After releasing iOS and iPadOS 15.6.1 last week with bug fixes and security improvements for iPhone and iPad, this week Apple is once again returning to the company’s standard process of removing old firmware after shutting down the previous release of iOS and iPadOS 15.6.
By de-recording iOS and iPadOS 15.6, Apple has made it so that iPhone and iPad users can’t use the normal migration tools from the newer version of iOS and iPadOS 15.6.1. This also affects software updates, preventing users of older firmware from updating to iOS or iPadOS 15.6 without having to download iOS or iPadOS 15.6.1 instead.
Non-traditional downgrade methods such as using futurerestore and non-traditional upgrade methods such as using DelayOTA will still work if the user takes the necessary steps to use these methods.
While Apple’s unsigning older firmware is a thorn in the side of the jailbreak community, because most jailbreaks depend on older firmware that doesn’t patch the security vulnerabilities used by the tools, this rarely affects the general public, except when users want to downgrade their firmware. when a software update introduces new bugs.
With the above in mind, there are legitimate purposes other than jailbreaking to downgrade an iPhone or iPad firmware. Examples include when iOS 14.7 broke the ability to unlock a paired Apple Watch with iPhone Touch ID authentication, and when iOS and iPadOS 13.2 introduced overly aggressive background app control. These weren’t the only cases, and probably won’t be the last, which is why iDB supports Apple’s concept of allowing downgrades, however unlikely that may be.
For the most part, Apple’s role in limiting software rollbacks is one of control. By limiting software downgrades, a company can better ensure that users are running the firmware version they want their users to use. This not only pleases shareholders by inflating the number of firmware update rollouts, but also gives Apple an unfair advantage in the cat-and-mouse game against the jailbreak.
If you’ve ever wondered if a particular version of iOS or iPadOS is signed for your iPhone or iPad, you can check out the IPSW.me website to find out or use Hyperixa’s new IPSW app for jailbroken and non-jailbroken devices. You can also use our download page to download any firmware version for the device you are using.
Are you upset that Apple is no longer signing iOS and iPadOS 15.6 after the release of iOS and iPadOS 15.6.1? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.