titles of recordings stored in iCloud, in addition to the recordings themselves. If you skipped older versions of iOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your iOS 17.4.1 update as well. | ||||||||||||||||
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