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Apple released the latest update to its iOS software for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad to fix bugs and repair security issues. The iOS 5.1.1 addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks and fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances, as well as security issues concerning Apple’s Safari browser. The update can be downloaded via Apples Website, iTunes or over the air on compatible devices, and takes up about 50MB of space on the device.
The update also contained a camera improvement, boosting the reliability of using the high dynamic range, or HDR, option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut, and fixes an issue where the “unable to purchase” alert could be displayed after a successful purchase. In addition to the bug fixes, the update also patches some serious security vulnerabilities, including a number of patches in the WebKit rendering engine, such as a memory-corruption issue. The patch also fixed a security issue in Safari, which uses WebKit.
In a recent interview with Computer Business Review, Kaspersky Labs founder Eugene Kaspersky said Apple is at least a decade behind Microsoft when it comes to dealing with malware attacks and security, and pointed to the recent Flashback attack on Macs as evidence of the problems facing the company. Kaspersky said that as Apple systems become more popular with consumers and businesses alike, the company will draw more attention from cyber-criminals, and the attacks will become more sophisticated, as was seen with Flashback.
As Apple sells ever more of its popular portable products, iOS is now found in 30 percent of the smartphone market, second only to Googles open-source Android operating system, according to a recent report from the comScore MobiLens service. Much of iOS’s strength rests in the third-party developer community, which has filled the App Store with more than 550,000 products over the past few years. The mobile operating system’s evolutionary drive also comes from thousands of customers demanding all-new features, such as multitasking.
Meanwhile, Apple is likely to showcase the latest version of its OS for its desktops and notebooks at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June in San Francisco, as well as host development sessions for iOS. At WWDC, developers will be able to explore the latest innovations, features and capabilities of iOS and OS X “Mountain Lion” and learn how to enhance the functionality, performance, quality and design of their apps. Developers can also bring their code to the labs and work with Apple engineers, applying development techniques and best practices to enhance their apps.