Apple noticed low adoption / is strong arming iOS 26+

[TechAndOSWorld]

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

Key distinction but let’s go ahead and throw out all nuanced details cause who cares

Imagine being so condescending yet SO ABSOLUTELY wrong.

Those 6.1.5 and 6.1.6 updates you said "dont involve a certificate" were released EXPLICITLY to fix certificate issues (and other security problems) with iOS 6, so FaceTime could continue to work on devices that don't support iOS 7. But only on the devices that didn't get 7. Everything newer had to be upgraded or be left in the dust. They did the same thing over a decade ago, and that's what they're doing now.

 

[thadoggfather]

Imagine being so condescending yet SO ABSOLUTELY wrong.

Those 6.1.5 and 6.1.6 updates you said "dont involve a certificate" were released EXPLICITLY to fix certificate issues (and other security problems) with iOS 6, so FaceTime could continue to work on devices that don't support iOS 7. But only on the devices that didn't get 7.

I actually wasn't even aware there is a precedent for this, or perhaps I memory holed it myself.
So they've already been scummy once 13 years ago and are doing it YET again.

I guess everyone was so excited for iOS 7 back then after 6 years of samey skeumorphism (https://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/05/apples-app-store-usage-numbers-suggest-ios-7-adoption-at-74/) and being gaslit into believing Scott Forstall was the problem that very few people cared. Whereas iOS 26 is the most mixed bag we've had since... perhaps even iOS 7 though to a much larger degree given adoption rate is low (https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/27/ios-26-adoption-hits-50-percent/), hence the subject line.

Interesting the parallel too that Alan Dye is now being villainized for ostensibly poor Liquid Glass decisions by some, though he is supposedly leaving on his own terms vs. getting the boot: https://daringfireball.net/2025/12/bad_dye_job
(I know nothing about this dude, but I do think Scott Forstall was unfairly ousted in hindsight, as a bystander observer. Especially given current Apple QC is nothing short of a dumpster fire not specific to just this past year that has resulted in ZERO exec shake ups from some celebrity Keynote persons. Things were never this messy under a Forstall administration)

FaceTime Not Working for Many iOS 6 Users

Apple's FaceTime appears to be malfunctioning for iPhone and iPad users with devices running iOS 6, according to multiple tips received by MacRumors as well as a MacRumors forum post and a thread on the Apple Support Communities. It appears that users who are running iOS 6 are unable to place...

forums.macrumors.com

FaceTime no longer working with iOS 6?

Since today, FaceTime seems to fail on iOS6. I've tried various combinations devices, networks and iOS6 / iOS7 version and all IOS6 connections fail with directly after picking up with "FaceTime Failed". Does anyone have FT working as of today with iOS6? (it might be a temporary issue..)

forums.macrumors.com

..At a cursory glance, iOS 7 capable devices were blocked from Apple services unless they updated to iOS 7.
6.1.6 with renewed cert was for non iOS 7 capable devices (the inverse of what you said in bold). History is repeating itself.

Plenty of posts of people (correctly) howling it was planned obsolescence.

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

View attachment 2601803

I actually wasn't even aware there is a precedent for this, or perhaps I memory holed it myself.

So they've already been scummy once 13 years ago and are doing it YET again. I guess everyone was so excited for iOS 7 back then after 6 years of samey skeumorphism and being gaslit into believing Scott Forstall was the problem that very few people cared. Whereas iOS 26 is the most mixed bag we've had since... perhaps even iOS 7 though to a much larger degree given adoption rate is low, hence the subject line. Interesting the parallel too that Alan Dye is now being villainized for poor Liquid Glass decisions by some, though he is supposedly leaving on his own terms vs. getting the boot: https://daringfireball.net/2025/12/bad_dye_job
(I know nothing about this dude, but I do think Scott Forstall was unfairly ousted in hindsight, as a bystander observer. Especially given current Apple QC is nothing short of a dumpster fire that has resulted in ZERO exec shake ups from some celebrity Keynote persons. Things were never this messy under a Forstall administration)

FaceTime Not Working for Many iOS 6 Users

Apple's FaceTime appears to be malfunctioning for iPhone and iPad users with devices running iOS 6, according to multiple tips received by MacRumors as well as a MacRumors forum post and a thread on the Apple Support Communities. It appears that users who are running iOS 6 are unable to place...

forums.macrumors.com

FaceTime no longer working with iOS 6?

