Apple says it never intended iOS 14 security updates to last forever [Updated] (original) (raw)

Apple’s iOS 15 features page said—and still says—that iOS 14 will keep getting security updates. It doesn’t mention a timeline.

Apple’s iOS 15 features page said—and still says—that iOS 14 will keep getting security updates. It doesn’t mention a timeline. Credit: Apple

There was also a precedent for Apple keeping an older iOS version updated long term, namely iOS 12, which got security updates throughout the iOS 13 and iOS 14 life cycle. The difference is that iOS 12 was the last version of the OS that could run on several iDevices, including the iPhone 5S, 6, and 6 Plus, as well as the original iPad Air and the iPad mini 2 and 3. All devices that can run iOS 14 are capable of upgrading to iOS 15. Presumably, the next time an iOS update drops support for a swath of devices, Apple will also be more generous with its security update timeline.

And that gets us back to the main problem with Apple’s security update policy—a lack of transparency, predictability, and communication. Giving iOS 14 users the option to stay secure before eventually pushing them toward iOS 15 actually seems like a reasonable compromise, letting users skip the bugs that come with any all-new iOS update while still giving developers the benefit of a large unified platform where you can reasonably assume that most people are running the same version of the OS.

But Apple should have been clearer about the limited time window for that strategy if it was the intention from the start. Users of older hardware and software shouldn’t need to guess, based on past precedent and tea-leaf reading, whether their devices will continue to be secure because they aren’t running (or can’t run) the latest version of the OS. For example, it seems like support for iOS 12 has ended, since its last update was in September of 2021 and Apple has released several new iOS updates since then—but with no actual announcement, all we can do is assume.

Apple likes keeping secrets and hates talking in public about its future plans. But these are all mature operating systems with well-established update patterns. For the sake of the people who use this hardware and software, and for the developers and administrators who support Apple’s devices out in the real world, a little more transparency would go a long way. And we’ll keep saying that until Apple actually gives it to us.