14 DAY TRIAL // Whether you own a Mac or an iPhone, or both, Apple this week offers some must-have updates that address the security and reliability of its devices. Developers get some goodies as well. Read on for the full scoop.
For the week ending December 14, Apple issued two updates for iOS and two for OS X. Both end users and developers are targeted by these releases. If you missed the announcements, here’s what you need to know.
iOS 8.1.2 available for download
At the beginning of the week Apple released iOS 8.1.2, an incremental firmware update for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users that packs the usual round of fixes, and a specific patch for lost ringtones.
According to the documentation accompanying the update, iOS 8.1.2 “includes bug fixes and addresses a problem where ringtones purchases though the iTunes Store may have been removed from your device.” As usual, customers can download iOS 8.1.2 for free either manually or over the air.
iOS 8.2 & Xcode 6.2 - new betas
A day later, developers were greeted by a new beta of iOS 8.2, an update that Apple is preparing for mass rollout containing fixes and new features, including support for Watch apps.
These seed notes mention fixes and known issues for areas like CloudKit, iCloud, Keyboards, Notification Center, app extensions, Phone and Photos apps, provisioning profiles, Siri, Wi-Fi calling, WatchKit, and many others.
Alongside the new iOS beta, Apple deployed a new beta of Xcode 6.2 which now allows developers to code apps for the upcoming Apple Watch, among other things.
Safari updates for three Mac OSes
A previously retracted Safari update was released on December 11 delivering usability improvements, more stability, and beefed up security. It further addressed issues like history failing to sync across devices if iCloud Drive is not on, autofill failing to save passwords after two devices are added to iCloud Keychain, and an issue causing the previous Safari 8.0.1 to fail to launch.
The security side of Safari 8.0.2 (for Yosemite), Safari 7.1.1 (for Mavericks), and 6.2.1 (for Mountain Lion) is disclosed in a dedicated advisory that details every patched bug in part. Long story short, all the flaws were in the WebKit engine.
New Yosemite beta for devs
OS X 10.10.2 build 14C81f was handed to developers just yesterday. Registrants to the Mac Developer Program can grab the bits for testing and development purposes. There’s no obligation to do anything with the beta OS, but Apple would prefer if developers focused their efforts on areas like Wi-Fi, Mail, and VoiceOver.
The seed notes mention these particular areas as the focus of this seed, meaning Apple wants to address problems in these core components specifically.