Since today, FaceTime seems to fail on iOS6. I've tried various combinations devices, networks and iOS6 / iOS7 version and all IOS6 connections fail with directly after picking up with "FaceTime Failed". Does anyone have FT working as of today with iOS6? (it might be a temporary issue..)

forums.macrumors.com

At a cursory glance, iOS 7 capable devices were blocked from Apple services unless they updated to iOS 7.
6.1.6 with renewed cert was for non iOS 7 capable devices (the inverse of what you said in bold).

Plenty of posts of people howling it was planned obsolescence.

first of all, I didn't say anything in bold (you made my text bold in your quote).
second of all, I said 6.1.5 and 6.1.6 were for devices that did not get iOS 7. Apple didn’t do “the inverse” of what I said, they did exactly what I said.

learn to read

 

[thadoggfather]

*highlighted in bold.
Rather pedantic and rather wrong.

I would respond to the last comment as well, but I was penalized recently for stirring the pot up too much.
I'll let this quote and link speak for itself that could not be clearer:

While FaceTime does work with iOS 6.1.6, that particular update is not available to recent devices that are able to run iOS 7, which means iOS 6 users with newer devices who wish to access FaceTime must upgrade to iOS 7.

iOS 6 Users on Devices Able to Run iOS 7 Must Upgrade to Fix FaceTime

Apple today released a new support document, detailing the issue behind the recent problems some iOS 6 users have been experiencing with FaceTime. According to Apple, a bug resulting from an expired device certificate has rendered FaceTime unusable on older versions of iOS and the only solution...

www.macrumors.com

Even going to update my OP to make a stronger argument. Thanks much!

--
Look forward to your follow up @TechAndOSWorld
(removed the quote of your post above in case it cascaded removes my follow up post here, since it is rather pejorative in nature ..but that's also OK I can deal).

Hopefully after much to do about nothing for many pages of this thread, we can now finally start actually discussing the subject at hand instead of merely lambasting the observer who had no role in this corporate decision. Or obfuscating the basic observations and then responding to those obfuscations as if that is what was put forth.

If in January of next year, an iPhone 16 on iOS 18 can no longer use iMessages, I will post a public apology video of me eating a pair of shoes. It's not happening like that.

Start buttering up those leathery shoes now, and please do it under the observation of a gastroenterologist.

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

*highlighted in bold.
Rather pedantic and rather wrong, take a breather (and accept the L) perhaps?

I would respond to the last comment as well, but I was suspended recently for stirring the pot up too much.

I'll let this quote and link speak for itself:

iOS 6 Users on Devices Able to Run iOS 7 Must Upgrade to Fix FaceTime

Apple today released a new support document, detailing the issue behind the recent problems some iOS 6 users have been experiencing with FaceTime. According to Apple, a bug resulting from an expired device certificate has rendered FaceTime unusable on older versions of iOS and the only solution...

www.macrumors.com

what L? the article you linked yourself proves me right.
maybe you should take the L, given how many people in this thread have correctly pointed out how you managed to take good news, and spin them into a “pro-Liquid Glass” conspiracy.

you know what would’ve been scummy? letting all the old devices rot, and making the owners buy new shiny iPhones just to stay in touch.

Apple not releasing a certificate patch for iOS 18 for the iPhone 16 is not planned obsolesence, because there’s a whole newer OS version for you to install, with said patches built in. The fact it comes with a whole new user interface is unrelated. You don’t like it? Well, I don’t either. But the world doesn’t revolve around me or you. We either suck it up and get used to it, or look for other alternatives/fixes.

Just to prove this is not some push to make people install iOS 26, in mid 2019, Apple released iOS 10.3.4 and 9.3.6 for devices that can’t run the new stuff, but were still in use at the time. Those were also bug fixes, just like the current releases. They also didn’t come out for any of the (then) new devices, because those were expected to run iOS 13, which didn’t bring any major interface redesign (making the app backgrounds dark doesn’t count as a major redesign in my eyes).

Yes, those two aforementioned releases weren’t exactly certificate fixes, but they were the same in spirit. Apple’s doing what they’ve been doing forever, and I believe they would’ve done the exact same thing, if the current iOS version was called 19, and still flat.

 

[thadoggfather]

you know what would’ve been scummy? letting all the old devices rot, and making the owners buy new shiny iPhones just to stay in touch.

