The update includes the much-requested feature of requiring mobile users to enter a password before making an in-app purchase.
See PCMag's review of iOS 4.3, which was released Wednesday.
This is a big win for many parents, whose kids rang up hundreds of dollars on their parents' iTunes accounts with purchases for things like "a bucket of Smurfberries." Previously, no authentication was necessary for an iOS user to tap and buy in-app credits.
"I am sitting next to [my son] on the couch playing the game," one parent complained at the Apple support forum about the popular Smurfs' Village app. "The buy button popped up and he tapped it before I even had the chance to stop him. Does anyone have a number that I can call to see if I can get rid of the charges? Deleting app now."
In December, Smurfs' Village developer Capcom conceded a little by adding a warning about automatic iTunes charges in the game's description. However, that didn't prevent one girl from reportedly ringing up a $1,400 bill on aforementioned Smurfberries last month.
As apps mature, developers are increasingly incorporating in-app purchases to monetize their software. A January study by IDC and app software maker Appcelerator found that mobile software business models are evolving from free "brand affinity" apps to include mobile advertising and in-app purchasing.
With iOS 4.3, Apple has added personal hotspotting, improvements to its native Safari browser, and new features in AirPlay.