safari update for mac 10.12.6

How-To Geek

How to update safari on mac.

How do you update an app with no update button?

Quick Links

Keeping safari updated, how to update safari in system preferences.

It's a good practice to keep your web browser constantly updated for security reasons , but Apple Safari on Mac doesn't have an update button. Here's how to keep Safari updated.

Every year, Apple releases new features for Safari, and you usually install them without realizing it because they're linked to macOS updates that you get in System Preferences.

But because Safari is a browser, Apple often lets you update to the latest version of Safari without installing the next big OS release. For example, while Safari 14.0 came bundled in macOS Big Sur , macOS Catalina users can still update to it. Apple also provides regular security updates to older versions of Safari, which is the main reason why  we recommend that you keep it updated .

Related: Why You Should Update All Your Software

To update Safari, you'll have to use the Software Update feature in System Preferences. To get there, click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen.

In the menu that appears, choose the "System Preferences" option.

In System Preferences, click "Software Update."

The Software Update panel will show you whether there are any software updates available for your Mac. If there are, you have two choices.

If you want to install the latest operating system along with the latest version of Safari, just click the "Update Now" button and follow the process.

Related: Why You Should Update Your Web Browser

If you only want to install an update to Safari, click "More Info" under the list of available updates to see a detailed list of all updates.

After clicking "More info," a panel will appear listing the updates available for your Mac. Make sure that the "Safari" update is selected, and uncheck "macOS" if you don't want to install a system update along with it. When you're ready, click "Install Now."

After a while, the Safari update will be installed on your Mac.

Once the update process is finished, you can safely quit the System Preferences app using the red Close button in the corner of the window.

Since this process is somewhat confusing and non-obvious, we recommend enabling the auto-update feature to keep Safari and your Mac updated. Good luck!

Related: How to Update Your Mac and Keep Apps Up to Date

• Editor's Choice: Tech Gifts for Mom
• iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro: What's the Difference?

How to Update Safari on Your Mac

Get the latest security updates and access new features

What to Know

• To check for updates, open the App Store, then select  Updates and wait for the scan to complete.
• If you see a list of available updates, select Update All , or choose Update  to install individual patches and apps.
• OS updates also appear in  System Preferences  >  Software Updates .

This article explains how to update Safari on Mac OS X High Sierra (10.13) and later.

How to Check for Updates on Your Mac

The macOS System Status normally notifies you of any OS updates. However, you can check for updates manually by looking in the App Store.

Here's how to manually check for updates:

Open the App Store. Either select it under the Apple menu or click its icon in the Dock .

At the top of the screen, select Updates .

In macOS Catalina (10.15), the Updates option is on the left side of the screen.

After the system scans complete, Updates either presents a list of available updates or states that No Updates Available .

Choose Update All to install all listed updates, or choose Update to install select patches and apps.

You may be prompted to enter your Apple ID and Password . Select Sign In when you finish entering your details.

If you set up two-factor authentication, you're prompted to enter a verification code. Enter the number and select Verify .

The patch or update installs. You'll see a progress bar as it installs.

When the update is finished, a list of Updates Installed in the Last 30 Days appears. When the installation is complete, close the App Store.

You may not see any updates available if your system is set to Automatically keep my Mac up to date . OS updates also appear in System Preferences > Software Updates .

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• How to Turn off Automatic Updates on Android
• How to Update an iPad
• How to Update a Mac
• How to Update a Samsung Smart TV
• 11 Best Free Software Updater Programs
• How to Install Mac OS on PC
• How to Keep Your iPhone Apps up to Date
• How to Update Instagram on iOS and Android
• Perform a Clean Install of OS X Mountain Lion on Startup Drive
• How to Update Your MacBook Pro
• How to Update a Lenovo Laptop
• How to Update Your MacBook Air Laptop
• What Is Patch Tuesday?
• How to Upgrade to macOS Ventura
• How to Update iTunes to the Latest Version
• How to Download Updates in Windows 8.1

Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

>  Learn more

>  Add to your calendar 

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

i have an imac 10.12.6 with the safari version 12.1.2. How do I upgrade both of them, as the system is not offering updates for them

I am a beginner doing stuff like this and want to upgrade my imac 10.12.6 and safari 12.1.2 but cannot see how to. Help!

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Nov 1, 2021 4:29 AM

Posted on Nov 1, 2021 5:26 AM

Safari would be upgraded with an upgrade of macOS.

