Apple has released updates targeting the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPad 7, and Apple TV HD in a patch fixing security issues with the older models.
When it comes to operating system updates, the main attention is on releases for newer devices, though sometimes patches arrive for older hardware too. It's rare, but sometimes Apple does updates that are small enough not to be mentioned on its Developer release page.
On Monday, Apple issued a series of smaller builds intended for a selection of devices, IsTheAppleStoreDown.com told AppleInsider. The updates are very minor, and only partly apply to the current 26.2 generation of software.
There were two new firmware releases, each covering different categories of hardware.
The first, labeled by the site as "iOS 26.2," is build 23K54. This is, in reality, a tvOS 26.2 update with the same build as the one officially released on December 12.
However, the build is identified as specifically for the fourth-generation Apple TV, with the hardware identifier AppleTV5,3. It's also intended for "AudioAccessory5,1," better known as the HomePod.
The second firmware release was for iOS 18.7.3, build 22H217. Again, this build number already exists for both iOS and iPadOS 18.7.3, and applies to specific hardware models in the iPad and iPhone ranges.
On iPad, it is meant for the iPad 7 in both Wi-Fi only and cellular forms. For iPhone, it is intended for the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS, and the iPhone XS Max in China.
There are no release notes for these updates, so the content of each is unknown. However, it is sometimes the case that Apple issues highlight targeted patches to fix hardware-specific issues that don't affect other models.
Apple last made a major public release of its operating systems on December 12, with the 26.2 generation including AirDrop codes on iOS, among other changes. Apple also included a number of security fixes, which plugged holes in WebKit and one major vulnerability affecting the Kernel.
Since Apple's patches for hardware that doesn't run on the latest operating system releases usually don't involve feature changes, these are obviously going to include similar security fixes.
