Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.3, Downgrading No Longer Available

[MacRumors]

Apple today stopped signing iOS 17.3, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version of iOS. iOS 17.3 is no longer being signed following the February 8 release of iOS 17.3.1, an update that added a fix for a text-related bug.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of iOS, so it is not unusual that the iOS 17.3 update is no longer available. Apple prevents users from installing older versions of iOS to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date and to prevent downgrading to older, less secure versions of the iPhone operating system.

iOS 17.3.1 is now the only publicly released version of iOS available, but Apple is also beta testing iOS 17.4. Both developers and public beta testers can download and install iOS 17.4, with the update adding a number of App Store-related changes in the EU, new emoji, transcripts in the Podcasts app, and more.

Article Link: Apple Stops Signing iOS 17.3, Downgrading No Longer Available

 

[Paddle1]

Just found out that my phone randomly stopped detecting card readers on 17.3.1 and I was gonna try downgrading... so much for that. 🙃

 

[Skyscraperfan]

As it is your phone, it should always be possible to go back to the iOS version that was installed when you bought it, because that basically was the package you bought with your hard owned money. I know that you do not "own" the software, but the software is necessary to run the phone.

I have the same problem with "Miui" from Xiaomi. I bought a phone with Miui 9 or so and since then three new versions came out. Each with really interesting new features. The problem is that you can't easily go back to an earlier version if you do not like it. So I am stuck with the version that was on the phone when I bought it.

At least Apple allow a downgrade by one version for a limited time, but I am not sure if they tell users ahead of time when they will stop signing a version.

 

[Shirasaki]

Here we go. Now I’m permanently stuck to a substantially inferior AirPods Pro experience with random connectivity transfer and random disconnects, all thanks to the LATEST AND GREATEST iOS 17.3.1. Not cool, Apple. Not cool.