Checklist 448: OS Updates and App Store Accountability

Apple Rolls Out Major OS Updates with Big Focus on Security and Child Safety

It’s been a busy week in Cupertino, with Apple releasing a wave of software updates across nearly every platform — all carrying a hefty dose of security and privacy improvements.

On Monday, Apple launched its full slate of blankOS 26.1 updates, followed by the first developer betas of 26.2 on Tuesday. While most 26.1 changes focus on performance tweaks and usability enhancements — like a toggle for more opaque Liquid Glass and requiring a swipe to stop alarms — some meaningful new protections arrived, too.

Notably, Apple has enabled Communication Safety and web content filters by default for child accounts aged 13–17 across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Parents can review or adjust these settings under Settings → Screen Time → Family → Content & Privacy Restrictions, where they can fine-tune access to websites, apps, and games.

Beyond features, the week’s real story lies in security:

• iOS/iPadOS 26.1 patched 45 vulnerabilities
• macOS Tahoe 26.1 fixed 90
• watchOS 26.1 addressed 26
• tvOS 26.1 patched 21
• visionOS 26.1 resolved 32
  

Apple also shipped macOS Sequoia 15.7.2 (54 fixes) and Sonoma 14.8.2 (46 fixes) to cover older systems. A few days later, iOS/iPadOS 18.7.2 landed with 29 additional patches.

In all, Apple closed out the week having addressed more than 400 security issues — none known to be exploited yet, but still reason enough to update immediately.

Texas Pushes Parental Consent Law for App Stores — Apple Responds with New Developer APIs

Apple’s built-in Parental Controls already give parents the power to monitor and manage what their kids can do online — but for the State of Texas, that’s not quite enough.

Enter the Texas App Store Accountability Act, a new law that will require Apple, Google, and other app store operators to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before minors can download, purchase, or continue using apps, according to Bloomberg Law.

As 9to5Mac explains, the legislation means developers will need to collect and process age information and ensure parental approval for users under 18. To help make that happen, Apple is rolling out new APIs tied to iOS and iPadOS 26.2 developer betas, including:

• Declared Age Range API — categorizes users as under 13, 13–15, 16–17, or over 18.
• Significant Change API — requires developers to re-request parental consent when making notable app updates or feature changes.
  

Parents in Texas will also be able to withdraw consent at any time, automatically blocking the app on a child’s device. Developers, meanwhile, can opt to receive server notifications from Apple when such revocations occur.

Apple has opened a Sandbox environment for developers to test these new systems ahead of the law’s January 1, 2026 start date. Developers are expected to submit updated apps when iOS and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates go live.

The Texas law may be the first of many: Bloomberg Law notes that Utah and Louisiana have similar acts taking effect in mid-2026, while California’s competing version is set to debut in 2027.