Apple today releases iOS 16.5, the fifth major update for iPhone and iPad users with iOS 16 operating system.
Before open to all users, iOS 16.5 was in beta testing. With Apple’s WWDC 2023 event less than a month away, Apple sticks to minimalist changes and is not as noteworthy as we’ve seen in previous updates, however, the new updates bring some notable bug fixes and new features for a convenient experience. There is speculation that the new iOS 17 will be released at an Apple event taking place on June 2023. So this could be the last major updates iPhone and iPad users can get before the launch of iOS 17.
Here is Everything New that comes with iOS 16.5
New Sport Tab In Apple News
Apple has added a dedicated Sports Tab In ‘Apple News’ for Sports fans. With a new tab, Users will be able to directly access, scores, results, team info, players info, and standing and personalize details of the teams, players, or leagues they follow.
Apart from this, two new features My Sports Score and Schedule Cards will take users to game pages where they can dig deeper into details for a specific player, game, or match.
‘Sports Tab in Apple News gives easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more, for the teams and leagues you follow.” Apple said in its release note.
Pride Celebration Wallpaper
Apple has launched a new Pride Celebration Wallpaper for the lock screen to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture. The wallpaper can be used as a home screen and lock screen and is now available in the iOS 16.5 update.
Earlier Apple introduced Pride Apple Watch Band and Watch Face with colors of the pride flag to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community.
Some Bug Fixes
iOS 16.5 updates come with many bug fixes that include, Spotlight, Podcast, Screen time, and more.
- Fixed: Spotlight may become unresponsive
- Fixed: Podcast content not loading in CarPlay
- Fixed: Screen Time Setting may reset or not sync across all devices
Security Fixes
The iOS 16.5 updates fix three security flaws that were actively exploited. While two of these issues were resolved in the previous iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1 Rapid Security Response updates, the remaining vulnerability still poses a threat until the new software is installed.
One of the key vulnerabilities addressed in these updates revolves around WebKit, a framework utilized by Apple’s web browser, Safari. This particular security flaw had the potential to enable an attacker to break out of the Web Content sandbox. However, Apple has effectively countered this issue by implementing improved bounds checks. It is worth noting that Apple has been made aware of a report suggesting active exploitation of this vulnerability. Therefore, it is crucial to update to iOS 16.5 or iPadOS 16.5 to safeguard against potential attacks.
The other two vulnerabilities associated with WebKit were primarily concerned with the processing of maliciously crafted web content. Exploiting these vulnerabilities could result in the disclosure of sensitive information or arbitrary code execution. With the new updates, Apple has diligently addressed these issues, ensuring that user data remains secure and protected from potential threats.