iOS is currently on version iOS 10.3.3 beta. If you want to get it now, you’ll need to be on Apple’s Beta Program as a developer or early tester. But considering the fact that it only brings three new wallpapers, a bunch of bug fixes and security updates, should you sign up to the beta program and get iOS 10.3.3 beta now, wait for the public release, or simply skip it and wait for iOS 11 Beta 1 to come in the next 10 days or so?
If you’re currently on iOS 10.3.1, you may have seen an iOS update waiting for you, which is iOS 10.3.2. It took a long time coming, but iOS 10.3.2 brings nearly two dozen categories of security updates. Some of the vulnerabilities that have been patched are critical, since they can lead to kernel privilege escalations. Great news for jailbreak enthusiasts, but not so much for the security-conscious.
iOS 10.3.3 beta continues with the security patches, but also brings three new wallpapers.
So, if you’re a wallpaper person, you can either get on the beta program and get iOS 10.3.3 now, or wait for the public release. Or, you can wait it out and get iOS 11 when the first beta comes out.
Typically, when Apple releases a public version of iOS, it will also seed the first beta of the next upcoming version. In this case, when iOS 10.3.3 is generally available, the next version, we believe, will be iOS 11 rather than iOS 10.4. Here’s why we think so:
Major Update – e.g. iOS 10 – Major feature additions
Major Point Update – e.g. iOS 10.3 – Minor feature additions
Minor Point Update – e.g. iOS 10.3.3 – Almost no feature additions
3 wallpapers don’t deserve an update, which is why we think iOS 10.3.3 is there just to push out important security updates for vulnerabilities that have been reported since iOS 10.3.2 was released to the public.
There also won’t be an iOS 10.4 because Apple’s WWDC 2017 is just a mere 10 days away. This is when they’re expected to showcase the major features coming up in iOS 11, so they’re not going to waste a major point update right before the first iOS 11 beta version for developers.
That means, if you want to skip iOS 10.3.3 altogether, that’s fine. But you should understand that your iDevice will be open to all vulnerabilities that are being patched on iOS 10.3.3 right now. And it will be that way until the next update is available.
Our recommendation – if you’re not a jailbreak fan – is to immediately upgrade to iOS 10.3.3 when it drops. If you have a jailbroken device, make sure you save your SHSH2 blobs for iOS 10.3.1 and iOS 10.3.2 right now.
We reported yesterday that well-known security researcher Adam Donenfeld has written an exploit that should work with iOS 10.2 through iOS 10.3.1, and that he would release the source code around the end of August, after which a jailbreak tool can be developed by someone else using the source code and instructions provided by Donenfeld.
SEE: iOS 10.3.1 Jailbreak Exploit Announced by U.S. Security Researcher, August Release for Source Code
That’s how things stand at the moment. We’re all excited about iOS 11, which are likely to bring some of the following features:
a more intelligent and natural-sounding Siri,
a new Dark Mode that we first saw in iOS 10 Beta 1 but which will be fully unlocked on iOS 11,
group calls and more social elements on FaceTime,
possibly a multi-user account feature,
in-camera augmented reality and AI like Google Lens,
a better unified communications platform (emails, texts and social interactions on a single panel),
a feature to show whether your contacts are available or busy,
better Apple Maps, with improved indoor mapping capability,
updated Music and TV apps and much more.
Apple could also be looking some specific iPad-only features like improved touch-typing using a dynamic smart keyboard. We’ll be covering each feature in a series of articles leading up to the developer and public beta release of iOS 11.
For now, either save your blobs and upgrade to iOS 10.3.2, or upgrade and wait for iOS 10.3.3 to drop. If you want to skip that last version and wait for iOS 11, be sure you understand the security risks.
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Source: MacWorld
