Apple iOS 14.5.1 has arrived and it is a critical update. Not only does the new release address a serious flaw in iOS 14.5, it comes with two crucial security fixes for vulnerabilities which are a clear and present danger to all iPhone and iPad owners. Heres everything you need to know.
Tip: bookmark this page because I will keep it up to date if/when new problems are found. I will deliver my final verdict in a week.
Apple iOS 14
Apple
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Apple iOS 14.5.1 has been released for all iOS 13-compatible devices. That means iPhone 6S and newer as well as the 7th generation iPod touch. If you have not had an automatic update notification, trigger it manually by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Beta testers, if you are running a later version of iOS 14 when you read this (see The Road Ahead section at the end), you must unenroll your iPhone before iOS 14.5.1 will show up.
Note: iOS 12.5.3 has also been released for older iPhones to address these security flaws as well as iPadOS 14.5.1. This guide is not focused on older iOS updates or iPadOS, but I always touch upon pertinent issues in these guides.
The Deal Breakers
Jailbreakers, nothing has changed here. iOS 14.5.1 will break your jailbreak and popular jailbreaking teams Unc0ver (limited to iOS 14.3) and checkra1n (limited Apple devices running A9(X) chipsets and older) have not made any recent progress.
As for problems, initial feedback actually indicates the biggest is in the upgrade process itself. As this dedicated Reddit thread points out (and therearemany more), the iOS 14.5.1 update does not install for a number of iPhone owners. This primarily appears to impact OTA updates and updating via Mac or Windows tends to work for most affected users.
This aside, early feedback is positive. Minor graphical glitches (eg 1,2) appear to be the main issue and there are isolated reports of bugs with screenshots, iMessage and stuttering but Ive seen no escalation in any of them so far.
So What Do You Get?
Apples iOS 14.5.1 release notes are as follows:
This update fixes an issue with App Tracking Transparency where some users who previously disabled Allow Apps to Request to Track in Settings may not receive prompts from apps after re-enabling it. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.
App Tracking Transparency was one of Apples headline additions with iOS 14.5 but it stumbled out of the gate with a number of issues and, as I stated in my upgrade guide, this was always going to be a priority fix. Despite this, it is actually the security updates which take center stage.
Head to Apples official security page and you will find the listing for iOS 14.5.1 and iPadOS 14.5.1 as well as iOS 12.5.3 identify two serious security flaws. Both are for WebKit (the browser engine that powers Safari) and they allow hackers to execute malicious code on the device. Such vulnerabilities are common, but what makes them stand out is Apples admission that both may have been actively exploited. This means hackers can be using them right now.
Typically Apple fixes security flaws before they become known to hackers and this explains the urgency of this update. It also explains why fixes have been released for older iPhones running iOS 12 as well.
Apple iOS 14.5.1 Verdict: Upgrade
Cautious users will want to wait for my Final Verdict which I always deliver after one week. For everyone else, the critical nature of the security flaws combined with the scarcity of bug reports means I would upgrade immediately.
Note: if you bookmark this guide, you will find my final verdict here in one week
The Road Ahead
Two betas of iOS 14.6 have now been released and, while there are no obvious new features at this stage of development, references have been found in the code to Lossless audio in the Apple Music app. A so-called Apple Music HiFi tier has been rumored for some time and the reference in iOS 14.6 strongly suggests it is nearing release. Whether it is part of iOS 14.6 itself remains to be seen.
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