See: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

Similar questions

• I have OS-High Sierra ver. 10.13.8 and Safari 13.1.2 how can I upgrade? My iMac is later 2011. I have OS-High Sierra ver. 10.13.8 and Safari 13.1.2 how can I upgrade? My iMac is later 2011. 127 3
• i have iMac 21.5 osx 10.11.6 and want to update to safari 12 from safari 11 will my computer support this? I have iMac 21.5 osx 10.11.6 and want to upgrade from safari 11 to safari 12. Will my iMac support this? 150 1
• I have to use an older iMac with Safari version 11.1.2. According to Apple website, I cannot upgrade it. How can I find a solution. Thank you. I use Safari 11.1.2. Apple does not upgrade it anymore. I need a solution and I am vary thankful for any help. 162 5

Loading page content

Page content loaded

Nov 1, 2021 5:26 AM in response to cashbags

Nov 1, 2021 6:25 AM in response to dialabrain

I have followed the instructions and guidelines on the apple support link, but still have a major problem, as my mac does not offer any available software or app updates, even though it is a late 2013 mac os high sierra that is still on 10.12.6 with the 12.12 safari version.

Nov 1, 2021 6:39 AM in response to cashbags

Please carefully reread the link posted above by dialabrain. The upgrade to High Sierra May not appear to be offered as an option in Software Update. You will need to click the appropriate link to fetch the installer download.

Also, please verify that your Mac is compatible and qualifies for the upgrade. Click the Apple menu at the top left corner of your screen and select About This Mac to find the details specific to yours.

Nov 1, 2021 11:40 AM in response to cashbags

Thank you everyone for your advice. I can confirm that I did do as you suggested. And just checked again, in case I missed something, only to find again that there is no link offered to me to do any update for any software or apps. Any thoughts anyone?

Nov 1, 2021 11:46 AM in response to cashbags

First, any Mac that can run Sierra 10.12.6 can run High Sierra 10.13.6. You can find that on the page I linked. That may be the latest version of macOS you can install depending on the age of your iMac. All the info is also on the link I posted.

Nov 1, 2021 1:56 PM in response to dialabrain

Hi Dialabrain, the link you sent to me takes me to the page for ' macOS High Sierra - Technical Specifications '. where there is all the information I need about High Sierra 10.13.6. , but there is no link there for me to click onto to activate the upgrade to High Sierra 10.13.6. . My imac is dated ' late 2013 ' . Appreciate your patience and help.

Nov 1, 2021 2:50 PM in response to cashbags

As Keith noted: macOS High Sierra 10.13

Nov 1, 2021 3:08 PM in response to cashbags

I'm not actually Keith. :)

Delete "Install macOS High Sierra" from the Applications folder. Re-download while in Safe Mode.

How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

Nov 1, 2021 1:58 PM in response to cashbags

You mean you don't see this on that page:

Nov 1, 2021 6:29 AM in response to cashbags

If you are having issues opening websites with your old version of safari, you might need to install firefox.

Nov 1, 2021 3:02 PM in response to Keith Barkley

As I explained in my last posting, I see the page, keith, but I don't see any link there for me to activate the upgrade and it does not happen automatically.

Nov 1, 2021 3:06 PM in response to dialabrain

When I click on that link, Keith, the following message comes up This copy of the Install macOS High Sierra application is damaged, and can‘t be used to install macOS.

Safari 12 is now available for macOS Sierra and High Sierra

Comes with macOS Mojave by default

Safari 12, the latest version of Apple ’s web browser, is now available to download for people running macOS Sierra (10.12.6) and macOS High Sierra (10.13.6).

This new version of the browser, which is the default browser in the upcoming macOS Mojave (10.14) update, comes with a range of new features, and if you can’t wait until Mojave launches on September 24 you can get the updated browser for the older versions of macOS.

In fact, if you use Safari as your daily web browser then it’s a good idea to update to Safari 12 as soon as possible, as it includes security updates. To download and install Safari 12 right now, open up the Mac App Store, click on ‘Updates’ and you’ll see the Safari 12 update waiting for you there.

Safari 12 features

So, what’s new in Safari 12? Apple has included support for website icons in tabs, which makes it easier to organize and find open websites when you’re browsing with multiple tabs open, as well as password suggestions and an alert if you're using a password for a service that Safari has saved for another site.

This should encourage people to use different passwords for different websites, rather than using one password for many.

Users also have better control over how pop-up windows are handled on websites, and ad retargeting suppression has been bolstered so that it reduces advertisers' ability to identify unique Mac devices. The web browser also disables any extensions that cause it to perform more slowly by default.