Apologies- lots of arguments flying around in this thread and I lumped yours and perhaps others in there in error. But there's a reason for that.

This is the argument that @kody137, and many/most others here, are making:
iPhone 16 on iOS 18.7.3 or earlier (incapable of IOS 18.7.4 as an artificial not technical limitation but capable to upgrade to IOS26) will continue working with Apple services on IOS 18 after January 2027.

Based on release notes and past precedent, this is not shaping up to be true.

..Then there's a subset of people responding to something that I didn't even say (like that 18.7.4 offered for older devices is a bad thing - no it isn't, but being offered exclusively for older devices - is) which is further making this thread confusing to follow post-by-post.


--

It is nice to support legacy devices incapable of IOS 26 and allow them to continue using Apple services. Agreed. 100%.

Who is arguing otherwise? Is there a single person who is on this point, honestly? Cause I am not.

**However, and this is the big however and the entire point of the thread for the someteenth time: it is scummy that people on IOS 18 that are capable of updating to IOS 26 but obviously do not want to by Jan 2027 will now forced to upgrade to IOS 26 if they want to continue communicating with family through their preferred channels.

For some, this will result in jumping ship to android or buying a new iPhone due to poor performance/battery life issues that could/will arise from 'upgrading' to IOS 26:

iPhone models compatible with iOS 26

Find out which iPhone models support iOS 26.

support.apple.com

BOTH can be true (and are, IMO).

To pretend some people on iPhone 11, 12, 13 variants (12 mini and 13 mini with smol batteries and smol screens with larger screen devices in mind for 26 UI/UX, hi) in some cases devices newer than that aren't going to have a rough experience upgrading is completely disingenuous and it will result in being forced to buy a new iPhone or jump ship to android.

Mark this thread.

 

[FeliApple]

Apple not releasing a certificate patch for iOS 18 for the iPhone 16 is not planned obsolesence, because there’s a whole newer OS version for you to install, with said patches built in. The fact it comes with a whole new user interface is unrelated. You don’t like it? Well, I don’t either. But the world doesn’t revolve around me or you. We either suck it up and get used to it, or look for other alternatives/fixes.

Again, yet another horrific argument. Do you know what the solution is? Release and sign iOS 18.7.4, fixing the certificate issues for ALL devices compatible with iOS 18, support that as a concurrent OTA update AND release the full IPSW for it.

Forcing iOS updates which will inevitably impact performance and battery life is NOT a valid solution. Planned obsolescence. Apple is permanently worsening every device’s quality for no reason at all. Apple is forcing iOS 26 everywhere when they could release iOS 18.7.4 for everything.

Apple forcing garbage updates is not defensible. Apple does not have to let anything “rot”. They just have to support devices properly.

 

[thadoggfather]

Again, yet another horrific argument. Do you know what the solution is? Release and sign iOS 18.7.4, fixing the certificate issues for ALL devices compatible with iOS 18, support that as a concurrent OTA update AND release the full IPSW for it.

Forcing iOS updates which will inevitably impact performance and battery life is NOT a valid solution. Planned obsolescence. Apple is permanently worsening every device’s quality for no reason at all. Apple is forcing iOS 26 everywhere when they could release iOS 18.7.4 for everything.

Apple forcing garbage updates is not defensible.

Amen. My entire point.

Support for older devices always great.

Cutoff support for newer devices where users are willfully staying on IOS 18 (they are aware iOS 26 exists, it reminds them nearly every day, sometimes what feels like multiple times a day), where they could easily sign 18.7.4 for iPhone 16 and flip the boolean switch if they wanted to but choose not to because they want to get adoption numbers up and sales for future devices cause their current working thing is suddenly not working as well be it not working with Apple services or worse battery/performance in order to continue using said services- not great.

Apple can walk and chew gum at the same time. It is entirely in their realm of their capabilities.

A device purchased in September 2024 (assuming launch time period for iPhone 16) that received its last iOS 18 update just a month ago in December 2025 with 18.7.3 will be rendered partially unusable merely just past the 12 month marker (Jan 2027).

These are the (*unverified because Jan 2027 has not occurred and we can't time travel, but based on their own signing behavior / their own release notes / their own past precedent) "facts." This is not a kind consumer friendly oriented move.

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

Apologies- lots of arguments flying around in this thread and I lumped yours and perhaps others in there in error. But there's a reason for that.

