Apple releases iOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.2 with Apple ID FIDO key support, new wallpaper, major fixes, and more

In late 2022, Apple publicly launched iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, and watchOS 9, providing users globally with a new iPhone Lock Screen, Stage Manager, and much more. Since then, the company has been developing these operating systems further, by working on smaller, subsequent updates. These releases aim to fix the leftover bugs and security vulnerabilities, while also introducing some of the new features that didn't ship with the main X.0 versions.

iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, macOS Ventura 13.2, and watchOS 9.3 are now available to everyone around the world. Apple had been beta testing these versions for several weeks, and they've now reached the stability users typically expect. While they don't offer a ton of new visual changes and features, there's still a lot to unpack here!

iOS 16.3

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In terms of new features, iOS 16.3 arguably is the most packed when compared to the other Apple OS updates we received today. For starters, potentially the most obvious change, we have a new Unity wallpaper that users can view or set by going to the wallpaper settings. While it's not exactly a major addition, getting more default wallpaper options to pick from is always a welcome change.

Another notable iOS 16.3 offering is FIDO security key support for Apple ID. This optional setting allows users to add another security layer by needing a physical key every time they sign in to their Apple accounts on a new device. And speaking of security and privacy, iOS 16.3 also enables Advanced Data Protection for users worldwide. The optional feature, which was initially limited to the U.S., end-to-end encrypts even more iCloud data types, such as photos, notes, and device backups.

Apart from the aforementioned changes, nothing much is new. Of course, as always, there are bug fixes as well, including ones for the iPhone 14 Pro Max display issue and the Freeform app not properly syncing certain elements on shared boards. You can read the full iOS 16.3 changelog below.

iOS 16.3 Changelog

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month
Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen
Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max
Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status
Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly

iPadOS 16.3

When compared to iOS, iPadOS 16.3 doesn't come with many changes. For starers, the new Unity wallpaper is exclusive to the iPhone. So even if you update to the latest iPadOS version, you won't be able to view or set it as your iPad's wallpaper. Though, you do get FIDO security key support for Apple ID, Advanced Data Protection if the feature isn't already available to you, support for the new HomePod 2, and some bug fixes. You can view the official iPadOS 16.3 changelog below.

iPadOS 16.3 Changelog

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests

macOS Ventura 13.2

Moving on to macOS Ventura 13.2. Similar to iPadOS, you don't get plenty of new changes when compared to iOS. Instead, you receive the same FIDO security key and Advanced Data Protection support. That's, expectedly, in addition to Mac-exclusive bug fixes. The full macOS Ventura 13.2 changelog is available below.

macOS Ventura 13.2 Changelog

This update introduces Security Keys for Apple ID, and includes other enhancements and bug fixes for your Mac.

Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key to sign in
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
Fixes an issue where VoiceOver may stop offering audio feedback while you are typing

watchOS 9.3

Lastly, apart from bug fixes, the only obvious change in watchOS 9.3 is a new Unity Mosaic watch face. The fresh face is very minimalistic and matches the aforementioned wallpaper included in iOS 16.3. However, it doesn't support any Apple Watch complications.

watchOS 9.3 Changelog

watchOS 9.3 includes new features, improvements and bug fixes, including new Unity Mosaic watch face to honor Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.

Now that this round of Apple OS updates has launched publicly, we can expect the next developer betas to land as soon as this week. While it's too early to tell, we hope that iOS 16.4 introduces support for Unicode 15.0 emoji and the Apple Music Classical app. With the 2022 operating systems starting to mature, we might not see plenty of new and exciting additions until iOS 17 and macOS 14 debut as developer betas in June.

What's your favorite iOS 16 feature? Let us know in the comments section below.