Enlarge / The iPhone 12 mini.
Samuel Axon
Today, Apple released new versions of its iOS and iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, and watchOS 7 operating systems. The updates hit just one day before Apple is expected to reveal its new iPhone and Apple Watch models and the release dates for iOS 15 and watchOS 8.
These updates are security-related across the board, and they add no new features or functionality.
Specifically, two main issues have been addressed across Apple’s platforms, one with Core Graphics and the other with WebKit. In both cases, maliciously crafted content (PDFs or web content) could be used in arbitrary code execution. Apple also says these updates fix an issue that allowed attackers to bypass Apple protections intended to stop code execution via Messages.
The updates are labeled iOS 14.8, iPadOS 14.8, watchOS 7.6.2, and macOS Big Sur 11.6.
Apple doesn’t usually release security updates with a 14.x rather than a 14.x.x version format. Normally, updates with one decimal point add new features in addition to fixing bugs or security vulnerabilities.
These updates are the first to Apple’s operating systems in several weeks, but they’re likely the last during this annual cycle. The company will probably announce launch dates for iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and watchOS 8 during its livestreamed event tomorrow.
Those larger updates will introduce numerous new features announced at the company’s developer conference in June—though already, some of the announced iOS 15 features have been pushed back to later updates in the iOS 15 cycle.
