Apple releases macOS 14.2.1 Sonoma and iOS 17.2.1 updates

Apple has released the macOS 14.2.1 Sonoma and iOS 17.2.1 updates. The new software with bug fixes, and one security fix for Macs.

macOS 14.2.1 Sonoma update

macOS 14.2.1 fixes a loophole that is related to WindowServer. The security vulnerability, which has been tracked under CVE-2023-42940, contained an exploit that may share incorrect content when a user shares their screen. The bug, which has been described as a session rendering issue, was addressed with improved session tracking. Apple has credited software developer Craig Hockenberry for reporting the bug to it.

That's just about it, there are no new features in the latest version of the operating system. The build number for the macOS 14.2.1 update is 237C1.

iOS 17.2.1 update

iPhone users can now update their devices to iOS 17.2.1. But, unlike iOS 17.2 which introduced a variety of new features such as the Journal app, and Spatial Video Capture (for Apple Vision Pro), the latest update is pretty much a bare-bones version. It just comes with some so-called "important bug fixes". Apple has not provided any details about what's new in the iOS 17.2.1 update. Here's a screenshot of the update page.

That is a very informative change log, right? We have no idea what bugs were fixed, and according to the security updates page on Apple's website, there were no security fixes in the latest update either. It's kind of strange to see such mystery updates from the Cupertino company.

The iOS 17.2.1 update is available for the iPhone XS and later. It has the build number 21C66. Head to the Settings > General > Software Update page to install the update on your iPhone.

Safari 17.2.1, iOS 16.7.4 and iPadOS 16.7,4

Moving on to older versions of macOS, Apple has updated its browser for macOS 12 Monterey and macOS 13 Ventura, the current version is Safari 17.2.1. And just like the iOS update, the new version of Safari does not contain any security fixes either.

Usually, when Apple releases an update for iOS, it releases a similar update simultaneously for iPads. That's not the case this time, as surprisingly, Apple has not released an update for iPadOS 17. So the tablets remain on iPadOS 17.2. In case you missed it, the update was released earlier this month, alongside iOS 17.2 and macOS 14.2 Sonoma.

However, the company has released an update for some of its older tablets. The iPadOS 16.7.4 update is available for the following models: iPad 5th generation, iPad Pro 9.7-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch 1st generation. Similarly, the iOS 16.7.4 update is also available for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X. MacRumors reports that the update ships with an important fix that has been annoying users. The release notes states that the patch resolves an issue that was preventing built-in Apple apps that may have been deleted by the user, from being reinstalled. If you had removed a system app by mistake, you can now redownload it from the App Store.

Apple began seeding macOS 14.3 beta, iOS 17.3 beta and iPadOS 17.3 beta to users in the test program. The update will likely be released in January 2024, and bring support for Stolen Device Protection for iPhone, which is available in the beta version of the software.

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