Huge security feature comes to iPhone with new iOS 17.5 update

iOS 17.5 update for iPhones has just dropped - so Apple users can prepare for some nifty features.

Residents in the EU will appreciate the Web Distribution feature, which allows you to sideload apps from the internet. So, downloading apps won’t be limited to the App Store.

The tech giant wrote: 'In eligible regions, you can distribute approved, non-marketplace apps from your website.

'To distribute your app, fill out a webform that outlines the qualifications, and if approved, Apple enables you to download a framework that facilitates the secure installation of your app from your website.'

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Another noteworthy addition is the Repair State feature, which keeps the Find My tracking active when sending in a device for repairs.

Elsewhere, iPhone owners can enjoy the Apple News+ app offline.

So, you can still get your daily dose of news on the News+ tab and Today feed even when you're not connected to the internet.

But one of the most important features to come in iOS 17.5 is Cross-Platform Tracking Detection.

This safety tool alerts you if an unrecognised tracker is travelling with you, nearby.

The decision for this came after discussions between Apple and Google on the back of several reports stating that Bluetooth trackers were being used to stalk people.

In 2023, the two tech giants outlined a new protocol to block the misuse of Bluetooth-based trackers.

Apple

The Alphabet-owned company sought to upgrade its Android version of Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers but decided to postpone the launch until Apple finished its feature development. Nonetheless, this tool was a long time coming.

So far, Apple has only enabled this system for AirTags, following some incidents of stalking within hidden AirTags.

'Cross-Platform Tracking Detection delivers notifications to users if a compatible Bluetooth tracker they do not own is moving with them, regardless of what operating system the device is paired with,' Apple stated in the iOS 17.5 release note.

If the feature finds something, an '[Item] Found Moving With You' notification will appear on your smartphone screen.

Thanks to the joint efforts of other mobile manufacturers, iPhones will also be able to detect trackers from other brands like Samsung.

To download iOS 17.5 on your iPhone now, open up Settings > General > Software Update. After a couple of seconds, the iOS 17.5 update should be available for you to select.