iOS 9.3 release date: New Apple iPhone and iPad operating system about to be pushed to devices

A whole host of new features will arrive on your iPhone shortly after Apple’s big event

Craig Federighi, Apple senior vice president of Software Engineering, speaks about iOS 9 during Apple WWDC on June 8, 2015 in San Francisco, California (Getty Images)

Apple is about to release the newest update to iOS, its operating system for iPhones and iPads.

iOS 9.3 — which brings a whole set of new features include a special mode to help people sleep — will be released tonight, according to a report from the Washington Post. It’s likely that the company will announce the availability during its major event, and push it to phones soon after it finishes.

The timing was confirmed in a report about a major security flaw that was found in its iMessage system. The Washington Post reported that problem would be fully fixed when iOS 9.3 is released tonight.

The new update has been in beta testing for weeks, allowing developers and members of the public in a special Apple scheme to try out the software. The company never said when the full version would be pushed to the public, though many presumed that it would coincide with the company’s March event.

iOS 9.3’s headline feature is Night Shift, a mode that changes the colours of the screen at night to make them less likely to disrupt sleep. It also brings updates to the Health, News and Notes apps, a major change to the way that iPads can be used in education and warns people if their bosses might be watching them.

The company could also announce new features during the event. It would be unlikely to unveil any new changes to the core operating system, but there may be updates for Apple Music or other services.

Though only an update to iOS 9, rather than a full release, iOS 9.3 has been said to potentially mark a new release schedule for Apple. The company may be moving towards releasing features throughout the year and as they become finished, rather than saving them all up for the major releases that usually come with the new iPhones in September.