After the major release of iOS 18.4 on Monday, March 31, many thought the next update would be iOS 18.5, expected in May. But no, a swift smaller update has just been delivered, with fixes and security updates to the fore.
Note that I’ll be updating this post over the coming week and will make a final assessment on Thursday, April 24.
Who Is It For And How Do You Get It?
Apple iOS 18.4.1, like other iOS 18 software updates is compatible with all iPhones from 2018 onwards. That means the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and all more recent iPhones, including the second- and third-generation iPhone SE models as well as the recently-released iPhone 16e.
It’s a cinch to be up to date: just open the iPhone Settings app, click on General, then Software Update. Next, it’s Download and Install, and the software will download from there. This is not a huge download so it should be speedy.
What It’s About
There are no new features in this update, as is usually the case when there are two dots in the release identity. Instead, it’s about putting things right. As soon as iOS 18.4 launched, there was talk of people who use Apple CarPlay wirelessly running into trouble and being unable to connect. That’s the issue that Apple mentioned in its release notes, specifying that the problem was “rare” and that the update fixed it. Part of the rarity is that it only affected “certain vehicles,” Apple said.
Apple iOS 18.4.1 Security
There are two iPhone security flaws fixed in this update and both, worryingly, are used in real-life attacks, though it’s thought they have been used against “specific targeted individuals,” rather than everybody. That could have changed if they hadn’t been fixed.
One was an issue in CoreAudio on the iPhone, which caused problems through maliciously crafted media files. The other was a vulnerability which could allow an “extremely sophisticated attack,” Apple said.
Fellow Senior Contributor Kate O’Flaherty has more on these issues here at Forbes.
Initial Reactions
These have been mixed, with one user saying that the problem they had with wired Apple CarPlay isn’t fixed (the update is about wireless CarPlay) and another saying a HomeKit bug is still there. There were reactions, as usual, saying battery life was dented, though this will likely change in the coming days — I’ll be watching this. But no new issues seem to have been introduced, so far.
Apple iOS 18.4.1 Initial Verdict: Update
Those real-life attacks are a serious enough reason to upgrade as soon as you can, though please check back next week. I’ll be monitoring the situation throughout the week. For now, though, upgrade.