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Apple Releases iOS 16.7.1 for Older iPhones and iPads

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Apple today released iOS 16.7.1 and iPadOS 16.7.1, new software updates that can be downloaded on iPhones and iPads that are not able to run iOS 17, or those that have not yet been updated to the new operating system. iOS 16.7.1 comes a few weeks after Apple released iOS 16.7.

iOS-16.7.1-Feature.jpg

The software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

With iOS 17 now out, iOS 16 updates are limited to security improvements and performance optimizations. New features will be added to iOS 17 rather than iOS 16.

The iOS 16.7.1 update likely addresses the same kernel vulnerability that Apple fixed in iOS 17.0.3 last week. The issue was exploited on versions of iOS before 16.6, according to Apple.

Article Link: Apple Releases iOS 16.7.1 for Older iPhones and iPads
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/10/10/apple-releases-ios-16-7-1/
If I’m not mistaken, this is the list of affected devices that don’t support i(Pad)OS 17:
  • iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
  • iPhone X
  • 5th-gen iPad
  • 1st-gen iPad Pros
 
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New releases [October 10 2023]

iOS 17.1 beta 3 (21B5066a)
iPadOS 17.1 beta 3 (21B5066a)
macOS 14.1 beta 3 (23B5067a)
watchOS 10.1 beta 3 (21S5063a)

iOS 16.7.1 (20H30)
iPadOS 16.7.1 (20H30)

Source
 
klasma said:
I think it should become available as an IPSW you can install. At least that’s what worked for me for i(Pad)OS 14 updates.
Click to expand...

Holy crap thank you for reminding me that this is an option. I chose to keep my iPad Air on 15 but it’s stuck on a much earlier security patch. I guess it doesn’t matter at this point though since I don’t think they’re patching 15 at all anymore, but at least I can get it on the last release.
 
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Anyone who is still running iOS 16.x on 12 Bionic devices and newer can still download and install iOS 16.7.1

I just turned off iOS 16 Developer beta updates on my iPhone 14 Pro Max running iOS 16.7 and it offered iOS 16.7.1 [432.2MB]

I still have the upgrade to iOS 17 option on the bottom...

The last iOS 16.x IPSW for A12 Bionic devices and newer is iOS 16.6.1

iOS 16.7 and later are only available as OTA update...

Even though iPad 6 [non-Pro] can upgrade to iPadOS 17.x Apple provided an iPadOS 16.7.1 IPSW for it...
 
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now i see it said:
The cynic might dream up the crazy idea that  themselves creates these vulnerabilities in order to ‘fix’ them later to march forward the iOS update train
Click to expand...

It’s been dreamed up many times. It’s been disproven by countless examples of the fact that humans don’t need help to write buggy code. It’s considered to be essentially impossible to make any complex software entirely bug free.

There are instances of obvious intentional backdoors, and a few cases of grey areas where a bug has seemed awfully convenient, but it’s not a safe default assumption.
 
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Nozgog said:
I believe that 16.7.1 is ONLY for older devices not being able to install iOS 17 and NOT devices that could get iOS 17
Click to expand...
You are incorrect. My iPhone 13 Pro Max can run iOS 17, but I haven't updated to it yet. I am installing 16.7.1 right now via Settings -> General -> Software Update.

MacRumors' headline is basically wrong - and disagrees with the article text, to boot.
 
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CarAnalogy said:
Holy crap thank you for reminding me that this is an option. I chose to keep my iPad Air on 15 but it’s stuck on a much earlier security patch. I guess it doesn’t matter at this point though since I don’t think they’re patching 15 at all anymore, but at least I can get it on the last release.
Click to expand...
Apple still has to sign it. You can delay the signing deadline for three months or so using Apple Configurator (or iMazing on Windows), but after that you’re still SOL.
 
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CarAnalogy said:
Holy crap thank you for reminding me that this is an option. I chose to keep my iPad Air on 15 but it’s stuck on a much earlier security patch. I guess it doesn’t matter at this point though since I don’t think they’re patching 15 at all anymore, but at least I can get it on the last release.
Click to expand...
iOS 15.7.9 and iPadOS 15.7.9 are both released on September 11 2023

You can try to check to see if you will be offered iPadOS 15.7.9 as OTA update although I think iPadOS 17 will be the one offered instead...
 
klasma said:
Apple still has to sign it. You can delay the signing deadline for three months or so using Apple Confiurator (or iMazing on Windows), but after that you’re still SOL.
Click to expand...

Ah crap, I forgot about that bit as well.

I only use it for the TV app so for now I’ll just leave it. Maybe by iOS 18 they’ll make it less obnoxious. Doubt it.
 
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winxmac said:
iOS 15.7.9 and iPadOS 15.7.9 are both released on September 11 2023

You can try to check to see if you will be offered iPadOS 15.7.9 as OTA update although I think iPadOS 17 will be the one offered instead...
Click to expand...

I missed 15.7.4 (or whichever) during its brief availability window, and now I am offered only 17. And before that, I was offered only 16.

Seems the OTAs are now only for devices that are forced to remain on 15, not those which chose to.

Since it was so recent I wonder if I could install an IPSW of 15.7.9, though.
 
now i see it said:
The cynic might dream up the crazy idea that  themselves creates these vulnerabilities in order to ‘fix’ them later to march forward the iOS update train
Click to expand...
Having been a user of Apple's various OS offerings for many years, believing their current OS development staff to be even remotely capable of this would strain credulity to the breaking point.
 
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Westside guy said:
You are incorrect. My iPhone 13 Pro Max can run iOS 17, but I haven't updated to it yet. I am installing 16.7.1 right now via Settings -> General -> Software Update.

MacRumors' headline is basically wrong - and disagrees with the article text, to boot.
Click to expand...
Yes I was incorrect- it just wasn’t showing for me devices - but now it is
 
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klasma said:
If I’m not mistaken, this is the list of affected devices that don’t support i(Pad)OS 17:
  • iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
  • iPhone X
  • 5th-gen iPad
  • 1st-gen iPad Pros
Click to expand...
It appears that iOS 16.7 is the last update for any device taht supports iOS 17.
 
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Lounge vibes 05 said:
This is good, but the fact that there’s still no iOS 15 security update is inexcusable.
macOS Monterey is from the same year and it’s still getting security updates
Click to expand...
Yeah I’m pretty ticked off at Apple over stuff like this. They supported iOS 12 for years. My grandmother has a 6S, and it’s not cool to know there’s exploits that are unpatched. (And no, she won’t pay $400 for a new phone.)

So, when I hear the usual refrain “if Apple drops support, they’ll still get security updates for a few years”, I get a little hostile.
 
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