After about a month and a half of testing, Apple has released iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5, which should be the last iOS 16 update before the first iOS 17 beta arrives at WWDC in June. Like iOS 16.4, it’s a small update with few new features as Apple is focused on delivering new features in iOS 17 this fall. However, there are several security patches for flaws that could let hackers steal your personal data.

iOS 16.5: New features

Here are the most important new features in iOS 16.5:

Apple News Sports tab: When you launch the Apple News app in iOS 16.5, you’ll see a new Sports tab at the bottom of the screen. It replaces the dedicated Search tab, which is now part of the Following tab. In iOS 16.4 and earlier, My Sports could be found below the For You section on the Today screen.

Siri screen recording: You’ll be able to start a screen recording by saying, “Hey Siri, start a screen recording.” Similarly, you can stop recording with, “Hey Siri, stop screen recording.”

Lock Screen wallpaper: Along with the Apple Watch face and band, Apple has released a new Pride Celebration wallpaper for the Lock Screen.

iOS 16.5: Release notes

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

• A new Pride Celebration wallpaper for the Lock Screen to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture
• Sports tab in Apple News gives easy access to stories, scores, standings, and more, for the teams and leagues you follow
• My Sports score and schedule cards in Apple News take you directly to game pages where you can find additional details about specific games
• Fixes an issue where Spotlight may become unresponsive
• Addresses an issue where Podcasts in CarPlay may not load content
• Fixes an issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices.

iOS 16.5: Security fixes

iOS 16.5 includes some 40 security updates across all aspects of the system, from the Weather app to the cellular modem. Here are the most critical patches that have been released:

Cellular

• Available for: iPhone 8 and iPhone X
• Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause arbitrary code execution
• Description: The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.
• CVE-2023-32419: Amat Cama of Vigilant Labs

ImageIO

• Available for: iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
• Impact: Processing an image may lead to arbitrary code execution
• Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.
• CVE-2023-32384: Meysam Firouzi @R00tkitsmm working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

Kernel

• Available for: iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
• Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
• Description: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks.
• CVE-2023-27930: 08Tc3wBB of Jamf

Kernel

• Available for: iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
• Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
• Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.
• CVE-2023-32398: Adam Doupé of ASU SEFCOM

Telephony

• Available for: iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
• Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution
• Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.
• CVE-2023-32412: Ivan Fratric of Google Project Zero

Additionally, the update fixes three WebKit flaws that have been actively exploited, Two of them were previously fixed in the iOS 16.4.1(a) Rapid Security Response update.

iOS 16.5: How to install

To install iOS 16.5.iPadOS 16.5 on your iPhone or iPad, head over to the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. Then tap the Download and Install button and follow the prompts.

iOS 16.6: How to install the Public Beta

We expect Apple will release the iOS 16.6 beta shortly. If you want to be among the first to test it, the process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. Here’s how the new process works:

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Log in to the Beta Software Program.
3. Click Enroll your iOS device.
4. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
5. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta.

It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

iOS 16.6: How to get the Developer Beta

You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer. Joining the Apple Developer Program costs $99 a year.

1. Register for the Apple developer program at developer.apple.com.
2. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
3. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Developer Beta.

Registered developers can choose to get the Public Beta instead by selecting iOS Public Beta in the Software Update screen. It may take a little time after registering as a developer for the option to appear in Software Updates.

Some developers have an Apple ID registered for developer access that is different from the Apple ID associated with their personal Apple account and data. To use a different Apple ID for beta access than is used throughout the rest of iOS, open Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and select the Apple ID at the bottom of the screen.

iOS 16.6: Risks and precautions

Note first of all that betas are test versions of upcoming software. They are by definition unfinished, and while they should include most or all of the features in the finished product, there will be cosmetic differences and, inevitably, some glitches and problems that will need to be fixed. The glitches and problems are why Apple bothers to beta-test iOS in the first place.

In other words, don’t expect a perfect user experience. In particular, don’t expect existing apps (including ones that you may rely on) to work perfectly with the new version. In extreme cases you may even find that your device is bricked by the beta, and cannot be used until the next beta comes along and hopefully fixes the problem. It’s not uncommon for early beta software to exhibit problems like excessive battery drain, too.

The closer we get to the final launch and iOS version, the more polished and feature-complete we can expect the available betas to become. The counter to that, of course, is there will be less time left to wait for the official launch, so you won’t be gaining so much by installing a beta.

Assuming you decide to go ahead, we can’t stress enough how important it is to back up your iPhone before you install an iOS beta, or better still, use a secondary device rather than your main iPhone. You won’t lose everything if something goes wrong while the beta is installing, and you’ll be able to go back to the last version should you find that you don’t like the new software after all, or that it’s too buggy.

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