Reprinted from TidBITS by permission; reuse governed by Creative Commons license BY-NC-ND 3.0. TidBITS has offered years of thoughtful commentary on Apple and Internet topics. For free email subscriptions and access to the entire TidBITS archive, visit http://www.tidbits.com/ Apple Releases iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 Ventura, watchOS 9.2, and tvOS 16.2 Adam Engst Apple has been piling up the promises of late, adding Advanced Data Protection for iCloud and Apple Music Sing to the list of features that would ship by the end of this month. Earlier promises include the Freeform collaborative digital whiteboard, external display support for Stage Manager on M1 iPads, and extended battery life for this year's Apple Watch models during workouts. All those features are now available in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 Ventura, watchOS 9.2, tvOS 16.2, and HomePod Software 16.2. These are significant feature releases, and my usual advice for such major releases is to wait at least a week before updating. However, I suggest a quick update because the new versions block a WebKit-related vulnerability that Apple says may have been actively exploited in the wild 'against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.1.' (In fact, Apple also released [1]iOS 15.7.2 and iPadOS 15.7.2 to address this serious vulnerability and 16 others'update older devices soon.) The main exception is the iPhone'if you updated to iOS 16.1.2, you're protected from that vulnerability already and can delay the iOS 16.2 update for a bit (see '[2]iOS 16.1.2 Optimizes Crash Detection, Improves Wireless Carrier Compatibility,' 7 December 2022). iOS 16.1.2, for which Apple delayed posting security notes, turned out to block a vulnerability that was being exploited in the wild. Apple was delaying that announcement until now. Introducing Freeform Top among the changes in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS 13.1 is the addition of a new bundled app: [3]Freeform. It's a digital whiteboard app designed for collaborative brainstorming that 'helps users organize and visually lay out content on a flexible canvas, giving them the ability to see, share, and collaborate all in one place without worrying about layouts or page sizes.' Data optionally syncs to your other devices through iCloud. I remain unsure of what to think about Freeform, and I hope to give it a try in the upcoming weeks. It's not that I suspect Apple did a poor job (though Jason Snell found [4]lots of rough edges) or that it will be difficult to use (but here's the [5]Freeform manual, just in case). No, it's that a collaborative digital whiteboard seems like an odd choice to add to the overall Apple experience. Although Apple has recently been upping its game in this respect, collaboration has never been one of the company's strong suits'Apple is, first and foremost, about empowering the individual, not the group. Digital whiteboarding tools are built into Zoom and many other videoconferencing platforms, which will likely remain far more popular for business and educational collaboration than FaceTime. Finally, I can't say that I've ever heard anyone asking for a digital whiteboard from Apple, whereas it's common to hear users pining for a consumer-level database along the lines of what people used in AppleWorks/ClarisWorks, early versions of FileMaker, and even HyperCard. Perhaps I'm just being curmudgeonly because, for me, collaboration is primarily about written documents, with a soupçon of spreadsheets thrown in (I've become quite fond of building group-focused spreadsheets in Google Sheets in the past year). It's also possible that Freeform will prove hugely popular with an audience of teens and young adults who don't need serious collaboration tools but who enjoy larking around together on an infinite canvas. Give it a try and see what you think. iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 With the new [6]iOS 16.2 and [7]iPadOS 16.2, iPhones and iPads gain new and improved features, some significant, others less so: * Advanced Data Protection: I won't say it's a game-changer for most people, but Advanced Data Protection for iCloud goes a long way toward addressing criticisms of Apple's privacy position with iCloud. As I wrote in 'Apple's[8]Advanced Data Protection Gives You More Keys to iCloud Data' (8 December 2022), the feature provides end-to-end encryption for many more iCloud data types, and if you're concerned about breaches of Apple's security or overreach by law enforcement, you should turn it on. Conversely, stick with Apple's standard iCloud data protection (which encrypts all data in transit and on Apple's servers, but using keys that Apple controls) if you have older devices that need to connect to your iCloud account but aren't compatible with this set of OS updates. Remember that enabling Advanced Data Protection prevents Apple support from helping you recover your iCloud account if you forget your password. * Apple Music Sing: Karaoke for Apple Music subscribers on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Alcohol not included. * Game Center: The updates add SharePlay support to GameCenter for multiplayer games so you can play with people in a FaceTime call. Also, a new Activity widget lets you see what your friends are playing on your Home Screen. * Home: I can't quite see why Apple called out the changes to