Apple noticed low adoption / is strong arming iOS 26+

[AshX]

I’m confused. Does this imply that iMessage, FaceTime, etc. will stop working come January 2027 if you have not updated to iOS 26?

I use an iPhone 13 on iOS 15. I haven’t upgraded because Apple started employing temporal dithering on future versions of iOS on my device. So if I refuse to update to 26 by January 2027, one day iMessage and everything else will just stop working?

I know, I know. Before someone comments saying I’m ridiculous - believe me, I’d be happy to upgrade to a newer version of iOS for app compatibilities. But until Apple provides an accessibility setting to disable temporal dithering for those of us with health conditions making us sensitive to flickering pixels and screens, I have to stay on iOS 15 or change to another device.

I don’t have a problem with iOS or MacOS 26. I actually think MacOS 26 looks okay. But it Apple is going to force users into devices and OS versions that use flicker techniques to render the P3 wide color gamut and 10-bit color, they should provide more customization and accessibility options so those of us with disabilities can actually use these OS without health complications.

 

[Howard2k]

Apple should just say that on any OS that is more than 1 generation old the certificates are invalid and nothing is secure. Problem solved.

 

[Howard2k]

I’m confused. Does this imply that iMessage, FaceTime, etc. will stop working come January 2027 if you have not updated to iOS 26?

I use an iPhone 13 on iOS 15. I haven’t upgraded because Apple started employing temporal dithering on future versions of iOS on my device. So if I refuse to update to 26 by January 2027, one day iMessage and everything else will just stop working?

I know, I know. Before someone comments saying I’m ridiculous - believe me, I’d be happy to upgrade to a newer version of iOS for app compatibilities. But until Apple provides an accessibility setting to disable temporal dithering for those of us with health conditions making us sensitive to flickering pixels and screens, I have to stay on iOS 15 or change to another device.

I don’t have a problem with iOS or MacOS 26. I actually think MacOS 26 looks okay. But it Apple is going to force users into devices and OS versions that use flicker techniques to render the P3 wide color gamut and 10-bit color, they should provide more customization and accessibility options so those of us with disabilities can actually use these OS without health complications.

Apple could extend the certificates again. We don't know.

 

[HouseLannister]

I’m confused. Does this imply that iMessage, FaceTime, etc. will stop working come January 2027 if you have not updated to iOS 26?

I use an iPhone 13 on iOS 15.

It will keep working if you update to 15.8.6. You do not need to go to 26.
Never mind.

 

[kody137]

Hold on… I have literally everything on an updatable iOS 12, 15 or 18 iOS version.

This has NEVER happened before. iMessage still works on an iPod Touch 4G running native iOS 5, last I checked. (So it does NOT have iOS 6.1.6)

Are we sure that iOS devices on iOS 12, 15, or 18 compatible with newer versions will stop working?

Yeah, I think the source is "Trust me bro"

 

[AshX]

Apple could extend the certificates again. We don't know.

But they’d probably only apply to the latest security updates for that iOS generation, right? And I believe as of now I couldn’t upgrade to the latest security update of iOS 15 anyway - that’s not an option for my device that can be upgraded to 26. I’m on iOS 15.6.1.

I see why people think this is deliberate to increase adoption rates for iOS 26…none of my older iPhones ever stopped working because they were on older iOS versions. It was just understood most apps wouldn’t work and the device wasn’t secure. Why would they suddenly start caring about that? Who cares what someone does on an obsolete device that is several years old?

 

[AshX]

It will keep working if you update to 15.8.6. You do not need to go to 26.

I don’t believe this is an option since the iPhone 13 can go to 26. I certainly don’t see it as a software software option in settings. I only see the latest version of iOS 26.

 

[thadoggfather]

It will keep working if you update to 15.8.6. You do not need to go to 26.

Dear lord: this is incorrect

Because iPhone 13 is an iOS 26 capable device you do not have the option to update to 18.7.4

Again that is the entire point of this thread and discussion

 

[whatnot]

I had a nightmare of my phone starting to update to the vaseline mess, only to wake up to 15.8.6 alert! crisis averted, but apparently imessage is still a thing? well, I never..

