Apple Watch Series 2 (42mm) Firmware 3.1 Build 14S471

This update includes improvements and bug fixes.

- New option to replay bubble and full screen effects in Messages

- Messages effects can play with Reduce Motion enabled

- Fixes an issue that could cause the notification for Timer complete to be delivered twice

- Resolves an issue that could prevent Apple Watch Series 2 from fully charging

- Resolves an issue where Activity rings may disappear from the watch face

- Fixes an issue that prevented Force Touch options from appearing in some third-party apps

CoreGraphics

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: Viewing a maliciously crafted JPEG file may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed through improved memory handling.

CVE-2016-4673: Marco Grassi (@marcograss) of KeenLab (@keen_lab), Tencent

FontParser

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: Parsing a maliciously crafted font may disclose sensitive user information

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed through improved bounds checking.

CVE-2016-4660: Ke Liu of Tencent's Xuanwu Lab

Kernel

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: An application may be able to disclose kernel memory

Description: A validation issue was addressed through improved input sanitization.

CVE-2016-4680: Max Bazaliy of Lookout and in7egral

libarchive

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: A malicious archive may be able to overwrite arbitrary files

Description: An issue existed within the path validation logic for symlinks. This issue was addressed through improved path sanitization.

CVE-2016-4679: Omer Medan of enSilo Ltd

libxpc

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with root privileges

Description: A logic issue was addressed through additional restrictions.

CVE-2016-4675: Ian Beer of Google Project Zero

Sandbox Profiles

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: An application may be able to retrieve metadata of photo directories

Description: An access issue was addressed through additional sandbox restrictions on third party applications.

CVE-2016-4664: Razvan Deaconescu, Mihai Chiroiu (University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest); Luke Deshotels, William Enck (North Carolina State University); Lucas Vincenzo Davi, Ahmad-Reza Sadeghi (TU Darmstadt)

Sandbox Profiles

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: An application may be able to retrieve metadata of audio recording directories

Description: An access issue was addressed through additional sandbox restrictions on third party applications.

CVE-2016-4665: Razvan Deaconescu, Mihai Chiroiu (University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest); Luke Deshotels, William Enck (North Carolina State University); Lucas Vincenzo Davi, Ahmad-Reza Sadeghi (TU Darmstadt)

System Boot

Available for: All Apple Watch models

Impact: A local user may be able to cause an unexpected system termination or arbitrary code execution in the kernel

Description: Multiple input validation issues existed in MIG generated code. These issues were addressed through improved validation.

CVE-2016-4669: Ian Beer of Google Project Zero

About Apple SmartWatch Firmware:

Changing the SmartWatch’s firmware version can increase its overall performance and stability, enhance various applications or improve their auto-update methods, as well as bring several other changes that might be useful for your device.

So if you consider applying this release, make sure you have read and understood the installation steps, and back up all your important files from the device.

As with all Apple’s OSs, updates are expected and will make the overall experience even better, we are sure about that. Unlike Apple’s other iOS based devices which can update themselves with the Software Update feature, the Apple Watch is dependent on your iPhone to actually upgrade its firmware.

Your Apple Watch will update its OS with the help of iPhone’s Apple Watch app. Go to My Watch, tap General and then the Software Update entry where you will be greeted by a large Apple Watch icon with a big sprocket inside, plus the size and version of the update.

This said, you should also know that in order to complete the installation, you must first download the update package onto your iPhone, you will then need to connect both devices to your local Wi-Fi network, connect the watch to its charge and make sure that its battery level is over 50%.