So, even if you're planning on upgrading to macOS Mojave next week with Safari 12, we’d recommend installing it on your Mac as soon as possible, so that you can access these new features and benefit from the added security.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.

• What’s the best web browser in 2018?

Via OSXDaily

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.

Take a trip down macOS memory lane with these web-based retro versions of Apple's operating system - and yes, they can run Doom

A key Apple app is rumored to be getting a major upgrade in macOS 15

Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, May 3 (game #830)

Most Popular

• 2 Tesla EVs could get a massive range boost from new battery tech that promises a 373-mile range from a 10-minute charge
• 3 NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Wednesday, May 1 (game #59)
• 4 Another major pharmacy chain shuts following possible cyberattack
• 5 Hisense’s new 5,000 nits mini-LED TV is so bright you may need to wear shades
• 3 Looking for a Fujifilm X100VI or Leica Q3 alternative? Panasonic could soon launch a surprising full-frame compact rival

Tips & Tricks

Troubleshooting, safari 11 for macos sierra & os x el capitan released.

Apple has released Safari 11 for macOS Sierra 10.12.6 and Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6. The update to Safari includes various security patches, bug fixes, and includes a handful of new features for the Mac web browser.

Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of Safari 11 is that it stops media from automatically playing audio on most websites, thereby helping to prevent the user from having to mute tabs and tracking down which tab is playing sound when unexpected audio starts playing on sites like Facebook or many news websites.

Mac users can find the Safari 11 software update available in the Mac App Store Updates tab. You must be on the most recent version of Sierra or El Capitan to find the software update available, if you’re running a prior release of either Mac OS version the update does not appear to be available.

The release notes for Safari 11 include a focus on the following features and changes:

• Stop media with audio from automatically playing on most websites
• Adds the ability to configure Reader, content blockers, page zoom, and auto-play settings on a per-website basis, or for all websites
• Improves AutoFill accuracy from Contacts cards
• Includes updated media controls for HTML video and audio
• Enhances performance and efficiency

Safari 11 as a separate download is only available for Sierra and El Capitan. Safari 11 is included by default in macOS High Sierra 10.13, which is due for widespread public release for Mac users on September 25.

Separately, Apple has also released iOS 11 update for iPhone and iPad , along with tvOS 11 for Apple TV and watchOS 4 for Apple Watch .

Enjoy this tip? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Get more of our great Apple tips, tricks, and important news delivered to your inbox with the OSXDaily newsletter. 

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Related articles:

• Troubleshooting macOS Sierra Problems
• Troubleshooting macOS High Sierra Problems
• MacOS High Sierra 10.13.2 Update Released with Bug Fixes
• How to Downgrade macOS Sierra & Revert to El Capitan

42 Comments

» Comments RSS Feed

On the backend of my website there are buttons that have links that open (Chrome and Firefox) which will not open in Safari now. Any ideas?

Oddly I did not have a ‘check’ in the box for Font size, my MSN homepage would not load either.

For the heck of it, I checked the box, then un-checked it and my page loaded! LOL go figure!

So even if your box is not checked and you have the load problem, check the box (mine defaulted to 11) then just un-check it for a possible fix, it worked for me. Thanks to msr:)

Thanks msr. for posting what worked for you. It worked for me too.

Since upgrading to Safari 11.0 (on an early 2009 iMac), I am getting immediate crashes when keying information into security question boxes, for example, or EVEN entering my name in the box right above this text box. I am having to submit this on Chrome because of the problem. Maddening, and I don’t see it listed by anyone else.

I am having the same issue on a 2011 macbook pro.

Thank you msr that worked for me as soon as i unchecked it msn showed up great

I’m glad the solution for MSN worked for everyone. It was incredibly frustrating. After I found the fix and was squinting at the small font I discovered that the font size can be increased for your homepage by going to Safari -Settings for this website – zoom. The “never use font size smaller than xxx..” isn’t functioning properly so I’m not sure why it was left in Safari 11 to just cause problems.

I’m running Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 but there’s no sign of the new Safari update in my Updates tab of App Store.

I’m in SE Asia, perhaps it hasn’t been rolled over to us yet?

Though I rarely use Safari, I much prefer Firefox, I’d still like to have the new update if possible.

I solved the MSN issue, or rather someone else did and it worked for me.

