iOS 15.0.2, iPadOS 15.0.2 Released to Fix Messages Photo Bug, Security Flaw; watchOS 8.0.1 Debuts as Well

Apple has released iOS 15.0.2 as its latest update for compatible iPhone and iPod touch models — less than a couple of weeks after bringing iOS 15.0.1. iPad users have also received iPadOS 15.0.2 as a new update after the release of iPadOS 15.0.1 earlier this month. The updates fix a widely known bug that was causing photos saved to Photo Library from Messages to disappear. Apple has also released watchOS 8.0.1 for Apple Watch users. It is aimed at addressing a couple of bugs particularly affecting Apple Watch 3 users.

iOS 15.0.2: What's new?

Apple's iOS 15.0.2 is the second software update after iOS 15 that Apple introduced last month and is the first release following the iOS 15.0.1 update that fixed an issue with unlocking an iPhone using Apple Watch. The latest update is essentially aimed at fixing bugs impacting iPhone and iPod touch users. According to Apple's release notes, iOS 15.0.2 fixes the bug that was causing photos saved to Photos Library from Messages to disappear after their associated message or thread is deleted. It was spotted by some users shortly after the release of iOS 15.

The iOS 15.0.2 update also addresses an issue that was causing the iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe to not connect to Find My. It also fixes a bug that was making AirTag not appear in the Find My Items tab.

Apple has also fixed a problem that was causing CarPlay to fail to open audio apps or disconnect during playback. Specifically for users on the iPhone 13 models, the update fixes a bug that causes device restore or update to fail when using Finder or iTunes.

The iOS 15.0.2 update also carries a security fix for a zero-day vulnerability that was allowing bad actors to “execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges”, the company said on its security page. The security flaw has been identified as CVE-2021-30883. Apple said that it was aware of a report that the issue might have been actively exploited. The fix is meant for iPhone 6s and later as well as iPod touch (7th generation).

iPadOS 15.0.2: What's new?

Just like previous iPadOS releases, iPadOS 15.0.2 is quite similar to iOS 15.0.2 in terms of the changes it brings for iPad users. The update, which is the second update following the release of iPadOS 15, also fixes the bug that was deleting photos saved to the library from Messages after their associated thread or message is removed. The iPadOS 15.0.2 update — like iOS 15.0.2 — fixes the issue causing AirTag to not appear in the Find My Items tab. Further, there is a fix for the problem that was failing device restore and update operations when using Finder or iTunes for the new iPad mini aka iPad mini (6th generation).

The iPadOS 15.0.2 also includes the fix for the zero-day vulnerability that could allow a hacker to gain kernel access to your iPad by executing arbitrary code.

watchOS 8.0.1: What's new?

Apple's watchOS 8.0.1 is the first update to watchOS 8 that was released alongside iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 last month. It fixes a couple of bugs related to the Apple Watch Series 3. One of those bugs was causing software update progress to not display accurately for some Apple Watch Series 3 users. The second bug was affecting some Apple Watch Series 3 users by not showing Accessibility settings.

iOS 15.0.2, iPadOS 15.0.2, watchOS 8.0.1: How to download?

You can download iOS 15.0.2 on your iPhone or iPod touch model that is eligible for iOS 15. Similarly, iPadOS 15.0.2 is meant for iPad models eligible to get updated to iPadOS 15. Both new iOS and iPadOS updates can be downloaded by going to Settings > General > Software Update from the device.

For watchOS 8.0.2, make sure that your Apple Watch is compatible with watchOS 8. You can download the update if it's compatible by going to the My Watch tab from the Watch app on your connected Apple device. Alternatively, you can download the update directly from your Apple Watch by visiting Settings > General > Software Update from the device.