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12/04/2017:Apple fixes iOS 10 beta problems, but could kill support
Apple has begun rolling out the second beta of iOS 10.3.2, the operating system's forthcoming update, after spending two weeks in its first beta period.
The adjustments made by the tech giant include bug fixes to both third-party virtual private network (VPN) apps and SiriKit car commands. Both should be working properly in the second beta. iOS devices will also send Apple diagnostic and usage data automatically, although users will have the option to opt out of this feature.
There might not be much else at the moment, as the build only comes out to129MB. It's expected, however, that the new beta will feature security enhancements.
While Apple has fixed the initial iOS beta problems, it could potentially present an even bigger issue for certain iPhone users.
According to Forbes, iOS 10.3.2 could potentially be cutting support for iPhone 5 and 5C models. The idea is based off the fact that these phones were both built on 32-bit architecture, where iOS 10.3.2 has only supported 64-bit iOS devices thus far. Previous update betas from Apple haven't skipped support for 32-bit devices.
Participators in Apple's Beta Software program can currently trial the update for free afterinstalling the proper certificate on their iOS devices.
Those not affiliated with the Beta Software program will just have to wait until the update is released in the coming weeks.
28/03/2017:Apple has released the latest update to its mobile operating system, iOS 10.3. Built on iOS 10, it's not a radical overhaul (we'll have to wait until at leastWWDC in Junefor that), but does contain some notable new features.
First up is an addition to Find My iPhone Find my AirPods. Using the built-in app, owners of Apple's tiny, wireless earphones can view their current or last known location and play a sound on one or both of them to help locate the dinky devices.
Siri has a number of new features too, including support for paying and checking the status of bills with payment apps, ride app support for help with scheduling, and cricket scores for Indian Premier League and International Cricket Council games.
There's also Siri support for apps from car manufacturers to find out whether the car is locked or not, turning on the lights and checking the vehicle's fuel level.
Speaking of cars, there are also a number of updates to CarPlay in iOS 10.3. These include shortcuts in the status bar to the most recently used apps for easy access, as well as two changes to Apple Music: the Now Playing screen gives access to both Up Next and the currently playing song's album, while a daily curated playlist and new music categories are also available.
There are also a number of smaller tweaks to the Home and Calendar apps, as well as Podcasts.
As is normal with an operating system update, iOS 10.3 also introduces a number of security patches, the details of which can be foundhere.
17/02/2017:The iPhone's next operating system, iOS 11, may lead to a cull of tens of thousands of older apps, according to reports.
With WWDC 2017 taking place in early June, we could be just a few months away from a brand new operating system for Apple's flagship device.
Its release could create havoc for app developers, and users of older apps, however, if Apple drops support for 32-bit apps, as speculated by9to5mac.
The website found that the beta for iOS 10.3 warned users opening 32-bit apps that "This app will not work with future versions of iOS". It said the app's developers must upgrade it to make it more compatible.
Apple switched from 32-bit apps to 64-bit apps with the release of the 5s in 2013, andMashablereports that "the data we have suggests tens of thousands of apps could be affected" if older apps are blocked.
It also refers to an autumn 2016 report from app analytics firm Sensor Tower that found 28% of App Store apps hadn't been updated in the previous two years.
25/01/2017:Apple has released an update for iOS 10 that will prevent hackers from accessing devices.
iOS 10.2.1 will prevent criminals from unlocking a device remotely or accessing the kernel, which could allow them to "execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges," for iPhone 5 and later, iPad 4th generation and later and iPod touch 6th generation and later.
It will also fix flaws in WebKit, Wi-Fi and Contacts to stop anyone using security holes to access the device remotely.
"[The flaw] can add files, delete files, or execute any actions," Malwarebytes senior security researcher JP Taggart toldWired. "Want to record conversations and forward them to someone else? It can do that. Want to install additional malicious software? It can do that. Want to uninstall programs on the affected phone? It can do that. Want to hide these actions, programs and files from the user? It can do that too."
Reassuringly for Apple fans, the security flaw doesn't appear to have actually been used by any malicious actors, so those who haven't applied the update yet are probably not at risk. However, as its existance is now out in the open, they should update as soon as possible.
The same flaw could be used via other Apple apps including iTunes, Safari, macOS Sierra, plus the operating system used for Apple TV and Apple Watch, which have all now been updated as well, meaning it was probably quite a widespread problem.
09/01/2017:Three quarters of iPhones and iPads now run on iOS 10, according to Apple's latest official figures - a significant jump on November's figures, which showed it running on 63% of iPhones and iPads.
They also showed that 18% of devices are still running iOS 9 with the remaining 6% stuck on older versions of the operating system.
The reason behind this increase is thought to be due to the Christmas season, with people buying others a shiny new iPhone or iPad replacement, as well as existing customers having time between Christmas and New Year to sit down and upgrade their device.
Although the metrics seem to be encouraging for Apple, they're only 1% higher than iOS 9 was at this point last year, showing people aren't necessarily jumping at the chance of getting their hands on iOS 10.
Independent company Mixpanel showed iOS 10 adoption running at just over 50% back in October, although more recent figures are yet to be released.
13/12/2016:Apple has released the latest version of iPhone software; iOS 10.2, packed with new features and some welcome bug fixes.
The update brings a host of new additions to the platform, including an expanded emoji set and the Apple TV app. iOS 10.2 is a free download available to iPhone 5 or later models, iPad 4th generation or later, and iPod touch 6th generation or later.
The update can be downloaded by connecting your device to iTunes or manually updating through the 'Software Update' menu in 'Settings'. The download should begin and restart your phone automatically.
Emojis:
Over 100 new emojis have been added with iOS 10.2, according to Apple, including a facepalm, a selfie symbol, and male and female variants of professions like firefighters and judges. The new symbols can't be sent to users on Android, although they do work on web versions of Facebook and Twitter.
Apple TV:
The new Apple TV app, currently only available in the US, provides a home for all your live and on-demand TV content, bringing together a number of apps such as Netflix, into one viewing platform. The app shows recommendations for new TV shows and movies, and highlights upcoming releases available in the 'Store'.
Camera improvements:
Additions to camera software have also been made, including improved stablisation and a fix to an iPhone 7 plus bug that would cause the zoom function to stop working. Some changes have been made to the way albums are curated, providing greater accuracy of grouped photos in 'People' and 'Memories' folders.
New message effects:
Two new full screen message effects have been added to iMessage, adding to those already included in iOS 10 such as 'send with balloons'. The new effects are 'Send with Love', which creates a big heart on screen, and 'Celebrate', which causes an explosion of sparks.
New wallpapers:
Three new wallpapers have been added for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus customers, known as Droplet Blue, Droplet Red and Droplet Yellow.
There are also a host of other smaller improvements such as better Bluetooth performance across third party devices, easier to use controls in the Music app, and a range of bug fixes.
Users have reported a range of battery issues on 10.1.1, including inaccurate remaining percentages and phones suddenly dropping from 30% to 0%. IT Pro has reached out to Apple to clarify whether the new update fixes these issues, and we will update you when we hear more.
Picture courtesy of Apple
