Apple Rolls Out iOS 17.2.1 Update With Unspecified Bug Fixes

Key Takeaways:

Apple released iOS 17.2.1 only a week after the iOS 17.2 update, which introduced new features such as the Journal app, the translate option on the Action Button, and Spatial Video.
The company says iOS 17.2.1 is a minor security update that fixes important bugs and is recommended for all users with iPhone XS and later.
The update will be the last one before Apple rolls out iOS 17.3, which will bring features like collaborative playlists on Apple Music and Stolen Device Mode to the iPhone.

Just days after releasing the iOS 17.2 update for the iPhone, Apple has rolled out iOS 17.2.1, which it says will provide “important bug fixes” to the world’s most sought-after smartphone.

The feature-rich iOS 17.2 introduced several new features to the iPhone, such as:

Journal App, which lets users journal about their lives to practice gratitude and improve their well-being. The feature also offers journaling suggestions, filter bookmarked entries, schedule notifications, and secure the journals with Touch ID/Face ID.

The translate option on the Action Button allows users to program the Action Button on their iPhone 15 Pro series to quickly translate phrases or have a full conversation with someone in other languages supported by the device.

Spatial Video, the highly anticipated feature that lets iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max users capture videos in a format supported by Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.

Catch-up Arrow lets users jump to the first unread message in an iMessage conversation.

Expanded Contact Sharing on AirDrop gives users the ability to share boarding passes, movie tickets, and other eligible items with another iPhone user in close vicinity.

Apple Releases Unexplained Security Patch for the iPhone with iOS 17.2.1

Apple did not provide many details about its latest software release, which is minuscule by the company’s standards. In its release notes for iOS 17.2.1, the tech behemoth vaguely explained that the update “provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users”.

Apple pointed out that iOS 17.2.1 did not publish any Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) numbers. These entries are typically used to catalog and publicly disclose any security vulnerabilities, with each CVE number representing a specific flaw in the software.

It is still unclear whether the 240.5MB update with no CVE number makes the bug issue minor or Apple rushing out an OS update just days after releasing iOS 17.2 makes it a matter of real concern.

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Apple Prevents Users from Downgrading iPhones to iOS 17.1

The company has reportedly stopped signing iOS 17.1.1 and iOS 17.1.2, thus preventing iPhone users from downgrading to those versions of the operating system.

This is not unusual, as the company routinely stops signing older versions of iOS once new releases are announced as a way of encouraging iPhone users to keep their devices up to date and to prevent them from downgrading to older and less secure versions of the software.

iOS 17.3 with Collaborative Playlists and Stolen Device Mode Expected to be Released in January 2023

Besides that, iOS 17.2.1 could be the last update before Apple announces iOS 17.3, which is expected to come out sometime in January 2024. The forthcoming release is currently under testing and will be available in beta after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Although iOS 17.3 won’t bring a host of new features like the 17.2 release did, it surely does introduce some noteworthy features, such as Stolen Device Mode and Collaborative Apple Music Playlists.

The Stolen Device Mode in iOS 17.3 will add an extra security layer to the iPhone in case someone has obtained both the device and its passcode. Once enabled, the bad actor won’t be able to access passwords stored on the iCloud Keychain, turn off Lost Mode, erase data, or make purchases online without biometric authentication using Face ID or Touch ID.

With the Collaborative Apple Music Playlists feature, users can choose their existing playlists or create a new one and invite other Apple Music users to listen or add songs. The creator of the playlist will be able to add or remove people and songs and turn off the collaboration at any time.