Apple Stops Signing iOS 16.1 and iOS 16.1.1 Following iOS 16.1.2 Launch

Don't tell anyone - but iOS 15.6 RC1 is still signed and you can downgrade iOS 16 down to it.

There's no technical reason why Apple can't continue to sign older versions of iOS. As much as I understand Apple's desire to push everyone into the current release(s), it really bugs me that they don't trust their users and let them do what they wish with their own devices.

Don't tell anyone - but iOS 15.6 RC1 is still signed and you can downgrade iOS 16 down to it.

It would be nice if I could do that on my iPhone 14 Pro Max

iOS 16 is almost stable, so not a big deal anymore 🤷‍♂️

Seems the solution would then be to simply not update to 16.1.2. And live with the potential adverse security/privacy consequences that could come your way.

Easy.

Well aren't we smart?

I'm on 16.1.2, thank you, although there have been times in the past when I held off upgrading major versions because doing so would break compatibility between my older devices or computers. And I've since upgraded those as well, although that's beside the point.

What I'm saying - if you traced back to my original post - is that Apple shouldn't force its users to cross a Rubicon they cannot retreat from. It's silly and selfish. Yes, most people will choose the newest updates and stay there, but for the few who can't - or who do but decide it's not for them (or realize it breaks compatibility with something) - they should have the option to downgrade to essentially any software version made since their device shipped (as you can on the Mac). There's no technical law of the universe that forbids this - it's merely Apple forcing decisions upon users and the devices they own.

You don't have to agree with me, but hopefully you can understand what I'm saying instead of making snarky replies that misunderstand and misrepresent my point.

Is this iPhoneOS or iPadOS?

Both

There's no technical reason why Apple can't continue to sign older versions of iOS.

Apple could... But that would expose customers to potential security/privacy vulnerabilities that were fixed in later iOS versions.