This is the argument that @kody137, and many/most others here, are making:
iPhone 16 on iOS 18.7.3 or earlier (incapable of IOS 18.7.4 as an artificial not technical limitation but capable to upgrade to IOS26) will continue working with Apple services on IOS 18 after January 2027.

Based on release notes and past precedent, this is not shaping up to be true.

..Then there's a subset of people responding to something that I didn't even say (like that 18.7.4 offered for older devices is a bad thing - no it isn't, but being offered exclusively for older devices - is) which is further making this thread confusing to follow post-by-post.


--

It is nice to support legacy devices incapable of IOS 26 and allow them to continue using Apple services. Agreed. 100%.

Who is arguing otherwise? Is there a single person who is on this point, honestly? Cause I am not.

**However, and this is the big however and the entire point of the thread for the someteenth time: it is scummy that people on IOS 18 that are capable of updating to IOS 26 but obviously do not want to by Jan 2027 will now forced to upgrade to IOS 26 if they want to continue communicating with family through their preferred channels.

For some, this will result in jumping ship to android or buying a new iPhone due to poor performance/battery life issues that could/will arise from 'upgrading' to IOS 26:

iPhone models compatible with iOS 26

Find out which iPhone models support iOS 26.

support.apple.com

BOTH can be true (and are, IMO).

To pretend some people on iPhone 11, 12, 13 variants (12 mini and 13 mini with smol batteries and smol screens with larger screen devices in mind for 26 UI/UX, hi) in some cases devices newer than that aren't going to have a rough experience upgrading is completely disingenuous and it will result in being forced to buy a new iPhone or jump ship to android.

Mark this thread.

I've seen the abomination that was 26.0 on my friend's iPhone 12 mini, and I wouldn't have installed it on my daily driver iPhone either (there's a reason my M2 Pro mini still runs macOS 14.3, and why every non-M Mac in my possession runs macOS 10.15 or older, even if some can run at least Sequoia natively). I'm so glad I got to install 10.15.8 on my main laptop today, instead of risking losing iM/FT, and I wish the iOS holdouts had better alternatives. I'm with you on that.
My argument is that Apple won't release certificate patches for those new devices, because in their eyes, iOS 26 is the fix. Which it technically is. The 9.3.6/10.3.4 example from earlier shows how they've done this before without any "liquid glass" agenda. iOS 26 just happens to be the polarizing release for a lot of people, even if it's the solution for this specific problem.

 

[thadoggfather]

My argument is that Apple won't release certificate patches for those new devices, because in their eyes, iOS 26 is the fix. Which it technically is.

But you aren't arguing with me there. It isn't even an 'argument,' it's Apple's decided plan.

The difference is they have purposefully prevented 18.7.4 from being signed on modern, iOS 26 capable devices. Again, the entire point of the thread is calling that out -- many were not aware of this especially since it was not crystal clear and 18.7.4 and release notes were just issued last Monday (10 days ago). Not that 'iOS 26 = bad for every single person even people who like it or have a good experience on it' or 'I hate Liquid Glass so you must too' we have plenty of other threads on those specific debated subjects. Many maintain that is my point, and I am here to assure them it is not.

They've dictated that is the fix, while simultaneously conveying they are perfectly capable of providing the fix in 18.7.4 for device that can't go past iOS 18 as well.

Why? Ultimately, to who's benefit? The consumer's or theirs?

If something goes wrong moving up to iOS 26 by force/pressure, for someone is already deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem what is more likely: that they will move to an entirely different platform, which will never support most apple services (barring Apple Music presently), or that they will purchase a brand new iPhone much sooner than they planned on when they were otherwise already happy with their modern-ish device on the older version?

This isn't a tough thing to understand IMO.

 

[Slix]

This thread is something else. 😛

Yeah, it would be nice to get the 18.7.4 update on devices capable of running 26, but that's how it has worked for a while now. We still don't even know (and might never, depending on if anyone keeps an older device running pre-iOS 18.7.4 and posts about it here) if the 18.7.3 and under will actually not activate iMessage or FaceTime after January 2027. It's possible they extended the certificates for every OS at once, but only the older ones were going to expire next year. So maybe the 18.7.3 certs expire in 2029 or something. Maybe this only affects activation (as stated in the release notes), not existing logged in users, so the people complaining here on this thread would never be affected unless they logged out for some reason after January 2027.

