Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

[robvalentine]

Pixels are the only devices that can almost match Apple for speed of updates. Almost.

Arguably they beat them because individual components are updated through the play store, and they can release play services updates frequently if needed, without all the downtime that an iOS/Macos update has

 

[jgba]

It might be deliberate, but it’s not always been like that.

At least for a while. My iPad was eligible for iPadOS 18, and I couldn't receive any iPadOS 17 security updates.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Pixels are the only devices that can almost match Apple for speed of updates. Almost.

Assuming you don't get caught in the tail end of Google's multi-week-phased-rollouts!

Though, it's nice that system components like the Dialer, messenger, browser(!) get updated frequently and independently of the underlying OS.

 

[Biro]

“Even with our annoying alerts, you people won’t “upgrade” to our buggy and unattractive iOS/iPadOS/MacOS 26! So we’ve found some security vulnerabilities that will end your life if you don’t “upgrade” right now. So everybody in the pool!”

Jeez, I predicted this a number of times since 26 came out. The same as it ever was. So what’s worse… the security vulnerabilities or the bugs still in 26? 🤣🤣🤣

EDIT: Apple’s notes read thusly… “Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26.”

Okay… then where is the 18.7.3 update? The only way to protect ourselves is to go with 26.2? Give me a break.

 

[super chimp]

This is so predictable ..

Better not stay behind ... we just found a very scary vulnerability (amazing timing!).. so scary, we won't fix it anywhere else .. you have to come get it on FischerPriceOS 26.2

I guessed this was likely going to happen as soon as I realised my iPhone wasn’t likely to get any updates beyond 18.7.2.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I guessed this was likely going to happen as soon as I realised my iPhone wasn’t likely to get any updates beyond 18.7.2.

Yep! You and a few others said as much. Right on schedule.

 

[super chimp]

Android is so componentized that individual parts of the OS are patched daily. The OS is updated quarterly just like Apple, but those are feature updates and not security patches. Meanwhile Apple delays releasing security fixes for weeks that are being actively exploited because they are also trying to make a transparency slider for the clock and can't do those two things separately. In the last 24 hours, my Pixel has updated the Phone app, the Google app, Google Drive, Google Translate, Voice Access, Android AICore, Google Messages, Gboard, Pixel Camera, and Google Wallet. And that's a pretty typical day. The security is outstanding on Android because of how they structured their OS and the flexibility it gives them.

My ancient android phone still on 11.1. Still seems to get lots of security updates through the Google apps built into the system why cannot Apple do this with iOS?

 

[super chimp]

And some of the security fixes were included in 18.7.3 too...

But so far 18.7.3 hasn't been released for iPhones that are capable of upgrading to iOS 26, even if they're still on 18.7.2. It's currently only available to devices that can't upgrade to iOS 26.

I hope that's a temporary error and not a deliberate move by Apple to force users to update to iOS 26.

That’s my fear as well that we won’t see 18.7.3 because the iPhones can be updated to 26.2.

 

[Biro]

My ancient android phone still on 11.1. Still seems to get lots of security updates through the Google apps built into the system why cannot Apple do this with iOS?

They can. And they occasionally do. My wife’s old iPod Touch received a security update for iOS 15 earlier this year. But they are under no obligation to do so… especially if their primary mission right now is to get users to go with 26.

 

[funandblindness]

Android is so componentized that individual parts of the OS are patched daily. The OS is updated quarterly just like Apple, but those are feature updates and not security patches. Meanwhile Apple delays releasing security fixes for weeks that are being actively exploited because they are also trying to make a transparency slider for the clock and can't do those two things separately. In the last 24 hours, my Pixel has updated the Phone app, the Google app, Google Drive, Google Translate, Voice Access, Android AICore, Google Messages, Gboard, Pixel Camera, and Google Wallet. And that's a pretty typical day. The security is outstanding on Android because of how they structured their OS and the flexibility it gives them.

That sounds like running Windows.

 

[Plutonius]

Does Apple have any interest in updating iOS 18 ?

If not, I guess I will continue to run iOS 18 and hope for the best .

 

[geogecko]

Now if they could just dedicate 26.3 to fixing CarPlay on 17 series devices, that would be great. I’m tired of submitting bug reports with every beta release.

#fixwhatsbrokefirst

 

[Danilamak]

“Even with our annoying alerts, you people won’t “upgrade” to our buggy and unattractive iOS/iPadOS/MacOS 26! So we’ve found some security vulnerabilities that will end your life if you don’t “upgrade” right now. So everybody in the pool!”

Jeez, I predicted this a number of times since 26 came out. The same as it ever was. So what’s worse… the security vulnerabilities or the bugs still in 26? 🤣🤣🤣

EDIT: Apple’s notes read thusly… “Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26.”