the Home app, which merely provides 'improved reliability and efficiency of communication between your smart home accessories and Apple devices.' Home was particularly funky early in the iOS 16 days, so perhaps Apple felt the need to reassure users that it has improved. * Messages: A search in Messages can now find photos based on their content. Machine learning is your friend. * Weather: Apple says that the Weather app will now display weather-related news articles associated with the current location. I can't see any instance of this working yet, even in the parts of the US currently experiencing significant weather. * iCloud Private Relay: If you have trouble with iCloud Private Relay preventing a website from loading properly in Safari, a new option lets you temporarily disable the service for a specific site. Tap the AA button in the toolbar, tap Show IP Address, and tap Continue. * Notes: When collaborating with others in Notes, you'll now see live indicators as others make updates in a shared note. * AirDrop: As rumored, Apple has tweaked AirDrop so it reverts from Everyone to Contacts Only after 10 minutes to prevent unwanted requests to receive content. That's not unreasonable, but the intent is brought into question by the fact that Apple first implemented it for iPhones in China, where protestors were using AirDrop to organize. Several additional features are specific to the iPhone: * Lock Screen settings: Apple added settings that let you hide the wallpaper or notifications when the Always-On display is enabled for an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max. I'll be curious to try them; I've found that I don't love the Always-On display because it makes the iPhone more likely to catch my eye and distract me from what I'm doing. There's also a new Show Photo in Library option when setting up the Photo Shuffle wallpaper. * More Lock Screen widgets: New Sleep and Medications widgets for the Lock Screen let you view your most recent sleep data and quickly access your medication schedule. The latter strikes me as important, given that medication notifications are a little too easy to ignore (see '[9]An Apple a Day: iOS 16 Medications Feature Provides Alerts, Logging, and Peace of Mind,' 7 October 2022). * Live Activities for Apple TV: Sports fans will appreciate the new Live Activities for the Apple TV app, which lets you follow your favorite teams with live scores on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. I'm still hoping Apple will add track & field and other major running races to its sports tracking. The major promised iPad feature in iPadOS 16.2 is support for Stage Manager on external displays with M1 iPad models, including the fifth-generation iPad Air, the third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and later, and the fifth-generation iPad 12.9-inch iPad Pro and later. Stage Manager supports displays with resolutions up to 6K (if you want to connect your Pro Display XDR), allows drag-and-drop of files and windows from the iPad to the display, and lets you use up to four apps on the iPad screen and another four on the external display (see '[10]First Impressions: Stage Manager on the iPad and Mac,' 18 July 2022). The only other iPad-specific change appears to be the addition of Tracking Notifications that alert you if an AirTag separated from its owner is nearby and has recently played a sound to indicate that it's moving. In other words, if I understand correctly, the iPad can now alert you to AirTag stalking, just like the iPhone. The updates fix a couple of bugs, one for both platforms that caused some notes not to sync with iCloud after being updated and an iPad-specific bug that could cause Multi-Touch gestures to become unresponsive while using the Zoom accessibility feature. iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 also address [11]33 security vulnerabilities, presumably including the one that's being actively exploited in the wild for those who haven't already updated to iOS 16.1.2. Update in Settings > General > Software Update. macOS 13.1 Ventura The release notes for [12]macOS 13.1 Ventura are significantly shorter than for iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, and they are even shorter yet if you eliminate the changes that are common to all three, including Freeform, Advanced Data Protection, improved search in Messages, Participant Cursors in Notes, and the fix for notes not syncing properly. When I updated my M1 MacBook Air, System Settings didn't display any release information That leaves just one improvement and one bug fix unique to Ventura: * Find My: You can now find nearby AirTags, second-generation AirPods Pro cases, and Find My network accessories by playing a sound on them. I didn't realize this wasn't already possible, but it's certainly welcome. * No input: macOS 13.1 fixes a bug that caused the loss of keyboard and mouse input in some apps and games. I have no idea how common that bug was, but it would be insanely annoying, so the fix would be reason enough to update to macOS 13.1. Unmentioned by Apple but [13]noticed by Howard Oakley is the fact that macOS 13.1 restores the Network Locations feature to System Settings. Really, a hierarchical '¢'¢'¢ pop-up menu? macOS 13.1 also addresses [14]33 security vulnerabilities, including the WebKit bug that was actively exploited. Install the update in System Settings > General > Software Update, or use the Software Update Available notification in System Settings. watchOS 9.2 For some entirely different changes, check out [15]watchOS 9.2. Most notably, it brings the extended battery life for workouts that Apple promised for the second-generation Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. Those power savings come from reducing the frequency of heart rate and GPS readings during Outdoor Walking, Running, and Hiking workouts. During the Apple Watch Ultra introduction, the company said that the feature would give the Apple Watch Ultra up to 60 hours of battery life (see '[16]Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra Expand Health, Safety, and Connectivity Features,' 7 September 2022). watchOS 9.2 also allows the Apple Watch to download music using Wi-Fi or cellular even when the watch is off the charger, and it supports Matter. Why Matter matters on the Apple Watch remains a minor mystery. Bugs fixed in watchOS 9.2 include: * Voice feedback of average pace during Outdoor Run workouts may be incorrect * Chance of rain estimates shown in the Weather app may not match estimates on the iPhone in the current location * The hourly weather complication may label times as AM during PM hours * The time duration displayed during Strength Training Workout may not advance * VoiceOver may not announce an app name prior to reading a notification when receiving multiple notifications There are only [17]23 security vulnerabilities addressed in watchOS 9.2, and it wasn't susceptible to the WebKit bug that plagued the other operating systems. In other words, don't rush to update for security reasons. The other features seem worthwhile, though. You can install the watchOS 9.2 update in the Watch app on your iPhone in My Watch > General > Software Update. Your Apple Watch must be connected to a charger and charged to at least 50%. tvOS 16.2 Last is [18]tvOS 16.2, which receives more changes than tvOS generally warrants. Foremost are improvements to Siri, which can now recognize up to six different family members, work in a language other than the one your Apple TV displays (our son Tristan likes to talk to Siri on his iPhone in French while leaving the rest of the interface in English), and has more language support (Danish in Denmark, French and German in Luxembourg, and English in Singapore) to help users find shows and music. Apple also enhanced the Apple TV's support for Apple Music. It now provides real-time lyrics synced with music (ostensibly for singing along, but also useful just for figuring out what they say), and if you have a third-generation Apple TV 4K, you can also control the vocal volume, presumably for karaoke enthusiasts. tvOS 16.2 addresses [19]26 security vulnerabilities, and although it's hard to stress about an Apple TV being hacked, these fixes come courtesy of Apple's operating systems sharing so much of their code. You can install tvOS 16.2 by going to Settings > System > Software Update or just let it install on its own. HomePod Software 16.2 Apple says nothing about this update beyond the fact that it 'includes general performance and stability improvements.' It should install automatically soon enough, or, in iOS 16, you can touch and hold the HomePod's accessory tile and choose Accessory Details. Scroll down and tap the gear, and then tap Update. References Visible links 1. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213531 2. https://tidbits.com/2022/12/07/ios-16-1-2-optimizes-crash-detection-improves-wireless-carrier-compatibility/ 3. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/12/apple-launches-freeform-a-powerful-new-app-designed-for-creative-collaboration/ 4. https://sixcolors.com/post/2022/12/blank-canvas-hands-on-with-apples-new-freeform-app/ 5. https://support.apple.com/guide/freeform/welcome/mac 6. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213407 7. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213408 8. https://tidbits.com/2022/12/08/apples-advanced-data-protection-gives-you-more-keys-to-icloud-data/ 9. https://tidbits.com/2022/10/07/an-apple-a-day-ios-16-medications-feature-provides-alerts-logging-and-peace-of-mind/ 10. https://tidbits.com/2022/07/18/first-impressions-stage-manager-on-the-ipad-and-mac/ 11. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213530 12. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213268 13. https://eclecticlight.co/2022/12/13/apple-has-released-ventura-13-1-and-security-updates-to-monterey-and-big-sur/ 14. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213532 15. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213436 16. https://tidbits.com/2022/09/07/apple-watch-series-8-and-apple-watch-ultra-expand-health-safety-and-connectivity-features/ 17. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213536 18. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207936 19. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213535 Hidden links: 20. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2022/12/Apple-Freeform-hero.jpg 21. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2022/12/Disable-iCloud-Private-Relay-scaled.jpg 22. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2022/12/Lock-Screen-changes-scaled.jpg 23. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2022/12/macOS-13.1-no-notes.png 24. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2022/12/Network-Locations.png .