All this is to say, back in my day, we only got security updates for the latest OSes and if things were broken, you either dealt with it or got a new phone or upgraded your OS. I had to pay $10 for iPhone OS 3.0 on my iPod touch, too. We really have it a lot better with mobile OS updates since then. 😉

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

Planned obsolescence. Apple is permanently worsening every device’s quality for no reason at all. Apple is forcing iOS 26 everywhere when they could release iOS 18.7.4 for everything.

Apple forcing garbage updates is not defensible. Apple does not have to let anything “rot”. They just have to support devices properly.

People don't know what planned obsolescence is. Or they bend the definition as they see fit. Because not releasing updates, forcing people to buy new and releasing updates, making devices slow can't both be signs of planned obsolescence at once.

In 2015, I was still daily-driving the good ol' iPhone 4. That was back when major iOS releases still came with substantial upgrades and improvements, so a version just 2 years out of date felt ancient. The last version my iPhone got was 7.1.2, and by mid 2015, it already felt limiting, as I still vividly remember the "This application requires iOS 8.0 or later" types of messages.
Now imagine, what my experience would've been like, if Apple had decided to give me the the 6.1.6 FaceTime fix instead, treating the iPhone 4 the same way they treated the iPod Touch 4.
Yes, iOS 7 was slow on the A4, but it was still a way for me to run semi-modern software.
Looking back, I like the look of iOS 6 and older a lot, but back then, I would've taken 7 over "better interface" any day of the week.

 

[thadoggfather]

This thread is something else. 😛

Yeah, it would be nice to get the 18.7.4 update on devices capable of running 26, but that's how it has worked for a while now. We still don't even know (and might never, depending on if anyone keeps an older device running pre-iOS 18.7.4 and posts about it here) if the 18.7.3 and under will actually not activate iMessage or FaceTime after January 2027. It's possible they extended the certificates for every OS at once, but only the older ones were going to expire next year.

I would argue one precedent 13 years ago many people including myself memory holed does not equal 'working this way for a while'. If they did this year-over-year, I would be less inclined to think the staggeringly low iOS 26 adoption rate specifically has something to do with it.

I still would not like it, FWIW, but I would be less convinced the former has something to do with it.

There is no real technical reason (on basis of limitations) that only older devices would expire on Jan 2027 if not upgraded to 18.7.4, but newer ones on 18.7.3 would not. Likely that on 18.7.3 all devices, legacy and modern, are same cert and 18.7.4 is the newer one that is also in line with iOS 26+.

Past precedent would indicate this is what we call 'wishful thinking' but again, theoretically I guess a remote possibility of being true since none of us are time travelers.

 

[FeliApple]

People don't know what planned obsolescence is. Or they bend the definition as they see fit. Because not releasing updates, forcing people to buy new and releasing updates, making devices slow can't both be signs of planned obsolescence at once.

In 2015, I was still daily-driving the good ol' iPhone 4. That was back when major iOS releases still came with substantial upgrades and improvements, so a version just 2 years out of date felt ancient. The last version my iPhone got was 7.1.2, and by mid 2015, it already felt limiting, as I still vividly remember the "This application requires iOS 8.0 or later" types of messages.
Now imagine, what my experience would've been like, if Apple had decided to give me the the 6.1.6 FaceTime fix instead, treating the iPhone 4 the same way they treated the iPod Touch 4.
Yes, iOS 7 was slow on the A4, but it was still a way for me to run semi-modern software.
Looking back, I like the look of iOS 6 and older a lot, but back then, I would've taken 7 over "better interface" any day of the week.

Come on. You cannot defend it using iOS 7 on the A4 processor. That was malware. That was practically malware. Disallowing downgrades and letting you install the garbage that was iOS 7 on the iPhone 4 should be considered malware.

They are both signs of planned obsolescence. A hypothetical: supporting a device for six months and then dropping it is planned obsolescence. Supporting a device seven years AND DISALLOWING DOWNGRADES while crippling the device’s performance, battery life, and quality, is planned obsolescence too.

What Apple did with the iPhone 4 and iOS 7 was utterly abhorrent and I can’t believe you are defending Apple on that.

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

But you aren't arguing with me there. It isn't even an 'argument,' it's Apple's decided plan.

