Apple relents, releases iOS 11.3.1 and restores support for third-party display repairs

Apple has released new updates for its iOS and macOS-powered devices. According to the release notes of the iOS 11.3.1, Apple has introduced fixes for third-party display repairs for iPhone 8 users in addition to security and bug fixes to iOS 11.3. [caption id=“attachment_4417599” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] An Apple logo is seen on the building’s facade. Image: Reuters[/caption] Apple has added a note in the update changelog informing users about genuine Apple parts, adding “Non-genuine replacement displays may have compromised visual quality and may fail to work correctly. Apple-certified screen repairs are performed by trusted experts who use genuine Apple parts.” Apple, of course, fails to mention that Apple certified repair centres and replacement parts are not always easy to find. When they are available, they’re accompanied by an astronomical price tag. Why would anyone voluntarily pay Apple Rs 25,000 for a screen replacement when they can get the same thing for Rs 10,000 anywhere else? When **Apple pulled a similar stunt in 2016** , with Touch ID, it almost had a legitimate excuse, that of security. Even then, severe criticism and backlash forced Apple to reverse its stance. Apple has also **gone out of its way to fight the "right to repair" legislation** in the US The company is already working on iOS 11.4, with a developer and public beta for users with an Apple developer account. According to a report by 9to5Mac, Apple is likely to launch iOS 11.4 in late May or early July with support for AirPlay 2 and Messages on iCloud. iOS is not the only operating system that Apple has released updates for, with macOS getting a security update. [caption id=“attachment_4232945” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] macOS High Sierra[/caption] Apple has designated macOS 10.13.4 version as Security Update 2018-001. According to a report by ArsTechnica, this new update fixes two security vulnerabilities addressing a privilege elevation attack and how macOS High Sierra handles URLs.