iOS 9.3: Should you update now?

Along with unveiling the new iPhone SE and iPad Pro at its Cupertino, California headquarters yesterday, Apple also released the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 9.3. One of the big questions for consumers is: Should I upgrade to iOS 9.3 now? Or is it better to wait for tech bloggers and other early adopters to point out any bugs?

"With all the iOSs, it's usually fine to wait. There are very few features you desperately need, unless something is broken and you need an update patch to fix something that is no longer working on your phone," CNET Senior Editor Scott Stein told CBS News. "You never know if an update might cause something quirky, but that doesn't happen all the time."

New features, updates in Apple's iOS 9.3

As someone who works in tech, Stein said that he downloaded the new operating system "right away," but added that the average consumer should be "prepared possibly for complications" if they're among the first to do so.

For those who plan on updating their existing devices, or perhaps purchasing an iPhone SE which will come with the system, there are several new features that have been garnering a lot of attention. One that has generated a lot of coverage is Night Shift, which adjusts your phone's display to more sleep-friendly, warmer tones in the nighttime hours, so the bright blue light won't keep you awake.

The security conscious might appreciate iOS 9.3's new password-protected version of Notes, which helps keep information like passwords that you might write down on the fly safe in case your phone gets into the wrong hands.

Other features include an updated CarPlay, for those who want to jam out to Apple Music while on the road, and a more personalized News app.

Stein said that iOS 9.3 might be one of the final versions of the operating system before the eventual iOS 10 makes its debut.

"This time of year, they kind of release the last updated polish on the existing iOS," he added.

Apple also released updates Monday for its Apple TV and Apple Watch operating systems. Stein said there's little downside to loading those because if any problems happen to emerge it's relatively easy to wipe and restart those devices without risking the potential loss of some of the more crucial data people tend to store on their iPhones.

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