iOS 8.3

Business owners can now claim POIs as their own via Apple Maps on iOS 8.3 and OS X 10.10.3

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

One of the welcome changes in the iOS 8.3 and OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 software updates, which hit yesterday, includes the ability for business owners to claim any point of interest as their own using an updated Report a Problem tool in Apple Maps for the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac, as reported Thursday by AppleMapsMarketing.

The company began allowing local businesses to manage their listing in the service last October, but required them to use its Maps Connect web service.

At the same time, the iPhone maker appears to be removing some TripAdvisor hotel reviews which started showing up in its Maps service last week.

Touch ID for App Store purchases stops working for many after updating to iOS 8.3

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 9, 2015

A growing number of users are complaining about the inability to use Touch ID fingerprint scanning to authorize purchases in the App Store after updating to iOS 8.3.

As reported on Twitter, Reddit and detailed in a thread on Apple's Support Communities forums, iOS 8.3 appears to be asking for an Apple ID password for each and every purchase made in the App Store.

This is regardless of whether or not the option to use Touch ID in the App Store is enabled in Settings. What gives?

iOS 8.3 patches another jailbreak exploit

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

In addition to a lengthy change log of improvements, today's iOS 8.3 release also includes several security patches. In fact, as MuscleNerd points out, the new firmware features 39 security patches, rivaling the amount found in the jump from iOS 7 to iOS 8.

Among the patches is one of particular interest, to us anyway, that is credited to the TaiG Jailbreak Team. It's labeled CVE-2015-1087, and described as a backup bug that can allow an attacker to use the backup system to access restricted areas of the file system.

iOS 8.3 brings useful enhancements to Quick Reply

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 29, 2016

Apple today released the iOS 8.3 software update for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The software contains dozens of fixes and brings out a handful of feature enhancements related to Messages, Siri, the much enhanced emoji keyboard and more. Oddly, a subtle change to how Quick Reply and Notification Center handle messages with previews disabled aren't mentioned in release notes.

That's something I was alerted to by Twitter user @ericcamazin. Without a doubt, you'll find these changes much welcomed.

Apple releases iOS 8.3 with new Siri languages, diverse emojis and more

Cody Lee ∙ April 8, 2015

In addition to releasing OS X 10.10.3 to the public this morning, Apple has also rolled out iOS 8.3. The update, which developers and members of Apple's public beta program have been testing since February, includes a number of new features and improvements.

Among those new features is support for Wireless CarPlay, which allows folks with vehicles or head units that support the feature to use CarPlay without dealing with cables. There is also new, more diverse emojis, additional language support in Siri, Safari fixes and more.

Native Twitter sharing disappears from latest iOS beta if Twitter’s mobile app is installed

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 30, 2015

iOS 8.3 beta 4 that was seeded to Apple's registered iOS developers last week has removed the long-standing option to share content to Twitter, according to our own findings a couple days ago that have since been confirmed by other users.

We've noticed something was afoot as the option to share to Twitter has gone missing from the Share sheet in iOS 8's stock Photos and Safari app.

Technically, the feature has not been removed entirely because it only disappears after installing Twitter's official iOS app in iOS 8.3 beta 4, as evidenced on the screenshots provided by our own Oliver Haslam.

Uninstall Twitter and it comes back.

Apple seeds iOS 8.3 beta 4 to developers, second beta to public testers

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple has seeded the fourth beta of iOS 8.3 to developers, close to two weeks after seeding the third iOS 8.3 beta and roughly a month and a half after releasing the first iOS 8.3 beta.

The new build of iOS 8.3 carries the build number 12F5061, and is available to download over-the-air or from Apple's iOS Developer Center. Apple also released Xcode 6.3 beta 4 with Swift 1.2 and an update for the Apple TV beta.

New in iOS 8.3: placing phone calls through speakerphone via ‘Hey Siri’ command

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 22, 2015

Users who upgrade their iPhone to iOS 8.3 when it's released next month will be finally able to tell Siri to make a phone call through the device's speakerphone when the 'Hey Siri' option is enabled, reports 9to5Mac.

You can say, for example, 'Hey Siri, call my Mom on speaker' and the call will be automatically transferred to the iPhone's speaker, like it should have always been, may I add.

Again, provided the 'Allow Hey Siri' option is enabled in Settings > General > Siri and the phone is plugged into power.

New in iOS 8.3: download free apps and iTunes media without entering Apple ID password

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 22, 2015

A new 'Password Settings' section has been discovered in the Settings app of the current iOS 8.3 beta which will permit users to set up their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad so that downloading free iTunes apps and iTunes media won't require an Apple ID password.

The new option is only exposed to users when Touch ID is disabled, reports 9to5Mac. With Touch ID enabled, the new option is unavailable.

This is understandable to an extent, because approving purchases — free or paid — with the tap of a fingerprint is a frictionless experience.

Apple fixes long-standing keyboard issue in iOS 8.3 beta

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

It appears Apple plans to fix a long-standing keyboard issue which caused users to inadvertently tap the period key when aiming for the space bar in Safari. As noted by MacRumors, beta versions of iOS 8.3 feature a design change that should resolve the problem.

In 8.3, Apple has made the space bar longer on the keyboard that pops up when inputting text in Safari's omnibar, and the 'Go' button shorter. This should make it less likely for users to encounter accidental period key presses when typing out their web searches.

Apple opens iOS 8.3 beta to the public, no developer account required

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

As predicted, Apple has opened up its iOS beta program to the public and is no longer requiring a paid developer account to test new software. Apple debuted the new public program on Thursday along with the third iOS 8.3 beta.

You can sign-up to receive the new beta from the Apple Seed website. It's as easy as signing in with your Apple ID and then installing the beta software to start using it.

Here’s how iOS 8.3’s new Conversation List Filter works for the Messages app

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

iOS 8.3 brings a fairly significant new feature to the stock Messages app—Conversation List Filtering. This means that instead of just having one single "inbox" for conversations in the Messages app, you now have two, broken up via two tabs: Contacts & SMS and Filtered.