“I got msn to load going to safari preferences, advanced pane ,accessibility I always had checked never use font sizes smaller than (old eyes) I unchecked the box guess what. Don’t Know if it helps but the only one for me that wasn’t loading.Worked fine before updating yesterday. Working fine again.”

Only problem now is I hope I can read it. I also had other issues such as all previous pages loading when Safari started up even though I had everything set to not do that.

No idea why this works but it does. I tried a lot of other things in preferences but nothing helped. This one did the trick. Thanks for posting!

Worked for me too. Thanks

Thanks for figuring this out! Dumbest fix in the world, but it works. The font size has remained the same. Bless the genius who stumbled on this.

Hats off to you! Spent the last 4 days looking for answer and yours solved problem of MSN not loading.

Many thanks!

Thank you it worked I am so happy you are genius Apple couldn’t fix and you did so easy

THANK YOU!! this worked for me too. unchecked the font size not smaller than box and MSN is good to go!

Thank you for sharing!!! Finally — MSN works! After trying so many things and wasting time troubleshooting…this fix works!!!! :)

worked for me too, thank you. still have a problem with slider-type tabs opening though…

I am running Safari 11.0 and all of a sudden I can’t get my msn.com homepage to open all the way. I get the header and an ad and the rest of the page is blank. What is the fix for this?

Same as other like to read MSN each day. part of the several news outlets I read for work.

MSN will not load since update to 11. What up?

I have the same problem

I updated Safari this morning & am running Sierra. Now Twitter is malfunctioning in that I can’t Like or Retweet, on Flickr I can’t choose other tabs, on forums like Affinity etc., I cannot “like” posts. There are similar glitches on other websites.

I waited a few days to upgrade Safari & hadn’t read any complaints elsewhere. I wish I hadn’t & could go back to the previous version. I’ll certainly not be updating iTunes for a while.

Okay SOLVED! When I updated to 11, a couple of the settings in Preferences were changed. Apparently it was a cookies thing.

After checking, unchecking tons of things Safari works again. Relieved.

what did you do I called Apple spent two hours on phone and they couldn’t fix it

Please help

I miss the RSS FEED. Bring it back please.

Hey Karsten, you can access our RSS feed here:

https://osxdaily.com/rss

Same problem as msr. MSN doesn’t load with Safari…… MSN fine with Firefox

Same problem MSN won’t completely load

Sorry for posting twice. The first one I posted last night didn’t appear until I posted the second one.

MSN homepage won’t load after upgrade to Safari 11. All I get is the search bar, the line with links for Outlook. Skype, etc., and one ad. The page is blank under that. Multiple attempts to fix it have not worked. The other two home pages I have set load fine. MSN is fine in Firefox.

I updated to Safari 11 with El Capitan. Now my MSN homepage won’t load nor can I type the address in a new tab and get it to load. All I get is the search bar, sign in, the next line with Outlook, Skype, etc. links, and an ad. There are no articles, weather, news, etc. I’ve tried every fix I could find and nothing works. It’s fine in Firefox. I wish I had waited until they fixed the bugs and i can’t revert back to the earlier version.

I have had the exact same problem. Love MSN for my homepage, but can only open the tool bar and the ads. As you said, fine on Firefox. Any way to revert back to the previous Safari?

Safari>>Preferences>>General>>Accessability…uncheck font size

Thank you! That worked :)

Safari>>Preferences>>ADVANCED>> UNCHECK “NEVER USE FONT SIZES SMALLER THAN…”

Safari>>Preferences>>ADVANCED>> UNCHECK “NEVER USE FONT SIZES SMALLER THAN…”

The above post is the fix for this problem of msn page not completely loading.

Awesome! Thanks.

So does Youtube. At least live streams do.

Live streams still play automatically for me.

The biggest change for me is that safari is constantly crashing now for no reason

CNN still plays automatically.

With this update, as well as the iOS 11, Apple got rid of Feeds, the built in RSS reader, found next to the Reading Pane. I loved this feature, something I used more than almost anything else on the iPhone & Mac!