Okay… then where is the 18.7.3 update? The only way to protect ourselves is to go with 26.2? Give me a break.

Yep! And what about this vulnerabilities in previous major versions?

 

[Biro]

Now if they could just dedicate 26.3 to fixing CarPlay on 17 series devices, that would be great. I’m tired of submitting bug reports with every beta release.

#fixwhatsbrokefirst

As much as I use CarPlay, I’m fearful of upgrading to 26 - even though I have an iPhone 16 Plus. Honestly, if switching to 26 broke CarPlay on me, I’d march right out and buy Samsung Galaxy phone and use Android Auto. I hope Apple has fixed the problem with 26.2.

 

[jgba]

They can. And they occasionally do. My wife’s old iPod Touch received a security update for iOS 15 earlier this year. But they are under no obligation to do so… especially if their primary mission right now is to get users to go with 26.

Backporting one fix in a monolithic OS update isn't as good. "super chimp" above has the latest Chrome on his Android 11. Your wife hasn't had the latest Safari in years.

 

[d686546s]

That’s my fear as well that we won’t see 18.7.3 because the iPhones can be updated to 26.2.

If I turn on public beta 18.7.3 shows up for my 15 Pro, so I assume it's only a matter of time.

 

[Biro]

Backporting one fix in a monolithic OS update isn't as good. "super chimp" above has the latest Chrome on his Android 11. Your wife hasn't had the latest Safari in years.

That’s right. And, like many other iPod owners, she hasn’t used Safari on that device - ever. She’s up to date everywhere else. But your point about Android 11 is quite right.

 

[Biro]

So… for those who have downloaded and installed 26.2… are there any notable bugs that have been fixed? How does CarPlay work - especially on any 17 series iPhone?

 

[ImAlwaysRight]

I finally updated my iPhone and iPad to iOS 26 about an hour before this update dropped. Go figure. Now I'm downloading a 1.92GB updater just to go from 26.1 --> 26.2

 

[MacBeast]

If I turn on public beta 18.7.3 shows up for my 15 Pro, so I assume it's only a matter of time.

Thanks for this tip! I'm going to hurry up and install it just in case it was a mistake to allow 18.7.3 on a 26-capable phone and it gets taken away. It will be quite a while before 26 is really ready for prime time. Maybe by August before 27 comes out.

 

[mnls]

I prefer having an iPhone with 20+ security vulnerabilities than iOS 26.

I’ll take my chances Tim

 

[geogecko]

As much as I use CarPlay, I’m fearful of upgrading to 26 - even though I have an iPhone 16 Plus. Honestly, if switching to 26 broke CarPlay on me, I’d march right out and buy Samsung Galaxy phone and use Android Auto. I hope Apple has fixed the problem with 26.2.

I think you will be fine. I had a 12PM on 26 for months with no issues with CarPlay. It wasn’t until I bought a 17PM that the issue started. Same iOS version on both phones, 17 appears to be the issue with hardware, probably the Apple branded wireless chip.

So… for those who have downloaded and installed 26.2… are there any notable bugs that have been fixed? How does CarPlay work - especially on any 17 series iPhone?

CarPlay still broken, unfortunately. GM1 and GM2. I will say GM2 was better in that it doesn’t crash as much, but still often enough to be annoying.

 

[jz0309]

As much as I use CarPlay, I’m fearful of upgrading to 26 - even though I have an iPhone 16 Plus. Honestly, if switching to 26 broke CarPlay on me, I’d march right out and buy Samsung Galaxy phone and use Android Auto. I hope Apple has fixed the problem with 26.2.

I have a 17PM launch day, there was the known wifi bug which interfered with wireless CarPlay, since 26.01 it has been flawless for me, just as it was with my 13PM on always the latest iOS version, 2024 Ioniq 5 with a wireless USB stick CarPlay adapter

 

[jz0309]

So… for those who have downloaded and installed 26.2… are there any notable bugs that have been fixed? How does CarPlay work - especially on any 17 series iPhone?

as I just said in the above post, wireless CarPlay has been running fine since 26.01 on 17PM

 

[jz0309]

I think you will be fine. I had a 12PM on 26 for months with no issues with CarPlay. It wasn’t until I bought a 17PM that the issue started. Same iOS version on both phones, 17 appears to be the issue with hardware, probably the Apple branded wireless chip.

CarPlay still broken, unfortunately. GM1 and GM2. I will say GM2 was better in that it doesn’t crash as much, but still often enough to be annoying.

sorry, repeating myself, 17PM has been stable on wireless CarPlay for me since 26.01