Apple’s iOS 16.3, the third major update to the iOS 16 operating system, has been made available to all supported devices.
The update enables the use of physical security keys for two-factor authentication. In celebration of Black History Month, it includes a new “Unity” wallpaper that honors Black history and culture. The update also includes HomePod smart speaker support, alongside new ways to use Emergency SOS calls.
The Emergency SOS feature has been improved to prevent erroneous calls. Users can activate it by simultaneously pressing the side button and the volume up or down button, but the call will not be placed until the buttons are released.
Apple also addressed a bug that could cause horizontal lines to appear on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, a bug that could result in the Home Lock Screen widget not accurately displaying Home app status, and Siri bugs related to music requests and CarPlay.
The hardware security keys, which are small physical devices that resemble thumb drives and support USB-C (via an adapter) or Near-field communication (NFC) to connect to a Mac or iPhone, are the main takeaway from the new release. Instead of the regular six-digit verification code displayed on devices, these devices can be used as an additional verification step when using two-factor authentication for Apple IDs.
iOS 16.3 can be downloaded over-the-air on eligible iPhones and iPads by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Due to high demand, it may take a few minutes for the updates to reach all users. Apple has also released iOS 15.7.3 for iPhone users with older devices, which includes security enhancements.
The sources for this piece include an article in BleepingComputer.