While Apple is currently testing iOS 26.6 and iOS 27 and releasing new betas for them every other week, they have also started unsigning a few old iOS versions, impacting a few devices.
Apple has stopped signing the latest versions of iOS 6, iOS 8, iOS 9, and iOS 10 for some devices, as noted in a post by Aaron Perris on X.
The list includes:
- iPhone 5c (GSM and CDMA): iOS 10.3.3 IPSW
- iPad mini (WiFi+Cellular): iOS 8.4.1 OTA, iOS 9.3.5 IPSW, and iOS 9.3.6 IPSW
- iPad 2 (WiFi+3G CDMA): iOS 6.1.3 OTA, iOS 8.4.1 OTA, iOS 9.3.5 IPSW, and iOS 9.3.6 IPSW
With the latest versions of their respective iOS versions not being signed anymore, users will not be able to restore or update these devices from Finder or iTunes. This will not affect the current state of your device if it is working well on an iOS version, but it would no longer be possible for some devices to be restored with fresh software if the iOS version becomes corrupt.
The list also mentions iOS 10.3.4; however, that version was only released for the iPhone 5 from 2012, which could mean that it is also impacted by this change.
Interestingly, the list also includes iOS 8.4.1 Over-the-Air, an update that was being signed as a bridge update for devices on older versions of iOS. For example, some devices had to update to iOS 8.4.1 before updating to iOS 9. This meant that users could also downgrade to this version if they did not prefer the changes, with the appropriate steps, unlike the current scenario. However, it seems that the first iPad mini and the iPad 2 are no longer entitled to it.
This move does not impact a vast majority of users in 2026, as these devices were launched more than a decade earlier. That said, do you have any of these devices in your vintage/obsolete collection? Let us know down in the comments or tweet/post to us at @appleosophy! Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple News!
