Got a tip for us?Let us know

a. Send us an email
b. Anonymous form

Apple No Longer Signing iOS 8.4.1 and iOS 9

Wednesday September 30, 2015 5:27 PM PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today stopped signing iOS 8.4.1 and the first version of iOS 9 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, meaning users can no longer upgrade or downgrade to those versions of iOS using iTunes. Apple is now signing iOS 9.0.1 and iOS 9.0.2 only.

Users who have upgraded to iOS 9 are now unable to downgrade back to the last version of iOS 8, iOS 8.4.1. Released in August, iOS 8.4.1 was a minor update that included bug fixes and Apple Music improvements. iOS 8.4.1 also broke the iOS 8.4 untethered jailbreak.

iOS 9 was first released to the public on September 16, and there have been two additional updates since that time. iOS 9.0.1 was released on September 23 and iOS 9.0.2 was released on September 30.

Top Rated Comments

AFEPPL

135 months ago

Apple should just allow users to make their own minds up..
if as a consumer you want to run iOS7 - why not?

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

dmx

135 months ago

Apple should just allow users to make their own minds up..
if as a consumer you want to run iOS7 - why not?

The best reason I can think of is security. There are security flaws fixed from time to time, and allowing people to run or downgrade to old software would increase the incentive for people to use those holes maliciously. And no matter what, even if they chose to run that old insecure software, Apple would be blamed for not fixing it.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Tamagotchi

135 months ago

RIP to the best version of iOS since iOS 6.

PS: To the expected replies from Apple Apologists: I don't care about your opinion.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

SevLucas

135 months ago

Glad I rolled both my iPhone 6 and iPad Air back to iOS 8 while I could.. The slightly improved battery life and new features didn't outweigh the choppiness and lag that plagued both devices, especially on my iPad Air.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

east85

135 months ago

So glad I moved my A5 devices to 8.4.1 from iOS 9 when Apple was still signing. Hopefully iOS 9 is optimized over time and performs better on these devices, but if it doesn't, I won't be all that surprised.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

vertsix

135 months ago

Noooooooooooo!

Now people are forced to stick with laggy, unstable software that is iOS 9 for now!

Come at me. It's the truth.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...

• 79 comments

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...

• 149 comments

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover

In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...

• 155 comments

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol

While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...

• 37 comments