Apple iOS 15.7 is now live.
Today is the day that Apple has launched its big update of the year, iOS 16—read full details here. But, as if that wasn’t enough, there’s been another iOS update today as well. I’m pretty sure this has never happened before.
So, what are the differences and which should you choose?
Make Forbes your destination for all-things iOS. Read full details of what’s in the release from me the moment it lands. Kate O’Flaherty looks at the security considerations of each new release. And then read Gordon Kelly’s analysis of whether you ought to install or wait.
The big update is iOS 16, and it’s the one that Apple has been talking about since June. It has a shedload of amazing new features and it’s very appealing.
The other update is iOS 15.7 and it’s completely unexpected. That’s because it is laser-focused on fixing security flaws rather than adding any new features. There are 11 flaws revealed in Apple’s notes on the update, and they sound pretty important. Otherwise, Apple wouldn’t have released this update at all, especially on the same day as the much-anticipated iOS 16.
The security issues include problems with the power behind the Safari browser, which could leave a user open to attacks.
So, why the two options? Until recently, Apple would have forced users to go straight to iOS 16, but now there’s the choice to just update the security parts of the software without moving to iOS 16.
After all, the first versions of an all-new iOS build can have bugs and flaws that may not have been caught in the public beta. So, if you’re cautious, you can avoid those bugs by going for iOS 15.7 for now.
There’s another reason for this update, though. Anyone with an iPhone 8 or newer can use iOS 16, but iOS 15.7 is also compatible with a bunch of other phones, specifically iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone SE second edition. That’s a far wider net. It’s additionally available for iPads, the just-released iPadOS 15.7, while iOS 16 is iPhone-only.
It means you have a choice. Apple iOS 15.7 is a small update that will install quickly, while iOS 16 will take longer but offer much more.
How to get it
Updating to iOS 15.7 is easy as pie: open the Settings app on the iPhone and then choose General, and then Software Update. Once you’ve clicked on Download and Install, it’ll do everything for you. Alternatively, you could opt to go straight to iOS 16, which will take longer as it’s a bigger download.
What’s in the release
These are all security fixes, aimed at making sure you’re safe using your iPhone. Some relate to the kernel, with comments that “an application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.”
One is for Maps, where sensitive location information could be exposed. Then there’s Media Library, Shortcuts, Safari Extensions and two concerned with WebKit.
TLDR? These are important security updates across the iPhone system.
