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Software updates —

Apple addresses two iPhone and Apple Watch bugs with iOS 15.1.1 and watchOS 8.1.1

There are no new features, but iOS 15.2 probably isn't far away.

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The Apple Watch Series 7 is virtually indistinguishable from the Series 6 (less so with a light-colored watch face), and it doesn't add much, but it's still the best smartwatch you can buy.
Enlarge / The Apple Watch Series 7 is virtually indistinguishable from the Series 6 (less so with a light-colored watch face), and it doesn't add much, but it's still the best smartwatch you can buy.
Corey Gaskin

Apple has pushed out two small software updates for its platforms—one for iPhones, and the other for the Apple Watch.

Further Reading

Apple Watch Series 7 review: Time for a minor upgrade
According to its release notes, iOS 15.1.1 does exactly one thing: it addresses dropped calls on iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Here are Apple's own words, which aren't any more revealing:

iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.

The update clocks in at 384.9 MB on the iPhone 13 Pro and is already available for download on all supported devices.

On the Apple Watch side, Apple has released watchOS 8.1.1. Apple says this update addresses charging problems on the Apple Watch Series 7. To that point, here are the succinct release notes for this update, too:

watchOS 8.1.1 fixes an issue where Apple Watch Series 7 may not charge as expected for some users.

That's not much to go on, but it might be worth noting that the Series 7 has a new fast-charging feature, which could explain why the problem this update seeks to fix is exclusive to that new model.

These updates obviously have no new features, but hang tight: iOS 15.2 and watchOS 8.2 are probably not too far off. Apple seeded a new iOS 15.2 beta just this week.

iOS 15.2 will add a new App Privacy Report in Settings, a toggle for macro photography mode on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, and more.

Samuel Axon Samuel is a senior editor at Ars Technica. He primarily covers software development, gaming, Apple, consumer technology, and mixed reality. He has been writing about gaming and technology for 15 years, and is a Chicago-based game developer.

Channel Ars Technica

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