iOS 15.0.2, iPadOS 15.0.2, and watchOS 8.0.1 Fix Bugs, Major Security Flaw

Apple has released iOS 15.0.2, iPadOS 15.0.2, and watchOS 8.0.1 to address some bugs in the initial releases, as well as a major security vulnerability in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

iOS 15.0.2 and iPadOS 15.0.2

iOS 15.0.2 and iPadOS 15.0.2 fix the following problems:

• If you saved a photo to your Photos library from Messages and then deleted the original message or thread, the photo could have been deleted from your library.
• The new iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe may not have connected to the Find My app.
• An AirTag may not have appeared in the Items tab of Find My.
• CarPlay had trouble opening audio apps and could disconnect during playback.
• Device restores and updates may have failed when using Finder or iTunes with the new iPhone 13 or sixth-generation iPad mini.

More importantly, iOS 15.0.2 and iPadOS 15.0.2 have one security fix for a bug that could cause memory corruption and allow arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges. Security Editor Rich Mogull tells us this is a zero-day vulnerability that has already been exploited in the wild, so we recommend updating immediately.

iOS 15.0.2 is 589.4 MB on an iPhone 13 Pro, and iPadOS 15.0.2 is 409.6 MB on a 10.5-inch iPad Pro. To install these updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

watchOS 8.0.1

watchOS 8.0.1 fixes two bugs specific to the Apple Watch Series 3:

• Software update progress not being displayed accurately
• Accessibility settings not being available for some users

watchOS 8.0.1 has no published security fixes.

If you have an Apple Watch Series 3, you can install the watchOS 8.0.1 update (174 MB for a Series 3) in the Watch app on your iPhone under My Watch > General > Software Update. Make sure your watch is on its charger and charged to at least 50%. If you’re not using an Apple Watch Series 3, you can probably wait for the next update.