Apple updated its entire suite of operating systems today with public releases of macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, iOS 11.2.5, tvOS 11.2.5, and watchOS 4.2.2.
The High Sierra update is relatively minor. It fixes a bug that caused messages in the Messages app to appear out of order, and it fixed a problem with connecting to SMB servers.
Here are the notes:
The macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 Update improves the stability and security of your Mac and is recommended for all users. This update:
- Addresses an issue that could cause Messages conversations to temporarily be listed out of order
- Resolves an issue that could cause your Mac to stop responding when connected to an SMB server
Accompanying 10.13.3 for High Sierra are Security Updates 2018-001 for Sierra and 2018-001 for El Capitan. These both take actions to address the Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities on prior versions of macOS. These same actions were already taken in a prior update to High Sierra.
iOS 11.2.5 is a more significant update in terms of consumer-facing features. Primarily, it prepares iOS devices for the imminent release of the Apple HomePod smart speaker. iOS can now assist in setting up the new speaker if you buy it, and Apple lists the HomePod-related "play the news" Siri feature here, but we already successfully used it on an iPhone 7 running iOS 11.2.5. Other than that, we're looking at several bug fixes and small VoiceOver improvements.
The release notes are below, and you can review the relevant security updates at Apple's support website, as well.
iOS 11.2.5 includes support for HomePod and introduces the ability for Siri to read the news (US, UK, and Australia only). This update also includes bug fixes and improvements.
HomePod support
- Setup and automatically transfer your Apple ID, Apple Music, Siri, and Wi-Fi settings to HomePod.
Siri News
- Siri can now read the news; just ask, "Hey Siri, play the news." You can also ask for specific news categories including Sports, Business, or Music.
Other improvements and fixes
- Addresses an issue that could cause the Phone app to display incomplete information in the call list
- Fixes an issue that caused Mail notifications from some Exchange accounts to disappear from the Lock screen when unlocking iPhone X with Face ID
- Addresses an issue that could cause Messages conversations to temporarily be listed out of order
- Fixes an issue in CarPlay where Now Playing controls become unresponsive after multiple track changes
- Adds ability for VoiceOver to announce playback destinations and AirPod battery level
As far as watchOS and tvOS updates go, they're hardly worth mentioning. Of watchOS 4.2.2, Apple simply says, "this update includes improvements and bug fixes" and hasn't disclosed more than that, apart from the security update contents. It's a similar story with tvOS 11.2.5, which simply provides bug fixes, minor performance improvements, and security updates.
