Apple issued a huge number of security updates and operating system releases on Monday, October 24. Not only were they big in terms of coverage, they were physically large, too. The updates:
Safari 16.1
You need not worry about this separately; it is usually bundled with the macOS, iOS, and iPadOS updates. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213495
tvOS 16.1
Obviously, you don’t need to worry about this unless you have an Apple TV. But given the recent announcements on the new models, you really should think about getting one. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213492
watchOS 9.1
This is another thing that most people don’t have but should: an Apple Watch. Costco now has these on display. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213491
macOS Big Sur 11.7.1
It is rare for Apple to update an operating system this old. The updates are for vulnerabilities deep in Big Sur. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213493
macOS Monterey 12.6.1
This may well be the last update of macOS Monterey. If you can update to macOS Ventura, please do so. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213494
iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16.1
These really are two different operating systems, though closely related. This is also the first release of iPadOS 16, despite the decimal appendage. The list of things updated is long. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213489
macOS Ventura 13
This is the crown jewel of today’s releases: macOS Ventura. Along with iPadOS 16.1, these two releases bring the biggest number of changes to the Apple world, including some significant new features. If you can upgrade to Ventura, you are urged to do so, sooner rather than later. The list of updates and security fixes is long. Very long. Like, 19 pages long. What was updated: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213488
We will talk about these at the November SMUG meeting. Just to give you a hint of how different Ventura is, this is a partial screen shot of System Settings in Ventura:
I would wait a bit before updating to Ventura. As Tidbits.com suggests, “It’s best installed on a secondary Mac for now; caution would suggest waiting for 13.0.1 or 13.0.2 before considering it for production Macs.”
I know that the traditional advice is to “wait for an update,” but having spent several decades in IT security, I think this tradition should be ended. The vast majority of users wait years to update, exposing their computers to countless dangers far more severe than the trifling problems involved in updates. Plus: Ventura has been beta tested by close to two million people for months.
It is far safer and less disruptive to install security updates (and Ventura is a massive security update) immediately than it is to second-guess hackers and spammers and commercial and governmental spies.
I usually follow Tidbits advice, as they are far smarter than I. As are you…:) I don’t suggest waiting “years for an update”; that would be foolish-albeit may do indeed never do the upgrade until they have no choice. I believe a 0.1 or 0.2 update usually comes out pretty quickly, and there are stories in the wild about updates bricking a device.