Apple ceases code signing for iOS 9.2.1 after successful iOS 9.3.1 release

Following the rollout of Apple's latest iOS 9.3.1 point release, the company on Tuesday stopped signing code for iOS 9.2.1, meaning users can no longer downgrade to the older operating system version.

Apple routinely ceases code signing on deemed obsolete iterations of iOS in order to ensure a consistent user experience and to protect consumers against bugs or security vulnerabilities fixed with the most recent software.

When it pushed out iOS 9.3.1 last week, Apple patched a web link bug that in some cases caused apps to freeze or crash.

Prior to the release it was discovered that a bloated associations file in popular travel app Booking.com was to blame for a host of runtime failures affecting Safari, Mail and Messages, along with third-party web browsers. The data overflow was severe enough to necessitate a new version of iOS, as simply uninstalling the offending app was not a viable solution.

Since its launch last month, iOS 9.3 has seen its fair share of problems, including an Activation Lock bug that rendered older hardware unusable. Apple pulled the update for certain iOS devices before issuing a fix last week.

More recently, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus owners were affected by an obscure security exploit that allowed nefarious users access to contact and photo data without a passcode. As the bug involved a combination of Siri, 3D Touch and certain system settings, its impact on the greater iPhone install base was likely minimal.

Apple fixed the Siri exploit earlier today.

8 Comments

proline 11 Years · 223 comments

About 8 years ago

This is for the best. The fewer people are able to use insecure, obsolete versions of iOS, the fewer hackers will be attracted to the iOS community in general, and the less chance that one of them will find an exploit that applies to the current version. Queue the whiners!

josha 14 Years · 899 comments

proline said:

This is for the best. The fewer people are able to use insecure, obsolete versions of iOS, the fewer hackers will be attracted to the iOS community in general, and the less chance that one of them will find an exploit that applies to the current version. Queue the whiners!

OK, then when iOS9.3.2 is available I'll take an update chance, with my not so old nice size iPhone5c. o:)

lkrupp 19 Years · 10521 comments

proline said:

This is for the best. The fewer people are able to use insecure, obsolete versions of iOS, the fewer hackers will be attracted to the iOS community in general, and the less chance that one of them will find an exploit that applies to the current version. Queue the whiners!

They whine but they don’t leave the platform because they know the grass is brown and dead on the other side of the fence. Same goes for OS X.

linkman 11 Years · 1041 comments

josha said:

proline said:

This is for the best. The fewer people are able to use insecure, obsolete versions of iOS, the fewer hackers will be attracted to the iOS community in general, and the less chance that one of them will find an exploit that applies to the current version. Queue the whiners!

OK, then when iOS9.3.2 is available I'll take an update chance, with my not so old nice size iPhone5c. o:)

And you are waiting for what on 9.3.2 that isn't available with 9.3.1?

MacsAlways 8 Years · 14 comments

linkman said:

josha said:

OK, then when iOS9.3.2 is available I'll take an update chance, with my not so old nice size iPhone5c. o:)

And you are waiting for what on 9.3.2 that isn't available with 9.3.1?

Code maturity?