Apple just started rolling out iOS 15.3, and if you have an iPhone, you need to download the update right now to fix a serious issue with Safari. Since its launch last September, iOS 15 has proven to be a fairly mixed release for Apple. The update was riddled with software bugs at launch, creating issues with Apple Photos, the Apple Watch, and more.
Thankfully, Apple's been hard at work improving iOS 15 with numerous, smaller updates since then. In October, iOS 15.1 added support for SharePlay and ProRes Video. iOS 15.2 was released shortly after in December, adding things like the Apple Music Voice Plan, App Privacy Report, and better manual camera controls for iPhone 13 Pro devices. They haven't been dramatic changes, but they've continually made iOS 15 better than it was a few months ago.
Now, Apple's releasing its first major iOS update of 2022 with iOS 15.3. The update started rolling out on January 25, and looking at Apple's patch notes, there's nothing all that exciting. There aren't any new features, no interface changes, or anything along those lines. Instead, iOS 15.3 is all about fixing bugs — the biggest of which is a dangerous Safari one that was revealed just a few days ago.
Why It's Important To Fix This Safari Bug
The core of the issue revolves around Safari's IndexedDB API — a component of the web browser that stores user data. An exploit made it possible for bad actors to access that API and view users' full browsing history. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was additional proof that attackers could use the API to obtain someone's Google account and heaps of personal information related to it. In other words, it was a pretty big deal.
Thankfully, this Safari vulnerability is now fixed with iOS 15.3 (and iPadOS 15.3). So long as someone downloads and installs the update, they can keep on using Safari without having to worry about the issue at all. Combined with a few other bugs addressed with the update, Apple says it recommends iOS 15.3 for "all users" and urges them to download it as soon as possible.
As with all iOS updates, downloading iOS 15.3 is a piece of cake. Open the Settings app, tap 'General,' tap 'Software Update,' and the page will refresh to check for any available updates. Once iOS 15.3 appears, tap 'Download and install,' and that's all there is to it. It may not be as exciting as the last couple of iOS updates, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it.
Source: Apple