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Subscribe to OSXDaily

• - How to Import Google Chrome Data into Microsoft Edge
• - How to Convert Photos to Videos on iPhone & iPad
• - How to Hide iPhone Keyboard When It’s Covering Buttons & Won’t Go Away
• - How to Use AirPods with Apple TV
• - 6 Useful Apple Watch Tips
• - Beta 3 of iOS 17.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5, iPadOS 17.5, Available for Testing
• - Apple Event Set for May 7, New iPads Expected
• - Beta 2 of iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5, Available for Testing
• - Opinion: Shiny Keys on MacBook Air & Pro Are Ugly and Shouldn’t Happen
• - MacOS Ventura 13.6.6 & Safari 17.4.1 Update Available

iPhone / iPad

• - How to Use the Latest GPT 4 & DALL-E 3 Free on iPhone & iPad with Copilot
• - How to Bulk Image Edit on iPhone & iPad wth Copy & Paste Edits to Photos
• - What Does the Bell with Line Through It Mean in Messages? Bell Icon on iPhone, iPad, & Mac Explained
• - Beta 4 of macOS Sonoma 14.5, iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, Available for Testing
• - How to Customize the Finder Sidebar on Mac
• - How to Uninstall Apps on MacOS Sonoma & Ventura via System Settings
• - Make a Website Your Mac Wallpaper with Plash
• - 15 Mail Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac
• - What’s a PXM File & How Do You Open It?
• - Fixing Apple Watch False Touch & Ghost Touch Issues
• - Fix a Repeating “Trust This Computer” Alert on iPhone & iPad

About OSXDaily | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Sitemap

This website is unrelated to Apple Inc

All trademarks and copyrights on this website are property of their respective owners.

© 2024 OS X Daily. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited.

How to update your Mac to Ventura for the latest features and bug fixes

• To update your Mac, go to System Preferences or About This Mac.
• If your Mac is still running macOS High Sierra or earlier, use the App Store to update it.
• You should update your Mac regularly, as every update comes with new features and security patches.

In many ways, Macs are built for convenience: They have backlit keyboards, there's a variety of ways to take and save screenshots , and they come with a wide assortment of shortcuts that can speed up your work.

But like all devices, they also require updates from time to time. And although updates can be annoying and time-consuming — Who hasn't put off an update until the very last moment? — they're also incredibly important.

An outdated Mac is more susceptible to bugs, crashes, and even viruses (yes, Macs can get them too ). And if you leave updates waiting for too long, your favorite apps might stop working altogether.

In October 2022, Apple released macOS Ventura , the latest version of its famous operating system. And if you're currently working on a Mac, now is a good time to update your computer, since Ventura received an update in January 2023 containing a host of new security fixes . 

How to update your Mac

There are a few major ways to update your Mac, and which one you use will depend on what macOS version you're currently running .

Also keep in mind that depending on how big the updates are, how responsive your computer is, and how fast your internet is , the updates could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to download and install.

How to update a Mac running macOS Mojave or later

If you've bought or updated your Mac since 2018, chances are that you're in this category.

1. In the top-left corner of your screen, click the Apple icon to open a drop-down menu.

2. There are two menus here that you can use to check for updates. Click either System Preferences or About This Mac .

3. No matter which one you pick, in the menu that opens, click Software Update .

4. Wait a few moments for your Mac to connect to the internet and check for updates. If an update is available, you'll be shown what it's called — just click Update Now or Upgrade Now to install it.

You can also choose to enable automatic updates from this screen by checking the Automatically keep my Mac up to date box. This will ensure that whenever a new update is available, you'll be told without having to open this screen.

How to update a Mac running macOS High Sierra or earlier

High Sierra was released in late 2017. If you haven't updated since then, you should be sure to update as soon as you can to keep your computer safe.

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.

2. Select App Store.

3. Click Updates in the left sidebar of the App Store.

From the above screen, you'll be given the option to update your Mac. Any Mac computer released in 2012 or later should be able to update to at least macOS Catalina. 

For future reference, don't worry about accepting an update and then having your computer unexpectedly restart — you'll be notified beforehand if a restart is required.

How to update a Mac running an older version of Ventura

Software updates move fast, and so you may already be behind on your macOS updates, even if you're using Ventura. If that's the case, you can follow these steps to update to the newest possible version.

1. Click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen from any app or page. If you see a notification for any updates next to System Settings , it's a good sign that the latest version of the OS is now available.

2. Select About This Mac to find out which version of Ventura you're using — 13.1 is the earliest. From there, you can click More Info to take a shortcut to the next step.

3. Navigate to System Settings , which you can also find in the Apple icon Menu.

4. Click on the General tab in the menu on the left, and then on Software Update . From here, you'll see if automatic OS updates are enabled, as well as if any are currently available.

