iOS 10.3 now available for iPhone, iPad with Find My AirPods, Apple File System, more

After seven beta releases, Apple has released iOS 10.3 with Find My AirPods, APFS implementation, and other improvements for developers and the App Store.

The release of iOS 10.3 includes the Find My AirPods feature, and a new reviews API which limits how often an app can ask users to submit ratings on the App Store.

Additionally, the update to iOS 10.3 migrates the device to Apple's HFS+, HFSX, and iOS file system replacement APFS. The new file system is built for future expansion, and jumps to a 64-bit inode number allowing the OS to track more than 9 quintillion files on a disk, adds support for Sparse files, builds in support for extended file attributes, and implements support for full disk and individual file encryption across all of Apple's platforms using multiple keys for user data.

AppleInsider recommends performing a full, encrypted backup prior to updating to iOS 10.3.

With the iOS 10.3 update, Verizon customers also have iCloud-connected device calling added.

As reported with the beta, the 32-bit warning dialog box has changed, alerting users that an upcoming version of iOS will drop support for 32-bit apps entirely. Apple has not made clear what version that is, but iOS 11 expected at the 2017 WWDC is the likeliest candidate for the excision of the compatibility.

Code discovered within iOS 10.3 beta 7 shows tools that will allow developers to run their apps at variable framerates. The change suggests that Apple could introduce new devices with screen refresh rates higher than 60Hz, possibly paving the way for more fluid Apple Pencil response.

It is not yet clear if the variable framerate code has been retained in the release version of iOS 10.3.

The update can be performed "over the air" through the software update feature on compatible iOS devices. Alternatively, it can be downloaded in iTunes, and installed to a connected device.

13 Comments

elijahg 2822 comments · 18 Years

About 7 years ago

macOS 10.12.4 is out too, and tvOS 10.2 update as well. Plus Pages 6.1, Numbers 4.1, Keynote 7.1, and Xcode 8.3.

Metriacanthosaurus 880 comments · 8 Years

About 7 years ago

Find My AirPods is a great idea in theory...but it is so limited in its ability to locate them that I can't imagine it will ever help. In the several weeks that I've been running 10.3, I've had at least 3 legitimate occasions where I was trying to find an AirPod, and FMA failed to be of any use.

For reference:

1. It can't find them if they are in the case, so if you misplace the case you're SOL.

2. It can't find them if they are not connected to the device. Seems obvious but...since the AirPods disconnect from the device automatically when you take them out of your ears, this is guaranteed to be the case every time. You need to connect them first, and hope they connect. In my experience, if they are not in the immediate vicinity (within 3-4 feet) and not plainly exposed (not hidden under blankets) they aren't likely to connect.

3. Obviously, it can't find them if the battery dies. Not complaining, but another reality about AirPods is that the battery is draining if they are not in the case, and won't last terribly long. Just another scenario where a misplaced AirPods is likely not going to be findable.

mike1 3431 comments · 10 Years

About 7 years ago

Metriacanthosaurus said:

2. It can't find them if they are not connected to the device. Seems obvious but...since the AirPods disconnect from the device automatically when you take them out of your ears, this is guaranteed to be the case every time.

Not really. When you take them out of your ear, they don't disconnect, just pause the source. They don't disconnect until they are put in the case or manually switched off on the device.