This is why Apple want to force upgrades.
Liquid glass = worse battery life = user goes and buys a new phone
If 10% of upgrade to os26 lesss to new phones it’s billions on more revenue for Apple 🤑
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Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]
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Liquid glass = worse battery life = user goes and buys a new phone
If 10% of upgrade to os26 lesss to new phones it’s billions on more revenue for Apple 🤑
They’re desperate to drive upgrades to iOS 26 as it’s really lagging behind previous upgrade adoptions.
…He said with absolutely no empirical data to back that assertion up, but knowing that it’s true anyhow.
I’m laughing because I don’t want to cry.
Don't care if I'm not allowed to get the security updates, I'm staying on iOS 18.
Unlikely. They haven’t ever force-updated in the past. Just turn off automatic updates and pay attention to not tap the wrong thing when new versions get notified.
> Apple provided a grace period for people to remain on iOS 14 while iOS 15 bugs were worked out
I do not think iOS 26 will ever feel acceptable to me. It has been two months, and I still get confused trying to get things done.
- new weird way to turn off my alarm in the morning
- disorganized mess that are Music and Podcasts, especially in CarPlay
- degraded CarPlay experience with partially implemented dark/light modes
- Maps in CarPlay, sometimes I have a hard time making it start a route
- Photos were always confusing, now they are just confusing in a different way
- The way deleted remainders accumulate forever, and eventually slow down the app. Tried to automate deleting them, but there is a confirmation prompt you can't get rid of, so there is no way to automatically clean them up.
What I appreciated about Apple is that they'd tackle hard problems, and solve them. FaceID, Continuity, AirDrop, interesting things that I like.
Now I feel like they are letting many crappy little things fester, instead of tackling the hard stuff. You can't pretend your phone is thin when it is pregnant with a camera bump, you need to figure out how to get rid of the bump. There are 3 different apple pencils? Do not get me started on their AI attempts.
I loved Apple, but now it does feel like a decline, and I am just hoping it does not happen too fast. Tried Pixel, a whole different set of annoyances.
I do not think iOS 26 will ever feel acceptable to me. It has been two months, and I still get confused trying to get things done.
- new weird way to turn off my alarm in the morning
- disorganized mess that are Music and Podcasts, especially in CarPlay
- degraded CarPlay experience with partially implemented dark/light modes
- Maps in CarPlay, sometimes I have a hard time making it start a route
- Photos were always confusing, now they are just confusing in a different way
- The way deleted remainders accumulate forever, and eventually slow down the app. Tried to automate deleting them, but there is a confirmation prompt you can't get rid of, so there is no way to automatically clean them up.
What I appreciated about Apple is that they'd tackle hard problems, and solve them. FaceID, Continuity, AirDrop, interesting things that I like.
Now I feel like they are letting many crappy little things fester, instead of tackling the hard stuff. You can't pretend your phone is thin when it is pregnant with a camera bump, you need to figure out how to get rid of the bump. There are 3 different apple pencils? Do not get me started on their AI attempts.
I loved Apple, but now it does feel like a decline, and I am just hoping it does not happen too fast. Tried Pixel, a whole different set of annoyances.
Wow. Been with Apple since OS8. This is tasting like blackmail in my mouth. When it's time, I will be shopping around. Wow.
Geez, you guys act like iOS 26 knocked up your cat.
I was able to update my 13 mini earlier today but now my wife’s 16E can’t find the “beta” for 18.7.3.
At this point, though it will hurt my portfolio, I hope 26 and Liquid A$$ seriously deflates AAPL stock.
At this point, though it will hurt my portfolio, I hope 26 and Liquid A$$ seriously deflates AAPL stock.
Apple have only ever had 3 CEO’s in 50 years, don’t think I know of any other company with so few.
I do hear Android OS based phones are good, and Apple have made it easier to switch! Maybe you’ll enjoy them more.
Is downgrading impossible on Android phones and tablets too? Never had an Android device … just curious to know. Anyone?
Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running iOS 26.
If you have an iPhone 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there was a security update that came out alongside iOS 26.2. Apple stopped showing new iOS 18 updates when iOS 26.2 launched, forcing iOS 18 users to upgrade to iOS 26.2 if they want to keep their devices secure.
For now, there's a way to stay on iOS 18 and continue to get security updates. On a device running iOS 18, you can turn on iOS 18 public beta updates to force new versions of iOS 18 to show up. This may not remain an option for long, but it works at the current time.
Apple's move to push users to iOS 26 is timed with a long list of security updates introduced in iOS 26.2 and iOS 18.7.3, including a WebKit vulnerability known to be actively exploited. Both updates addressed the problem, so there is no technical need for the iOS 26.2 requirement.
Jason Snell wrote an article yesterday on Apple's decision not to offer iOS 18 users further iOS 18 upgrades and speculated that it might be a bug or an error, but the reality is that Apple does this every year.
The iOS 14 to iOS 15 transition in 2021 was the first time that Apple allowed users to remain on an older version of iOS. At the time, Apple said that iOS offered "a choice between two software update versions." Users would be able to update to iOS 15 at release, or opt to continue on iOS 14 and "still get important security updates."
