Customers who purchase Apple’s new iPhone 16e will be prompted to download the latest version of an iOS 18 software update right out of the box.
New iPhone 16e models ship with iOS 18.3 installed, but since Apple released iOS 18.3.1 back on February 10, new iPhone 16e owners will be required to install the iOS 18.3.1 update before they can migrate data from an older iPhone that already has iOS 18.3.1 installed.
iOS 18.3.1 didn’t add any new features, but it does fix a software vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild.
According to Apple’s security support document for iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1, the update addresses an accessibility vulnerability that could disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device.
Exploiting this vulnerability requires physical access to a device, and Apple says that it was used against specific individuals.
Impact: A physical attack may disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.
Apple says the vulnerability was fixed with improved state management.
iPhone 16e pre-orders begin 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, February 21, with availability beginning Friday, February 28 in 59 countries and regions. In the U.S., pricing starts at $599. The device is available with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage capacities.
