WASHINGTON: In mid-September, following the launch of its new generation of iPhones, Apple rolled a series of major new features to its mobile operating system. Now, it's ironing out the kinks and improving crash detection in newer models.

The update to iOS 16.1.2 is set to both improve compatibility with mobile network operators and trigger more reliable warnings when anyone with an iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro model has been in an accident, Apple says.

One of the major new features of iOS 16 was the ability for iPhone 14 generation models to use various sensors to tell when they were in a car crash. After detecting sudden changes in velocity and direction, new iPhones now automatically trigger emergency calls if the driver is unresponsive.

Apple isn't providing details about possible vulnerabilities being fixed in its latest update, but it does say that iOS 16.1.2 brings "important security updates." As such, even if you don't have an iPhone 14, it's worth updating.

The iOS update is available for all iPhones from generation 8 upwards. Those who have not yet been offered it can connect their iPhone to a charger, check they are connected to wi-fi, go to "Settings/General/Software update" and then tap on "Download and install".

The update comes around a month after iOS 16.1, the first major update to iOS 16, which optimised charging behaviour and battery display.

 - dpa