The difference is they have purposefully prevented 18.7.4 from being signed on modern, iOS 26 capable devices. Again, the entire point of the thread is calling that out -- many were not aware of this especially since it was not crystal clear and 18.7.4 and release notes were just issued last Monday (10 days ago). Not that 'iOS 26 = bad for every single person even people who like it or have a good experience on it' or 'I hate Liquid Glass so you must too' we have plenty of other threads on those specific debated subjects. Many maintain that is my point, and I am here to assure them it is not.

They've dictated that is the fix, while simultaneously conveying they are perfectly capable of providing the fix in 18.7.4 for device that can't go past iOS 18 as well.

Why? Ultimately, to who's benefit? The consumer's or theirs?

If something goes wrong moving up to iOS 26 by force/pressure, for someone is already deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem what is more likely: that they will move to an entirely different platform, which will never support most apple services (barring Apple Music presently), or that they will purchase a brand new iPhone much sooner than they planned on when they were otherwise already happy with their modern-ish device on the older version?

This isn't a tough thing to understand IMO.

Yes, they do it because they want you to upgrade, if you can upgrade. Nobody's saying they aren't capable of releasing the fix for newer devices. But the way I see it, the problem here isn't their approach to delivering iOS fixes, it's the fact one of the options happens to be so polarizing. It wasn't a problem when the options were "iOS" and "same iOS but dark", but it was a "problem" when the options were "better" glossy iOS, and "worse" flat iOS.
I'm still convinced that if the current iOS was the same as 18, just with the version bumped up by 1, this thread wouldn't be here.

 

[8483011]

I would argue one precedent 13 years ago many people including myself memory holed does not equal 'working this way for a while'. If they did this year-over-year, I would be less inclined to think the staggeringly low iOS 26 adoption rate specifically has something to do with it.

I still would not like it, FWIW, but I would be less convinced the former has something to do with it.

There is no real technical reason that only older devices would expire on Jan 2027 if not upgraded to 18.7.4, but newer ones on 18.7.3 would not. Past precedent would indicate this is what we call 'wishful thinking' but again, theoretically I guess a remote possibility of being true since none of us are time travelers.

If a repeatable pattern over the course of 13 years isn't sufficent, what would be? You've never been able to install an x.x.x update on a device that supports the next OS. If for example I had an iPhone on iOS 5, that was compatible with iOS 6, you've never been able to install 5.x.x updates, you would just update to iOS 6. The only difference here is that people really dislike iOS 26, so people are forgetting all of these facts.

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

Come on. You cannot defend it using iOS 7 on the A4 processor. That was malware. That was practically malware. Disallowing downgrades and letting you install the garbage that was iOS 7 on the iPhone 4 should be considered malware.

They are both signs of planned obsolescence. A hypothetical: supporting a device for six months and then dropping it is planned obsolescence. Supporting a device seven years AND DISALLOWING DOWNGRADES while crippling the device’s performance, battery life, and quality, is planned obsolescence too.

What Apple did with the iPhone 4 and iOS 7 was utterly abhorrent and I can’t believe you are defending Apple on that.

I was the one forced to use it, I know what I'm talking about. It was not as bad as people love to say. Slow, but not "malware".

 

[TechAndOSWorld]

If a repeatable pattern over the course of 13 years isn't sufficent, what would be? You've never been able to install an x.x.x update on a device that supports the next OS. If for example I had an iPhone on iOS 5, that was compatible with iOS 6, you've never been able to install 5.x.x updates, you would just update to iOS 6. The only difference here is that people really dislike iOS 26, so people are forgetting all of these facts.

exactly! my friend has iOS 14 on his daily driver (the iPhone XS Max). But he's not here complaining about not getting 14.8.1, because he doesn't want to install 18, but wants the certificate fix.

 

[thadoggfather]

If a repeatable pattern over the course of 13 years isn't sufficent, what would be? You've never been able to install an x.x.x update on a device that supports the next OS. If for example I had an iPhone on iOS 5, that was compatible with iOS 6, you've never been able to install 5.x.x updates, you would just update to iOS 6. The only difference here is that people really dislike iOS 26, so people are forgetting all of these facts.

Because one occurrence 13 years ago that most forgot or plainly were not aware of or were not aware because they forgot does not equal "over the course of 13 years" (that would imply an abundance of occurrences).

I guess two different ways of seeing things if we can't agree to disagree on that.