How to troubleshoot if your Mac still won't update

If you're still having trouble updating macOS to a newer version, there could be a few different reasons why:

• You don't have enough RAM . On most computers, you can upgrade your RAM yourself. Unfortunately, some models, especially laptops like the MacBook Air, don't allow you to swap out sticks of RAM yourself, meaning that you may have to buy a new computer.
• Your laptop simply isn't compatible with newer versions of MacOS. For instance, if your Mac is so old that it can't even upgrade to Catalina, it's probably time to buy a new model anyway.
• You may be updated to the latest version already. You may not have realized it if you have automatic updates installed. When in doubt, follow the steps above to check your macOS version details. Version numbers starting in 13 indicate that you're running Ventura, and are more than likely up to date for 2023.

• Main content

Download macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Update

System Requirements: macOS 10.13.5

File Size: 1.88GB

This update is recommended for all macOS High Sierra users.

The macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Update;adds AirPlay 2 multiroom audio support for iTunes and improves the stability and security of your Mac. This update is recommended for all users.

AirPlay 2 for iTunes 12.8 :

Control your home audio system and AirPlay 2-enabled speakers throughout your house.

Play music at the same time on multiple AirPlay 2-enabled speakers in your house, all in sync.

Other improvements and fixes:

Fixes an issue that may prevent Photos from recognizing AVCHD media from some cameras.

Fixes an issue that may prevent Mail users from moving a message from Gmail to another account.

See Apple Security Updates for detailed information about the security content of this update.

Learn how to get this macOS update .

One UI 6.1 comes and goes, but Android was a Q1 cash cow in this week's news

Many of the biggest companies on earth have deep ties to the Android ecosystem , and while Q1 2024 was huge for some of these brands, past revenue reports evidently had them scrambling around in backrooms to maintain their edge. Google and Samsung, the two biggest players in the space, are working on new hardware and software to varying levels of success, but their years-old smartwatch partnership is finally starting to pay dividends. It can be hard to keep up with such a volatile market, but we have you covered with this week's five biggest Android headlines in one place.

Catch up on last week's biggest Android headlines here

One ui 6.1 comes and goes.

For a point-one update, Samsung's One UI 6.1 has been pretty major — in fact, the company says it's one of the " most popular software updates ever " for Galaxy devices. And rightfully so, as it's been bringing the Galaxy AI suite of features to lots of older phones — something that not many other OEMs would've done, considering it might stifle sales of the Galaxy S24 series, which originally had exclusive access to the AI functionality.

But Samsung just keeps trudging ahead, using the One UI 6.1 update to bring Galaxy AI to more and more phones. This week, the update started rolling out to the Galaxy S21, S22, Flip 4, and Flip and Fold 3 , though only in Korea to start. But as it turns out, that staged regional rollout may have saved Galaxy S22 users a ton of headaches. Samsung has reportedly pulled the update temporarily after some users noticed it caused their display to become unresponsive, leaving them stuck on a white screen.

The Galaxy S22's One UI 6.1 update could take longer than originally thought

Lawsuits give us a peak behind the big tech curtain, and it's pretty shady back there.

Recent lawsuits have given us an unprecedented look at the backroom deals made by major companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft. For one, we already knew Google was paying Apple to save its place as the default search engine in Safari. But this week, we learned an exact figure from Google's ongoing antitrust trial: $20 billion in 2022 alone , which adds up to roughly 16.75% of Apple's operating income that year.

In that same antitrust case, an email chain between Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, CEO Satya Nadella, and founder Bill Gates revealed the company's motivation in pumping huge sums of seed money into ChatGPT developer OpenAI: Microsoft feared Google's early AI lead and knew it needed to act fast or stay on the sidelines. News of shady dealings wasn't just limited to hardware and software companies — we also learned this week that the FCC is slapping all the major US carriers with nearly $200 million in fines for the unauthorized sale of customer location data.

Google pays Apple top dollar to be the default Safari search engine

Android was quite the cash cow in q1.

It's that time of year: Q1 2024 revenue reports are being presented to shareholders, giving us a glimpse of market growth patterns in the new year. Android OEMs seem to be off to a particularly hot start, with Samsung reporting revenue of around $51 billion and an operating profit increase of roughly $4 billion.

Meanwhile, Alphabet's Q1 2024 earnings report revealed an all-time record for Google's parent company, with an $80.5 billion gain. In fact, all Google divisions reported an income increase in the period — sadly, that still didn't stop Google from laying off "Core" US employees and chasing cheaper labor in other countries, though.

Samsung made $51 billion in Q1 thanks to the Galaxy S24

Wear os is on a come up.

