Apple patches historic iOS variations to maintain iMessage, FaceTime, different companies working

When Apple stops supporting older iPhones and iPads with the most recent model of iOS or iPadOS, it normally isn’t the top of the road—Apple retains releasing new security-only patches for these gadgets for an additional 12 months or two, retaining them usable whereas their {hardware} remains to be fairly succesful.

Once these updates dry up, it’s uncommon for Apple to revisit these older working programs, however the firm does generally make exceptions. That was the case yesterday, when the corporate launched a batch of updates for long-retired iOS and iPadOS variations that in any other case hadn’t seen a brand new patch in months or years. Those updates embody iOS 12.5.8, accessible for gadgets as outdated as 2013’s iPhone 5S and 2014’s iPhone 6; iOS 15.8.6, accessible for gadgets just like the iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, and iPad Air 2; and iOS 16.7.13, accessible for gadgets just like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

Both iOS 15 and iOS 16 had been final patched in mid-2025, however iOS 12’s final patch was launched in January 2023.

These updates don’t patch safety flaws or add new options. According to Apple’s launch notes for the iOS 12 and iOS 15 updates, all they do is replace a safety certificates to make sure that iMessage, FaceTime, and Apple account sign-in will proceed working previous January 2027, when the working programs’ authentic certificates would have expired.