Submitted by Frank Macey on
The latest update to iOS was billed as a HomeKit fix, however users have reported additional benefits to the install. iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus users began reporting autofocus issues with the camera after installing iOS 11.2. Some devices would switch between wide and telephoto lenses, or refuse to make images sharp. Turns out these issues have been resolved on iPhones running iOS 11.2.1.
iOS 11.2.1 also includes general bug fixes and shared HomeKit access. Previously Apple was forced to disable remote HomeKit access to prevent a security threat involving smart door locks and garage door openers. To prevent the vulnerability from being exploited, Apple made some changes on its side and disabled some HomeKit features. Shared home access has now been restored to iPhone and Apple TV devices with iOS and tvOS 11.2.1.
Apple continues to roll out improvements to its mobile operating system, with iOS 11.2.5 beta 1 already seeded to developers, along with new betas in watchOS 4.2.2 and tvOS 11.2.5. Apple has also released a new beta firmware for the as-of-yet unreleased HomePod. It's not clear that any new features will come along with iOS 11.2.5 besides further performance enhancements and bug fixes.
Apple launched iOS 11.2 with two major improvements including Apple Pay Cash. Users can send cash to friends through iMessage easily and quickly. The update also upgraded iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus users to 7.5W wireless charging, speeding up charge times for greater efficiency.
Unfortunately the jump from iOS 11.1.2 to iOS 11.2 brought a few camera issues to owners of Apple's latest iPhone models. The good news is that the latest firmware corrects the problem. As usual, iPhone owners can update to the latest version of iOS over-the-air (OTA) or by connecting to iTunes on a computer. Navigate to Settings -> General -> Software Update to see if firmware is available for your device.Keeping your Apple devices up-to-date guarantees the latest in security enhancements and greater stability during everyday use.