As promised, Apple did allow users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid the iOS 15 update, but only temporarily. Apple started pushing people to iOS 15 in January 2022 by making the iOS 15 software update option more prominent and no longer offering iOS 14 security updates for devices capable of running iOS 15.
In fact, iOS 14 updates stopped being available when Apple launched iOS 15.2, which might sound familiar because it is the exact same path that it followed with the iOS 18 to iOS 26 transition. Apple did the same thing with the iOS 16 to iOS 17 transition, and the iOS 17 to iOS 18 transition.
For a clear answer why iOS 18 security updates are no longer available on devices capable of running iOS 26, we can look to what Apple had to say in 2022 after people complained about being forced to upgrade to iOS 15. According to Apple, the option for users to stay on iOS 14 and avoid iOS 15 was always meant to be temporary. Apple provided a grace period for people to remain on iOS 14 while iOS 15 bugs were worked out, but Apple ultimately wanted users on the latest version of iOS.
In a support document published in 2021, Apple clarified that users would be able to stay on the old version of iOS "for a period of time," but not forever.
Apple has continued with the same update policy since iOS 15, but the company's move to wean users off of iOS 18 is more visible this year due to the design changes introduced with iOS 26. Liquid Glass is a major user interface overhaul that's polarizing, and some users are unsurprisingly reluctant to update for that reason.
Update: Apple is no longer allowing the iOS 18 public beta to be used to skirt the iOS 18 to iOS 26 transition. Opting in to the iOS 18 beta no longer triggers the iOS 18.7.3 update.
Article Link: Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]
Apple only gives users more choice when forced to by the government! The Tim Cook era continues to spiral out of control.
iOS 26 is alpha software!
iOS 26 is the first update I've actively avoided by Apple, but I was forced to update recently because of purchasing an Apple Watch 11. Something to consider for gift givers and receivers.
Thus, I’m sticking with my Watch 7 and 9, which both still have excellent battery life. (I’m sure that my wife’s 8 is fine, too.)
I won't update my iPhone or buy a new one unless Apple adds to iOS system-wide option to disable Liquid Glass. Unfortunately, all new products came with iOS26. I'd only consider buy a new iPhone when they make another system-wide design change, and only if Liquid Glass has been removed.
The login screen for all devices (mac especially) is now laggy. I also noticed there's a huge delay on the mac after logging in. It gave me the old school windows vibes. In the reminders app, I have a family grocery list. One of my family members were randomly removed from the list without noticed. I only discovered it when while we were trying to figure out which family member added the item.
I'm finding the OS updates getting worse by the year since 2019. I've been a long time Apple fan dating back to the return of Steve Jobs era and I had to immediately tone down everything that was liquid glass. Siri doesn't even function as well as it did when it launched back in iOS 7.
The company has been focused on maximizing profit selling accessory after accessory. HomePods that used to be great for watching movies on my mac now no longer works even when using Apple TV app.
I feel sad watching Apple losing its soul slowly.
I'm finding the OS updates getting worse by the year since 2019. I've been a long time Apple fan dating back to the return of Steve Jobs era and I had to immediately tone down everything that was liquid glass. Siri doesn't even function as well as it did when it launched back in iOS 7.
The company has been focused on maximizing profit selling accessory after accessory. HomePods that used to be great for watching movies on my mac now no longer works even when using Apple TV app.
I feel sad watching Apple losing its soul slowly.
I wish the Ubuntu phone came to market. I’d jump ship tomorrow and ditch Apple for my phone communication needs.
I'm late to the party.
For anyone on iOS 14.5, you were allowed to either update to iOS 14.8.1 or upgrade to iOS 15.0 but iOS 14.8.2 was never released since all the iPhone models able to upgrade to iOS 14.x are able to upgrade to iOS 15.x
iOS 15.7.2 was the last OTA update for iPhone 8 series and newer and iOS 15.7.3 was never made available to them.
iOS 16.7.2 was the last OTA update for iPhone 11 series and newer and iOS 16.7.3 was never made available to them.
iOS 17.7.2 was the last OTA update for iPhone 11 series and newer and there was no iOS 17.7.3 because they can be upgraded to iOS 18.x
iOS 18.7.3 was the first OTA beta update offered for iPhone 11 series and newer when they are supposedly limited to iOS 26.x and just like the previous major releases, iOS 18.7.3 was never made available for the public that are still using iPhone 11 series running iOS 18.x
For some weird reason, they released a public beta of iOS 18.7.3 for iPhone 11 series and newer and because of some websites reporting about Apple, the OTA public beta of iOS 18.7.3 for iPhone 11 series and newer is no longer available.
Try again, it's coming soon.
For those who need a little more time before upgrading after a major software upgrade is made available, Apple continues to offer security updates to the previous major operating system version for a period of time.
About Apple software updates - Apple Support
Apple regularly provides software updates that improve your device with new features, important security enhancements, and bug fixes. Learn more about why they are important and how they work.
I had to buy an old Apple Watch off Craigslist to avoid having to update my entire ecosystem!
The lengths I've gone to to protect my family from iOS 26!