 

[8483011]

Because one occurrence 13 years ago that most forgot or plainly were not aware of or were not aware because they forgot does not equal "over the course of 13 years" (that would imply an abundance of occurrences).

I guess two different ways of seeing things if we can't agree to disagree on that.

But this wasn't the case one time 13 years ago, it's always been like that. You've never been able to put an x.x.x update on an iPhone that is compatible with y.y.y

 

[FeliApple]

I was the one forced to use it, I know what I'm talking about. It was not as bad as people love to say. Slow, but not "malware".

Our tolerance level must be vastly different. I used iOS 6 on an iPod Touch 4G. It is unusable. I used iOS 9 on A5 devices. All unusable, all malware.

And that is even the case if you go newer: I had an iPhone 6s on iOS 9. I don’t know if you know, but there is an activation bug. All A9 devices on iOS 9 are deactivated and cannot be activated again. Today, if jailbroken, you can save activation tickets. But that came with a later exploit. When that happened to me, there was nothing. So I was forced to update it to iOS 13. Battery life was so destroyed that I could no longer use it as a main iPhone. I have another 6s running native iOS 10. That one is, of course, stellar.

iOS updates are malware. Apple forcing them like this is utterly abhorrent and indefensible.

Releasing iOS 18.7.4 for every device (including the iPhone 11 and 12 Mini (!!!)) is the only correct solution.

 

[thadoggfather]

But this wasn't the case one time 13 years ago, it's always been like that. You've never been able to put an x.x.x update on an iPhone that is compatible with y.y.y

As it relates to not being able to use Apple services, what are the other cited examples?

I am not aware of hearing about this from iOS 17 to 18, or 16 to 17, 15 to 16, 14 to 15, etc.

I am not an encyclopedia of every single iOS software version, in case some of you had me mistaken. So I concede I could be wrong but I don't believe this to be the case.

 

[FeliApple]

As it relates to not being able to use Apple services, what are the other cited examples?

I am not aware of hearing about this from iOS 17 to 18, or 16 to 17, 15 to 16, 14 to 15, etc.

I am not an encyclopedia of every single iOS software version, in case some of you had me mistaken. So I concede I could be wrong but I don't believe this to be the case.

As somebody who has used practically every iOS version on devices that supported newer major versions, this has only been an issue with iOS 6 (supposedly. Like I said, iOS 5 works for me on a device that supports iOS 6).

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

If a repeatable pattern over the course of 13 years isn't sufficent, what would be? You've never been able to install an x.x.x update on a device that supports the next OS. If for example I had an iPhone on iOS 5, that was compatible with iOS 6, you've never been able to install 5.x.x updates, you would just update to iOS 6. The only difference here is that people really dislike iOS 26, so people are forgetting all of these facts.

Like I said, this goes all the way back to iPhone OS 1.0.
Back then, you had to pay money to update the iPod touch.
On July 11, Apple released iPhone OS 2.0 for both the iPhone and iPod touch.
Three days later, Apple released iPhone OS 1.1.5… for just the iPod touch and only the iPod touch. You could not install it on the iPhone, it just wasn’t an option. It was 2.0… or nothing.
And for the iPod touch, once you were on 2.0 there was no going back.
As has been stated several times, this has been Apple‘s policies since 2008.
The only reason there’s an entire several page thread about it now is because people don’t like the new interface, that’s it, no other reason.

 

[thadoggfather]

Like I said, this goes all the way back to iPhone OS 1.0.
Back then, you had to pay money to update the iPod touch.
On July 11, Apple released iPhone OS 2.0 for both the iPhone and iPod touch.
Three days later, Apple released iPhone OS 1.1.5… for just the iPod touch and only the iPod touch. You could not install it on the iPhone, it just wasn’t an option. It was 2.0… or nothing.
And for the iPod touch, once you were on 2.0 there was no going back.
As has been stated several times, this has been Apple‘s policies since 2008.
The only reason there’s an entire several page thread about it now is because people don’t like the new interface, that’s it, no other reason.

You’re citing when iOS, wait I mean iPhone OS because it wasn’t even yet called iOS , updates were behind a paywall? Oh man that makes me nostalgic

Should we also reminisce about how you had to jailbreak to install apps because the App Store didn’t exist?

Straw man arguments

I am astounded by the amount of mental gymnastics involved for one to self gaslight over anything Apple.
If it were any other company ..