Apple Releases iOS 12.5.5 Update for Older iPhones With Fix for Zero-Day Exploit

[MacRumors]

Apple today released an iOS 12.5.5 update for older iPhones and iPads that are not able to run the current version of iOS, iOS 15.

The update can be downloaded over-the-air by going to the Settings app, tapping on "General," and selecting the "Software Update" option.

There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 12.5.5 update, but according to Apple's release notes, it is a security update that addresses vulnerabilities with CoreGraphics, WebKit, and XNU. Apple says that it has received reports suggesting these exploits were used in the wild, so iOS device users still running iOS 12 should update immediately.

According to Bleeping Computer, at least one of the bugs was likely used to deploy NSO Pegasus spyware on hacked devices.

Devices unable to be updated past iOS 12 include the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3.

Update: Apple has also released a new 2021-006 Security Update for machines running macOS Catalina.

Article Link: Apple Releases iOS 12.5.5 Update for Older iPhones With Fix for Zero-Day Exploit

 

[I7guy]

Nice going Apple! My backup 5s appreciates it.

 

[Caliber26]

Android could never.

 

[MVMNT]

But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

Edit: At least MR noticed it after I pointed it out eh?

 

[winxmac]

I agree... The photo clearly shows an iPhone 6S with all the color variants...

I'm thinking iOS 12.5.5 might be the final iOS update and then Apple will focus on iOS 14 and iOS 15 updates...

EDIT: The article was initially published with iPhone 6S image but they have updated it with iPhone 6 image...

 

[ouimetnick]

Still supporting a 2013 iPhone 5S… an EIGHT YEAR OLD DEVICE. Get on that level Google!

 

[one more]

Well done, can be useful for my vintage iPad Air 1! 👍

 

[Vespi]

Wow they look like they are different size but they are actually the same size 👍

 

[Mr. Awesome]

But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

Actually, it’s an image of a 6, which supports iOS 8-12. On the picture, it’s running iOS 8.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

I agree... The photo clearly shows an iPhone 6S with all the color variants...

I'm thinking iOS 12.5.5 might be the final iOS update and then Apple will focus on iOS 14 and iOS 15 updates...

6S also came in rose gold. That photo is the iPhone 6 color choices

 

[oldmacs]

I agree... The photo clearly shows an iPhone 6S with all the color variants...

I'm thinking iOS 12.5.5 might be the final iOS update and then Apple will focus on iOS 14 and iOS 15 updates...

Am I crazy? The picture looks like iPhone 6 and 6+ running iOS 8?

 

[winxmac]

iOS 12.5.5 (16H62)

For those interested...

Source

 

[Mr. Awesome]

I agree... The photo clearly shows an iPhone 6S with all the color variants...

I'm thinking iOS 12.5.5 might be the final iOS update and then Apple will focus on iOS 14 and iOS 15 updates...

It’s a 6. The 6 came in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. The 6S came in four colors. The previous three, plus Rose Gold.

 

[winxmac]

6S also came in rose gold. That photo is the iPhone 6 color choices

It was still showing 6S when we initially commented... Seems they have updated the image now to iPhone 6...

 

[emulator]

Still supporting a 2013 iPhone 5S… an EIGHT YEAR OLD DEVICE. Get on that level Google!

Google did not have a phone in 2013.

 

[Falhófnir]

But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

Think it’s actually the 6, the 6s added the rose gold colour option

 

[nathan_reilly]

It was still showing 6S when we initially commented... Seems they have updated the image now to iPhone 6...

tricky tricky, MR....

 

[alpi123]

But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

This is the iPhone 6.
The iPhone 6s had different wallpapers and the rose gold color is missing.

 

[JosephAW]

I knew it!

Now how about security updates for older macOS versions that can’t update to Big Sur or Catalina?

 

[winxmac]

I knew it!

Now how about security updates for older macOS versions that can’t update to Big Sur or Catalina?

I'm in the same boat as you hoping that macOS 10.13 and macOS 10.14 still get security updates but their support seems to be already limited to up to 3 years for macOS... This is what I have observed with the releases in the past 5 years or so...

 

[winxmac]

Google did not have a phone in 2013.

Maybe you mean Pixel phones were not yet existing in 2013...

 

[redheeler]

Fantastic for Apple to continue pushing security updates to these devices, even though I rarely see them in the wild now where I live (although the 6 and 6s are difficult to distinguish). I suspect that globally there are more people using them though, as well as older people who upgrade very infrequently.

 

[oldmacs]

I'm in the same boat as you hoping that macOS 10.13 and macOS 10.14 still get security updates but their support seems to be already limited to up to 3 years for macOS... This is what I have observed with the releases in the past 5 years or so...

It's not meant to be 3 years it's meant to be the previous 3 releases, which should be Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave, but for whatever reason in the latest round of security updates, only Catalina got a security update (plus Big Sur 11.6) - Mojave missed out for whatever reason.

I do wish they'd continue updating 10.13 - plenty of Macs were marooned on High Sierra. Microsoft gives security updates to much older machines through Windows 10!

 

[mi7chy]

Google did not have a phone in 2013.

Before Google Pixel it was Nexus with Nexus One released in 2010. 2013 would be Nexus 5 which probably didn't have these security vulnerabilities to fix.

 

[redheeler]

It's not meant to be 3 years it's meant to be the previous 3 releases, which should be Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave, but for whatever reason in the latest round of security updates, only Catalina got a security update (plus Big Sur 11.6).

I do wish they'd continue updating 10.13 - plenty of Macs were marooned on High Sierra. Microsoft gives security updates to much older machines through Windows 10!

Apple's strategies with iOS and MacOS are in such contrast to each other. On the Mac side the support cutoffs have become completely arbitrary and really only explainable by planned obsolescence / cost reasoning. On the iPhone side someone actually seems to care about supporting older devices.

iOS and MacOS support spans have almost converged, it seems like pretty soon iPhones will be supported for longer than Macs which cost twice as much or more.