Apple released iOS 17.3 on Monday, alongside macOS 14.3 Sonoma for eligible devices and Mac PCs. The most recent iOS software update includes a new feature that protects your account from theft.
Apple Music has also been upgraded to accommodate Collaborative Playlists. Meanwhile, users will be able to view warranty information for all of their devices using the Settings app. Apple has also included additional security fixes in the latest iOS 17.3 and macOS 14.3 updates.
According to Apple’s release notes for iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection will be available to users after they update to the latest version. This optional security feature is intended to deter thieves from stealing your phone in public and using the passcode to unlock the handset, allowing them to change your account password, phone passcode, and access other critical information. Instead, iOS will demand Face ID and impose a wait time before changing certain settings.
iOS 17.3 (together with iPadOS 17.3) and macOS 14.3 Sonoma address 15 and 16 security issues, respectively. These fixes address vulnerabilities in Safari’s WebKit engine, Shortcuts, Spell Checker, Apple’s Neural Engine (the company’s on-device machine learning NPU), and the mail search service. The company also fixed a flaw that allowed the system’s time zone management service to share a user’s phone number with third-party apps via the system log.
To apply these updates, open the Settings app on iOS, iPadOS, or macOS and select General > Software Update. If you have an older iPhone, you can use the same way to determine if iOS 16.7.5 and iOS 15.8.1 are available for download; these updates do not provide new features, but they do include security fixes for older devices.
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Aside from these notable fixes and enhancements, Apple has finally implemented Collaborative Playlists on Apple Music, a feature that was demonstrated last year and briefly featured in the iOS 17.2 beta. Apple Music users may now contribute on playlists and react with emoji within them.
Meanwhile, iOS 17.3 users may use AirPlay for hotel TVs, which allows consumers to scan a QR code on supporting TVs in select hotels and automatically pair with the TV in their room.
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