iOS 16.5 will protect your iPhone against a worrying lock screen loophole
iOS 16.5 is all about improving your iPhone’s security
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iOS 16.5 is now available to download on any iPhone newer than theiPhone 8, and despite being an incremental update, it’s an important one for your iPhone’s security.
Thought to be the last iOS 16 update before theiOS 17beta goes live in June,iOS 16.5patches a nefarious loophole that allows anyone to access your contacts book from your iPhone’s lock screen (an issue that presumably arose as a result ofApple’s decision to improve lock screen customization in iOS 16 proper).
Previous versions of iOS 16 have patched similar vulnerabilities concerning access to Messages and the Wallet app through the iPhone lock screen, so iOS 16.5 looks to have fixed the final threat in this particular set of security risks.
Elsewhere, iOS 16.5 adds three security patches for issues related to WebKit, the browser engine used in Apple’sSafariapp. These patches – which defend against threats regarding personal data leakage – were introduced with Apple’s firstiPhone Rapid Security Response updatein early May, but now anyone who missed that time-sensitive rollout can benefit from the security improvements.
As for the non-security-related features introduced with iOS 16.5, the new update adds a series of Pride celebration lock screen wallpapers and a dedicated Sports tab in Apple News. The latter provides easier access to stories, scores, and standings for the teams and leagues you follow, with score cards now taking you directly to game pages.
iOS 16.5 patches various issues relating to Spotlight, CarPlay, and Screen Time, too. The full list of updates can be viewed on Apple’s dedicatediOS 16.5 release notespage.
To download iOS 16.5, head to Settings, General, then Software Update, and follow the on-screen prompts. Alternatively, read our guide onhow to update your iPhone to iOS 16, which contains more detailed instructions for the same steps.
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As mentioned, Apple is expected to debut its next major revision to iOS – iOS 17 – atWWDC 2023in early June. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman hadpreviously reportedthat development on theApple VR headsetwould lead to “fewer major changes” for iOS 17, but the seasoned Apple expert has since claimed that the upcoming updatewill actually provide several of users’ “most requested features.”
In practice, this will likely mean a range of significant upgrades to existing iPhone features and apps, like CarPlay, Siri, and Messages. A series ofrumored updates to Apple Maps, for instance, might finally make you switch from Google Maps.
Leakers are, however, divided over which iPhones will be compatible with iOS 17. Some report thatiOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, while others havecounterclaimedthat iOS 17 will be compatible with all iPhones capable of running iOS 16.
At this stage, then, there’s little certainty around which iPhones will be supported by iOS 17 – but we’re sure to find out atWWDC2023 come June 5.
Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.
Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.
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