Yeah normally Apple doesn't start pushing the new OS as the default update path for a while and you can continue to get minor updates until then (and even a little bit later).
There are a few specific edge cases in the Photos app related to batch applying of edits to many high-res photos that I found broken in iOS 16 and 17 but actually fixed in iOS 18. This is one of the reasons I am really quite wedded to it.
But only for devices not able to run iOS 16 or newer. You aren’t able to install that version on an iPhone XR for example, as iOS 15.8.4 (from June 2025) is only available for iPhone 7 and below.
If it’s like previous years, you’ll get security updates until around November, after which Apple assumes that iPhones supporting iOS 26 should upgrade to it as they think it’s mature enough (i.e. 26.2 or so). Only iPhones that don’t support iOS 26 will get further security updates for iOS 18.
When the EU pressured Apple to put a time table on their support, Apple committed to 5 years of updates for the devices. That means Apple is already past when they need to provide ANY updates for the XR and XS. They certainly may, but it's a gamble to just assume you will get anything past the 18.6 currently in beta.
Yeah, which makes it a moot point in this case. If OP stays behind, then they can’t install any updates, security or otherwise. I’m running iOS 12.3.1 on my iPhone Xʀ and I can’t update to… what’s the latest version? iOS 12.5.7? It just forces me to iOS 18.5, which makes security updates irrelevant for those that don’t want to run the latest major version.
iOS 18 just feels like one of the really solid versions of the OS. Having a good solid platform actually rocks.
Even if you updated when iOS 12 was still receiving updates, the latest you can update to is iOS 12.4.1 while iOS 12.4.2 and later were only for iPhone 5s and iPhone 6s [limiting the discussion to iPhones only]
Of course, since iOS 18 is designed with iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in mind. iOS 26 [supposed to be iOS 19] is designed with iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in mind. Most of the features in iOS 26 will be available to iPhone 15 Pro and newer while iPhone 15 and older will just get some of the features.
Exactly, which makes, like I said, longer-term security updates irrelevant. Even if Apple guaranteed 10 years of updates, they’d never allow you to install the latest security update for the current major iOS version.
I am almost positive that slide-over and simple split-screen multitasking will come over from iPadOS to iOS if we are going to get a foldable phone in 2026. (Unless all we get is a flip and a true folding tablet-style phone is still another 1-2 years away.) Maybe by iOS 27-28, you will have a choice on iPad.
Call it ridiculous if you like (because I think that perhaps it is), but I am actually a massive fan of the original Slide Over method back with iOS 9, of the app selector on the side.
I don't know how this iPhone SE 2016 was set up, whether the Apple ID or Apple Account was used during set up or only after fully set up and the Apple ID or Apple Account was only used on the App Store, but this video seems an exception of iOS 9.x not activated on A9 devices, although the oldest version for iPhone SE 2016 is iOS 9.3
iOS 9.3 was also affected - I had a 9.7-inch iPad Pro on iOS 9.3.4 and an iPhone 6s on iOS 9.3.3 - both have been forced out.
Surprising but it makes sense I suppose. The jumps between hardware have gotten smaller so naturally a new OS should be more friendly to older devices than in the past.
Yeah, I think I that’s definitely part of it. I always guessed that this was the solution.
This post is referring to security updates, not major version updates. Apple will likely continue to release security updates for iOS 18 for years to come as they did with previous iOS versions such as iOS 15 or 16.
They will receive security updates. If not then what is this for iPhone 6s/7…?
