These days Apple times its operating system updates so that they would all roll out at the same time. This is what happened this morning where all four operating systems (OS) — iOS, OS X, tvOS, and watchOS — all received incremental updates. These releases came around two months since the last updates.
iOS 9.3.3
iOS 9.3.3 is the incremental update in question to Apple’s most popular OS. While a full firmware download through iTunes will be larger than 1 GB, the delta file size for the iPhone 5s is only at around 54 MB.
So what’s new with iOS 9.3.3? Nothing significant really, except the usual bug fixes and security improvements under-the-hood for eligible iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches.
For obvious reasons, it is the third minor update to iOS 9.3 that was launched back in March 2016. iOS 9.3.3 has been in beta testing since May 23rd, with five beta builds released so far. It is the ninth iOS 9 update excluding the initial release itself, following iOS 9.0.1, iOS 9.0.2, iOS 9.1, iOS 9.2, iOS 9.2.1, iOS 9.3, iOS 9.3.1, and iOS 9.3.2.
iOS 9.3.3 should be the last update before iOS 10 arrives this autumn, which you can read more about here. Some of the new features include an overhauled lockscreen, rich notifications, an App Store section for the revamped Messages app, improved Maps, Music, News, Photos, and QuickType apps, a new HomeKit hub, Apple Pay on Safari, and third-party Siri integration.
OS X El Capitan Update 10.11.6
Next up, OS X El Capitan (soon to be called macOS) received update version 10.11.6. A full OS download can be a few GBs in size, so make sure you are backed up and have a decent WiFi connection before attempting the download.
OS X 10.11.6 is clearly the sixth incremental update to El Capitan that was launched in the end of September 2015. This is a little unusual as Apple usually only released five updates before the next OS release was out. Just like iOS 9.3.3, this minor update in particular has been in beta since May 23rd.
No significant changes can be found at OS X 10.11.6 as well, as it only offers improvements to the compatibility, security, and stability of the Mac. However, this version does coincide with the release of iTunes 12.4.2 — at 110 MB itself — which is supposed to resolve a playback issue with short Apple Music tracks that are queued on the Up Next section.
This should be the last update until macOS Sierra (10.12) drops this autumn. Sierra offers new features to the desktop OS, including Siri, Universal Clipboard, Auto Unlock with Apple Watch, Apple Pay on Safari, picture-in-picture video, storage optimization, as well as improvements to its Apple Music, Messages, and Photos apps. You can read all about macOS Sierra here.
tvOS 9.2.2 for fourth-generation Apple TV
The tvOS 9.2.2 that was released this morning was designed specifically for the fourth-generation Apple TV. This small update for bug fixes and other minor tweaks dropped four months after the release of tvOS 9.2, which brought a few features like voice dictation and Bluetooth keyboard support. Updates to Apple TV can be done, just like on iOS, by going to Settings and the Software Update section.
The new tvOS 10 will arrive soon, as Apple is already working on it. Among the new features are a smarter Siri, single sign-on for cable channels, and the ability to support up to four game controllers, among other things. You can read more about it here.
watchOS 2.2.2
Unlike the other devices, watchOS 2.2.2 or any of the earlier versions can’t be downloaded directly from the device, but they’d have to rely on the Apple Watch app that’s installed on a paired iOS device. I think you should know by now that this too, is just a minor update with bug fixes. However, unlike the others, especially iOS, there was only one watchOS 2.2.2 beta released to developers.
To succeed it this autumn, is watchOS 3, which brings to the table a few major interface and navigation changes which include the updated Activity app, accessibility features, messaging improvements, an SOS feature, new watch faces, a new Breathe app which encourages users to relax and reduce stress, as well as significant speed improvements to launching and loading apps. You can find out more about it here.
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