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why can't i go back?
- Thread starter zoran
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Whatever is being brought up here. These discussions have happened many times over the years more or less bringing up the same things and more or less repeating the same way again and again.
Your fault for upgrading to iOS 11. If you love the previous iOS releases don't upgrade. You have all the time in the world if you're smart about staying behind on previous releases. People do it all the time to wait for point updates that iron out bugs and issues of the first major releases.
I think there's a few reasons. Although security may be the top one (including preventing jailbreaks), I mostly think it's because rolling back software in general creates a compatibility nightmare.
Apple devices are more than just an IOS system image. In cellular devices there are baseband firmwares that only newer versions of IOS support. The Touch ID SEP has a firmware too. When flash memory chips are replaced in new device revisions, those may need a certain version of IOS (I'm thinking about iPad 2s for example).
When IOS 7 came out, activation lock was introduced. If it was always possible to roll back to IOS 6, that would make the protection useless.
I agree with @Wildkraut's scenario. There could be all sorts of unexpected side effects and crashes from a downgrade that Apple would have to deal with.
Lastly I also agree with @C DM in that keeping as many people together on the same version of IOS helps developers, and hopefully keeps almost everyone on the same page.
Apple devices are more than just an IOS system image. In cellular devices there are baseband firmwares that only newer versions of IOS support. The Touch ID SEP has a firmware too. When flash memory chips are replaced in new device revisions, those may need a certain version of IOS (I'm thinking about iPad 2s for example).
When IOS 7 came out, activation lock was introduced. If it was always possible to roll back to IOS 6, that would make the protection useless.
I agree with @Wildkraut's scenario. There could be all sorts of unexpected side effects and crashes from a downgrade that Apple would have to deal with.
Lastly I also agree with @C DM in that keeping as many people together on the same version of IOS helps developers, and hopefully keeps almost everyone on the same page.
Lol.Wait? I thought that we all on iOS 11 would have already downgraded
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Security updates should be separate from system updates. Just like how Microsoft supported windows xp all those years.
I can understand not letting people run wild and install any OS. BUT, certain devices have been designed for a certain starting OS. If that's the case then like a computer you should be able to go back to the original stock OS. If I buy an X and it came with IOS 11.0... then say I'm ready to sell it next year after the release of IOS 12 to get a new phone. I should be able to revert back to the original IOS 11.0. Then the new buyer can decide.. hmm yeah I'm good with 11.0 or nope I want 12.0 or higher. But a choice to revert back to the original buying state should be implemented by Apple. I know they won't do it, but that's exactly how it should work.
FYI, if you're still running iOS v.9.x, you don't have the fix for BlueBorne installed. It was incorporated into iOS v.10 going forward. Nasty wireless threat.
It takes time and effort to undo the upgrade process. Lots of applications that change, lots of files that change. Lots of things that can go wrong, so it is much easier and safer to apply a fix forward policy.
Also saves on maintaining keys for older software. And that is where the real issue will come in as you can flash your phone with an older version of the ipsw but only if it is still active. You will lose everything though, and likely also what is in the icloud.
iOS 6 actually respects Activation Lock when you downgrade to it but I see your point.
I could swear in the first few versions of the iPhone, you could jailbreak, unlock, and downgrade baseband and your OS. At some point weren't we backing up hashes for that purpose? Been a long time.
I ain't bovvered about having to put my data back on manually. If I'm trudging through the seventh level of hell to get a functioning OS back on this thing, I can deal with transferring data back over to it afterward. Can't use iCloud anyway on account of its habit of corrupting data.
I ain't bovvered about having to put my data back on manually. If I'm trudging through the seventh level of hell to get a functioning OS back on this thing, I can deal with transferring data back over to it afterward. Can't use iCloud anyway on account of its habit of corrupting data.
Short answer: Herd immunity, software version. Cheaper to focus on a single version and force people.
The entire industry (PCs, phones, consoles etc.) has gone to frequent, mandatory upgrades. You can still technically cancel/ignore them if you’re fine being forced offline, but I predict in another 2-5 years companies will make it so they happen silently (in the background) and there will be absolutely no way to circumvent OS/app/game updates.
I miss the old days too, when upgrading was something done if/when you wanted new features... but I also miss the days before crazy password complexity. :/
Thanks for paying attention to my posts mate and you are absolutely correct that the conversation im making has been talked over for years and years, but i just can't help it!
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Damn i wasnt aware of that, but i guess when one doesn't use BlueTooth he should be safe, right?
i'm stuck also with 10.3.1 ( i downgraded from 10.3.2 cos battery drain) btw, 10.3.3 is better ? i just curious.., i know i can't go there now. and ios 11 doesn't sound being alright yet.
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My two iPads, mentioned earlier, are both still running iOS 10.3.3 and they have no battery issues whatsoever.
The downgrade discussion has been present a million times. I think we should look at the bright side: Updates could be truly forced. As in, the second a device is connected to Wi-Fi, the device is forcibly updated without a chance to be stopped. Or popups recurrent and constant until you have no other choice.
Luckily we can - even if current popups are annoying - still refrain from updating.
Luckily we can - even if current popups are annoying - still refrain from updating.
And I remind myself of that fact every time I have to go into Settings and delete the iOS 11 upgrade that's been downloaded into my iPad Mini-R, even though I have all automatic updates turned OFF.
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There isn't a setting to disable available iOS updates from being automatically downloaded at some point when you are on WiFi and connected to a power source. The closes thing is installing a tvOS profile that would prevent that essentially.
After which, their unit is broken into and the end user screams cluelessly "They knew and didn't protect meeeeeeeee!!!!!" Not a smart move on their part.
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Let me guess- you've never worked for a software house and produced commercial software- especially OSes that have to work in a large number of scenarios way beyond what you as a user can imagine?
I think apple.com/feedback is a great place where you can leave feedback about that.
No one here can specifically speak for Apple as to why they do not allow rollbacks to prior versions of the operating system.