Apple wants you to install iOS 15.3.1 to patch a serious Safari exploit

Hey, you over there holding the iPhone. Apple has something important it wants you to do. And you, with the iPad in your hands, Apple needs you to listen to this as well. The company today released iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1.

Apple says that the two new builds provide "important security updates for your iPhone (and iPad)." It also repairs an issue that might have caused Braille displays to stop working. To download and install the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. The update weighs in at a hefty 862.7MB.

You might recall that iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 both included a fix for a Safari exploit that allowed those with malicious intent to track users' visits around the internet. The bug "lets any website track your internet activity and even reveal your identity," according to security firm FingerprintJS. Today's updaste further enhances the repair.

Apple discussed in more detail the security aspect of today's update which dovetails with the aforementioned Safari issue. The fix is listed under the WebKit heading and says, "Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation). Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited."

So folks, if you own an iPhone or an iPad, it behooves you to install iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1. It might not be the update to iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 that you've been waiting for, but they will quash an issue that has apparently been exploited.

As for the upcoming iOS 15.4 update, the most anticipated feature is one that allows you to unlock your iPhone using Face ID while wearing a mask. While iOS 14.5 allowed those wearing a mask to access their iPhone thanks to an unlocked Apple Watch, with iOS 15.4 people wearing a mask but no Apple Watch will be able to unlock their device with Face ID.

What kind of magic is Apple using to allow this to work? Actually, Apple is going to "use the unique features around the eye area to authenticate" instead of using full facial recognition. There’s also a setting that will allow Face ID to recognize the user's facial features even if glasses are being worn. Apple also notes that Face ID is more accurate when the new setting is disabled.

Everyone loves it when new emojis are released, and iOS 15.4 and iPad 15.4 will add Unicode Consortium's Emoji 14 release. New emoji inbound include melting and saluting faces, biting lip, jar, beans, x-ray, bubbles, and more. An Apple Card widget will show you your most up-to-date balance info on your home page, and the iPad's Universal Controls, originally scheduled to be released this past fall, will finally see the light of day.

With Universal Controls, users will be able to drag and drop files between an iPad and a Mac or between two Macs. Back to the iPhone as in Tap to Pay on iPhone, a feature introduced this week by Apple, businesses can accept payments via Apple Pay or other contactless payment methods by holding their iPhone, Apple Watch, or contactless credit or debit card, near the merchant's iPhone. The beauty of this payment system is that it allows small companies and those in service industries to accept payments right out in the field.

Apple also released the second public beta for iOS 15.4 and iPad 15.4 today. To be able to install it, you'll need to sign up with the Apple Beta Software Program. Keep in mind though that if you do join the Beta program, you should back up your data; if you want to leave the Beta program you can wait for the release of the next public non-beta update and install the OTA update via the usual method: (Settings > General > Software Update).

But if you can't wait for the next public release, you can restore iOS or iPadOS but your data will be wiped.