Another Pegasus-like spyware tool called 'Reign' was used to spy on iPhones

Wait. What? Ohh, I thought this was a current exploit. My bad. But this should end the argument over whether Apple should allow users to downgrade iOS versions, whether Apple should should be so aggressive in promoting upgrades to the latest versions, and end the “planned obsolescence” claims. But we all know it won’t so whatever.

Washington DC where are you?

lkrupp said:

Wait. What? Ohh, I thought this was a current exploit. My bad. But this should end the argument over whether Apple should allow users to downgrade iOS versions, whether Apple should should be so aggressive in promoting upgrades to the latest versions, and end the “planned obsolescence” claims. But we all know it won’t so whatever.

What? Just fix the problem in the same lineage it exists in! 

Have you ever considered the fact that yearly major updates are part of the problem? 

avon b7 said:

lkrupp said:

Wait. What? Ohh, I thought this was a current exploit. My bad. But this should end the argument over whether Apple should allow users to downgrade iOS versions, whether Apple should should be so aggressive in promoting upgrades to the latest versions, and end the “planned obsolescence” claims. But we all know it won’t so whatever.

What? Just fix the problem in the same lineage it exists in! 

Have you ever considered the fact that yearly major updates are part of the problem? 

Have you considered major yearly updates are part of the solution? Some people assume yearly major updates are part of the problem without any evidence. Look at Windows 10, had none of what people consider major updates, yet some of those minor updates caused major issues. Windows 10 has had printer issues after updates. The March 2023 mandatory security update has caused blue screen of death and performance issues. With major updates, users expect changes that will likely cause problems and minor updates could but should not cause problems. With major updates, Apple has the opportunity to dump old code, enact new security and privacy methods that would be too drastic for point updates. Another example, been trying to get the manufacture of my favorite game to support Macs better by moving to Metal and when ASi Macs came out, support native ASi code. They supported iPads and iPhones, so it wouldn't be that heavy lift. Then one day they came out with a point update that used Metal and ASi native code, trouble was they dropped support for previous Mac OS versions that didn't support ASi Macs. So you had people who bought that major version of the game, who can run Metal apps on their Mac, and the easier versions of that major release, but not the latest versions of that major release because they couldn't run the newest versions of Mac OS. It was a weird situation, however they have a new major version, which makes it clearer. Major versions bring in the funds and the excitement. Minor versions do not.

Fidonet127 said:

avon b7 said:

lkrupp said:

Wait. What? Ohh, I thought this was a current exploit. My bad. But this should end the argument over whether Apple should allow users to downgrade iOS versions, whether Apple should should be so aggressive in promoting upgrades to the latest versions, and end the “planned obsolescence” claims. But we all know it won’t so whatever.

What? Just fix the problem in the same lineage it exists in! 

Have you ever considered the fact that yearly major updates are part of the problem? 

Have you considered major yearly updates are part of the solution? Some people assume yearly major updates are part of the problem without any evidence. Look at Windows 10, had none of what people consider major updates, yet some of those minor updates caused major issues. Windows 10 has had printer issues after updates. The March 2023 mandatory security update has caused blue screen of death and performance issues. With major updates, users expect changes that will likely cause problems and minor updates could but should not cause problems. With major updates, Apple has the opportunity to dump old code, enact new security and privacy methods that would be too drastic for point updates. Another example, been trying to get the manufacture of my favorite game to support Macs better by moving to Metal and when ASi Macs came out, support native ASi code. They supported iPads and iPhones, so it wouldn't be that heavy lift. Then one day they came out with a point update that used Metal and ASi native code, trouble was they dropped support for previous Mac OS versions that didn't support ASi Macs. So you had people who bought that major version of the game, who can run Metal apps on their Mac, and the easier versions of that major release, but not the latest versions of that major release because they couldn't run the newest versions of Mac OS. It was a weird situation, however they have a new major version, which makes it clearer. Major versions bring in the funds and the excitement. Minor versions do not.

There is little to consider. 

We are talking major, zero click exploits here. They should be fixed within the same lineage. They are bugs after all. 

Major updates on a yearly cycle are beyond most companies. They introduce deadlines that cannot be met reasonably. Apple is no exception and code quality has probably suffered badly over the last decade even with the improvements. Only Apple can know for sure but external evidence points to some very buggy iOS releases.

Trying to flip the tortilla by saying it allows Apple to eliminate crud doesn't resolve the problem. 

I've seen some drafts from the EU which cover software support in an upcoming directive. If approved as is, device manufacturers will have to state on the box how long software support will be and the EU will set a minimum. Software/firmware updates that add new functionality will be user reversible as will updates that reduce performance. 

It's worth pointing out that in terms of security updates Apple is pretty good at getting solutions out but making them part of major updates has always been a problem. It is by definition because major updates introduce major plumbing changes. Apple also took way too long to introduce bug bounty programmes.