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Apple has integrated numerous new features and improvements in iOS 14.5. But there are also interesting changes under the hood.
iOS 14.5 introduces many small improvements. But Apple has not only made improvements on the surface but also under the hood. Now reported the US blog 9to5mac, according to which the current iOS beta code contains hints that point to an important change in the area of updates. According to this, Apple is working on a method that should enable the delivery of independent iOS security updates.
Download iOS security updates separately: What does that mean?
According to the latest iOS beta code, a new section in the iOS Software Update menu indicates that Apple will provide standalone security updates for iPhone and iPad users. Users can choose to install only security updates or full iOS updates. Specific details are currently unknown. So what does this mean? For example, an owner of an older iPhone running iOS 13 could potentially download security updates that are usually packaged in newer iOS 14 point releases. Some iPhone and iPad owners are hesitant to update older devices to Apple's latest operating systems, fearing that the new software could lead to poor system performance or excessive battery consumption.
iOS updates: macOS leads the way
On the other hand, some users simply prefer the features of older operating systems. This can be detrimental to the security of the Apple ecosystem, as the company packages security revisions with new operating system versions. Breaking security updates into standalone downloads, similar to the method used in macOS, could greatly reduce the impact of new threat vectors on new and old hardware. According to code uncovered today, this could be a possibility in the near future. It remains unclear if or when Apple plans to introduce the feature. The report points to code in the iOS 14.5 beta that points to an option to delete older, automatically downloaded updates, suggesting that updates can be triggered manually. So it remains exciting. (Image: via 9to5mac)