 

[FeliApple]

Has Apple done this before? I have devices that support newer iOS versions running on every version from iOS 5 barring iOS 7,8, 9, and 11.

I think everything still works everywhere.

Is there any iOS version for which Apple did this before? Other that iOS 12, 15, and 18 next year?

 

[kody137]

Dear lord: this is incorrect

Because iPhone 13 is an iOS 26 capable device you do not have the option to update to 18.7.4

Again that is the entire point of this thread and discussion

And it's literally always worked like this, I'm not sure why we are surprised by it on the 19th release of iOS.

 

[Paddle1]

Has Apple done this before? I have devices that support newer iOS versions running on every version from iOS 5 barring iOS 7,8, 9, and 11.

I think everything still works everywhere.

Is there any iOS version for which Apple did this before? Other that iOS 12, 15, and 18 next year?

iOS 6, last version before the last redesign coincidentally.

https://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/24/ios-6-facetime-fix/

I guess I may have to finally update my original SE to iOS 15.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Except these dont involve a certificate in order for Apple services to continue being usable.

They do. Apple just let it expire.
See here:

iCloud Backups No Longer Available for iPhones and iPads Running iOS 8 or Earlier

Making a device backup over iCloud now requires iOS 9 or later, which means iPhones and iPads that are running iOS 8 or earlier are no longer able to be backed up using iCloud. Apple announced the change in November, and as of this week, it has gone into effect. Support for iCloud backups on...

www.macrumors.com

And it’s also likely that when that certificate expires, anything older than iOS 12 will no longer work… at all.
Once again, this is absolutely nothing new.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Has Apple done this before? I have devices that support newer iOS versions running on every version from iOS 5 barring iOS 7,8, 9, and 11.

I think everything still works everywhere.

Is there any iOS version for which Apple did this before? Other that iOS 12, 15, and 18 next year?

Yes, they discontinued iCloud support for devices running iOS 8 and earlier in 2024.
Additionally, there are scattered reports across the net that certain versions of iOS 6 do not support FaceTime anymore, not surprising at all seeing is that OS is *looks and gasps in fear* from 14 years ago.
There are also other bits and pieces of older operating systems that have been rendered unusable.
Reminders on iOS 12 and earlier refuses to sync with anything newer, the Home app after February 10 of this year will no longer work on versions older than iOS 16.2, etc and so on.
Old software is old and starts to fall apart after a while, not new. News at 11.

 

[FeliApple]

iOS 6, last version before the last redesign coincidentally.

https://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/24/ios-6-facetime-fix/

It sounds like you may have to update to keep this functionality.

Doubt it, iMessage works on native iOS 5 on my iPod Touch 4G.

 

[HouseLannister]

none of my older iPhones ever stopped working because they were on older iOS versions. It was just understood most apps wouldn’t work and the device wasn’t secure. Why would they suddenly start caring about that? Who cares what someone does on an obsolete device that is several years old?

Isn't that a huge potential security hole for the users on iMessage and FaceTime who are on secure, up-to-date devices? Only as secure as its weakest link and all that.

 

[jbmelby]

in the iOS 12.5.8, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 18.7.4 release notes, Apple says:

Update 12:40 pm: Apple is once again signing iOS 12.5.8, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 18.7.4, so these can once again be installed. iOS 16.7.13 remains unsigned, suggesting Apple has determined the issue is limited to only that release.

Does this help?

—

The implications of this update are insane and scummy tbh. essentially anyone on a device that can support iOS 26 will be forced to update to a later version by January 2027 or apple services will stop working. And you can’t update to these newest versions with latest certificate *unless* you have a device that only goes up to 12/15/18 geez.

So if you’re staying behind purposefully on say iOS 18, even the last one you could grab 18.7.3, you only have a year before you can either OTA to some extended support EOL iOS 26 security update or presumably iOS 27 by then since we are talking about Jan 2027 deadline

 

[Paddle1]

Doubt it, iMessage works on native iOS 5 on my iPod Touch 4G.

iOS 5 was the very first version of iMessage, wouldn't be surprised if they have since added more security features like requiring certificates that expire. And the fact that in iOS 6 only FaceTime broke makes me think that may be the case considering they are now mentioning iMessage and device activation.