When Samsung and Google partnered together in 2021 to bring Android wearables under a unified umbrella, many thought the new and improved Wear OS was too late to make a difference. And Apple Watch sales have proved the naysayers right in the years that followed, with Apple's watchOS dominating the market share.

But Wear OS finally appears to be making headway , with the smartwatch platform projected to grow from being on 21% of watches sold internationally in 2023, to 27% in 2024. Apple's stranglehold may finally be loosening, too, as the Apple Watch is projected to dip below a 50% market share for the first time in years.

Wear OS expected to take a bite out of Apples market share in 2024

The pixel 8a is clearly coming soon.

Let's be honest, Google has a habit of leaking its own phones . But that likely wasn't the case this week, as a massive leak spoiled practically everything about the upcoming Pixel 8a , including Google's marketing plans for the "AI-mazing" phone. All the fun's been taken out of accessories, too, now that we've seen the official cases in all four colors , plus a bonus orange option.

Considering marketing materials have been nailed down, we can't imagine it will be very long before the Pixel 8a makes its official debut. An announcement at Google I/O 2024 would make sense considering that's coming up on May 14 — but last year's Pixel 7a was technically announced just before the conference, so we could see Google's new midranger as soon as this week.

Leaked Pixel 8a commercial spoils Google's 'AI-mazing' fun

iOS 17.5: New features, release date, and more details

9to5Mac is supported by Incogni : Keep Your Private Data Off The Dark Web with  Incogni . Help protect yourself from identity theft, scams, and spam calls. Use the code “Apple55” for -55% off the annual plan.

Apple has officially started beta testing iOS 17.5 with developers and public beta users. The update brings a handful of new features and changes, and is expected to be released sometime next month. Head below for everything we know right now.

Table of contents

When will ios 17.5 be released, web distribution in the eu, new quartiles game for apple news+, design changes, find my network updates, other ios 17.5 changes.

Based on previous years of iOS updates, I’d expect that iOS 17.5 will be released to everyone sometime in mid-May. Here’s a rundown of previous iOS x.5 update release dates:

• iOS 16.5 : May 18
• iOS 15.5 : May 16
• iOS 14.5 : April 26
• iOS 13.5 : May 20

So far, four iOS 17.5 betas have been released as of April 17.

• April 2 : iOS 17.5 beta 1, build number: 21F5048f
• April 16 : iOS 17.5 beta 2, build number: 21F5058e
• April 23 : iOS 17.5 beta 3, build number: 21F5063f
• April 30 : iOS 17.5 beta 4, build number: 21F5073b

What’s new in iOS 17.5?

While iOS 17.5 isn’t quite as big of an update as other iOS 17 updates, it still includes its fair share of new features and updates.

Within the European Union, the latest iOS 17.5 update introduces the capability to install applications directly from a developer’s website. Apple unveiled this new “Web Distribution” feature last month, explaining that it allows developers to distribute their iOS apps straight from their own websites.

To utilize this functionality, developers must opt into the updated App Store business terms, which requires paying a Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for every first annual installation exceeding one million in the preceding 12 months.

Any application disseminated through the web will still need to adhere to Apple’s notarization guidelines. Apps can only be installed from a website domain that the developer has registered in App Store Connect. Apple will also provide a range of APIs for developers to integrate with system functionality.

Apple has confirmed that iOS 17.5 beta includes support for Web Distribution. However, there are currently no developers offering their apps via this new Web Distribution feature. We don’t anticipate this changing until the public release of iOS 17.5 in May.

In the Apple News app, Apple News+ subscribers in the United States and Canada will find a new “Quartiles” word game after updating to iOS 17.5. The game prompts players to select from a grid of tiles to form words.

Quartiles is the third game to come to Apple News+, following the addition of daily crossword and crossword mini games that were added last year.

iOS 17.5 also adds Game Center integration to all three of the Apple News+ games. With this feature, you can now see leaderboards for each of the three games for Daily Solve Time and Daily Score stats.

iOS 17.5 beta 1 also includes a few small design changes that are worth pointing out:

• The Podcasts widget has been updated to have a new dynamic color that changes based on the artwork of the podcast you’re currently playing.

• In the Apple Books app, Apple has redesigned the “Reading Goal” icon in top navigation bar.

• In the Settings app, there is a new glyph for the “Passkeys Access for Web Browsers” menu under “Privacy & Security.”

Based on code discovered by 9to5Mac , iOS 17.5 seems to incorporate a new system centered around anti-stalking capabilities for accessories like AirTags. This development follows Apple’s announcement last year of a partnership with Google to collaborate on a new “industry specification to combat unwanted tracking.”