 

[thadoggfather]

Yes, they discontinued iCloud support for devices running iOS 8 and earlier in 2024.
Additionally, there are scattered reports across the net that certain versions of iOS 6 do not support FaceTime anymore, not surprising at all seeing is that OS is *looks and gasps in fear* from 14 years ago.
There are also other bits and pieces of older operating systems that have been rendered unusable.
Reminders on iOS 12 and earlier refuses to sync with anything newer, the Home app after February 10 of this year will no longer work on versions older than iOS 16.2, etc and so on.
Old software is old and starts to fall apart after a while, not new. News at 11.

Discontinuing iCloud backups on iOS 8 in year 2024, 10 years later, is not at all the equivalent of preventing people on devices capable of newer iOS from being able to use Apple's basic communication services, merely 12 months after the software was released (18.7.3). It could also be a limitation of the infrastructure, whereas the latter is quite clearly an artificial limitation designed to force people to update who otherwise may not have wanted to, or as mentioned in the case of accessibility may not have the ability to for reasons.

Backups may be considered entirely optional and unneeded, the other could be quite critical if you use that to communicate with friends and family.

Does this help?

Doesn't help at all.

There were issues with these newest updates (updates which again, are exclusive to legacy devices) specific to AU carrier Telstra, so they pulled them for a bit, and now they are live again.

We've identified an issue with some older Apple devices connecting to our network

We're currently investigating an issue making and receiving calls, including calls to 000, on older Apple iPhone devices.

www.telstra.com.au

..This temporary pull however does not change that you will not find 18.7.4 OTA on an IOS 26 capable device.

 

[Sami13496]

I don’t understand what you mean and I’m too lazy to really look into the topic, so I’ll just comment that it’s pretty impressive that Apple still provides updates for devices that old. Android can barely keep devices up to date for even two years.

 

[kody137]

preventing people on devices capable of newer iOS from being able to use Apple's basic communication services, merely 12 months after the software was released (18.7.4).

You're still making an assumption that this is what would happen

 

[Dylan33x]

People are interpreting your post as if Liquid Glass is some type of Binary political issue or something. I see your point and I agree that it’s odd. I’m choosing to believe that the certificates update only applies to iOS 12, and the verbiage was just carried over into the 16 and 18 security updates.

Because your point is simple one, that isn’t really conspiratorial. Simply, why would certs that expire in Q1 2027 not be prioritized to be renewed in the years leading up to them, and not just a security update only available for specific devices? Especially when older OSes basic services have ran for 5-10 years as the norm, especially iMessage and FaceTime. App Store certs are thus far the main thing I’ve seen expire on Older OSes.

the reason I’m hoping it’s just a holdover on the documentation, is Apple’s Software documentation has been getting worse and worse the past couple years, especially in the update department.

Now, if we *are* looking at things conspiratorially, and the notion that all devices capable of updating past 18 will lose FaceTime and iMessage in early 2027, unless updated to iOS27, it is odd timing given “age verification” and Digital ID being on the horizon for America, and already having arrived some places worldwide. But that’s an aside.

 

[FeliApple]

iOS 5 was the very first version of iMessage, wouldn't be surprised if they have since added more security features like requiring certificates that expire. And the fact that in iOS 6 only FaceTime broke makes me think that may be the case considering they are now mentioning iMessage and device activation.

If Apple breaks older iOS versions this much, I’m afraid it is the end of my iOS era.

Utterly pathetic. Apple is now pretty much forcing malware.

Then again, I’m MASSIVELY skeptical. This has never happened before. Like I said, Apple services work everywhere for me. Even on iOS 5. iOS 8, iOS 10, everything.

 

[Paddle1]

Dear lord: this is incorrect

Because iPhone 13 is an iOS 26 capable device you do not have the option to update to 18.7.4

Again that is the entire point of this thread and discussion

It's funny how much your post is being misinterpreted. I too find it... interesting that iOS 18 is apparently going to be obsoleted much quicker than usual.

 

[kody137]

It's funny how much your post is being misinterpreted. I too find it... interesting that iOS 18 is apparently going to be obsoleted much quicker than usual.

Because there's no evidance of that