Strings added to the Find My app reveal that iOS will be able to identify tracking accessories, even those that are not Apple or Find My certified, and assist users in disabling them.

One of the new strings states, “This item lacks certification on the Apple Find My network. You have the option to disable this item and prevent it from sharing its location with the owner. To proceed, follow the instructions provided on a website by the manufacturer of this item.”

These changes come as Google started rolling out its new Find My Device network for Android on April 8.

New ‘Repair State’

In iOS 17.5 beta 4, Apple added a new “Repair State” feature to Find My. This feature lets users confirm with their Apple ID and password that they’re about to send their iPhone in for a repair. As a result, Apple technicians can confirm that the person owns the iPhone and then proceed with the repair without the need to turn off Stolen Device Protection and Find My.

Essentially, this ensures that users can still track their device using Find My while it’s being repaired. Previous, Apple required users to disabled Find My altogether.

• iOS 17.5 also includes an update for MDM users: “MDM solutions can now enforce a beta version during automated device enrollment.”
• iOS 17.5 beta 1 changes and features + new iPad Pro details
• iPadOS 17.5 hints at new ‘squeeze’ gesture for Apple Pencil 3
• Apple to let users watch their own videos during Vision Pro demo

Whether Apple has more changes planned for iOS 17.5 beyond what was launched today remains to be seen. The focus is clearly on the European Union, where Apple continues to adapt to the Digital Markets Act being enforced by the European Commission.

More on iOS 17.5:  

• Apple will allow users to download apps directly from a developer’s website, in latest EU App Store rule change
• iOS 17.5 to introduce new system to disable unwanted tracking accessories
• iPadOS 17.5 hints at new ‘squeeze’ gesture for Apple Pencil 3
• Apple releases first betas for iOS 17.5, macOS 14.5, visionOS 1.2, and more

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to [email protected]

Manage push notifications

More From Forbes

Ios 18—new apple overhaul reveals exciting iphone ai privacy feature.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Apple’s soon-to-launch iOS 18 software could include an exciting AI-based privacy feature as part of an overhaul of the Safari browser. The new iPhone feature, dubbed Web Eraser, allows you to browse the web while removing portions of the page, such as ads or other content you don’t want to see.

Web Eraser comes as part of a wider AI-based browser overhaul in iOS 18, according to Apple-focused website Apple Insider , which first reported the news.

Apple’s soon-to-launch iOS 18 software could include an exciting AI based privacy feature as part of ... [+] an overhaul of the Safari browser.

Currently being tested by the iPhone maker, the overhaul includes the advanced content blocking features enabled by Web Eraser, as well as UI tweaks and AI-powered Intelligent Search. The changes to Safari will be included in iOS 18 and macOS 15, according to the report, which cites “people familiar with the matter.”

What Web Eraser Does In iOS 18

From the looks of it, Web Eraser in iOS 18 is a pretty cool feature, building on privacy tools already built into the iPhone maker’s Safari browser. Specifically, it's “designed to allow users to remove, or erase, specific portions of web pages,” including banner ads, images, text or entire page sections.

Hundreds of Russian Troops Gathered Out In The Open. They Didn’t Know The Ukrainians Had Aimed Four ATACMS Rockets At Them.

Your best look yet at the new iphone 16, the richest person in every state 2024.

Apparently, Safari will remember your preferences so they aren’t limited to one specific browsing session. “When visiting a web page with previously erased content, Safari will inform the user that the page has been modified to reflect their desired changes. The browser will also give the user the option to revert changes and restore the webpage to its initial, unaltered state,” Apple Insider writes.

The new controls will be easy to access in the Safari Settings menu.

Exciting New iOS 18 Features Coming Soon

Web Eraser comes alongside multiple new AI-based iOS 18 features for your iPhone, most of which will be processed on the device , at least initially.

It looks like Intelligent Search will use Apple’s large language model Ajax to identify topics and key phrases within a web page.

Essentially, Web Eraser in iOS 18 is an ad blocking feature as offered by many companies, but it’s built into the Safari browser. It’s a great move for privacy—and ease of use since it’s ready made. However, it could create problems for publishers, who rely on web ads for their business revenue.

Apple of course, values privacy as one of its key marketing messages and iOS 18 seems to embrace that ethos wholeheartedly. Apple’s new iPhone operating system will launch in just over a month at its Worldwide Developers Conference and there’s a lot to look forward to for privacy-conscious users.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions