Apple ceases iOS 10.1 and 10.1.1 code signing with release of iOS 10.2

AppleInsider

Following last week's stable release of iOS 10.2, Apple on Tuesday has stopped signing code for iOS 10.1 and iOS 10.1.1, meaning users can no longer downgrade to the older operating system versions.

Apple routinely stops signing code for older iOS and macOS iterations to protect users from potential bugs or security vulnerabilities patched with the most recent software revisions. In addition, invalidating obsolete code helps ensure a consistent experience across devices.

Released last Monday, iOS 10.2 introduces Apple's new "TV" app, which acts as a smart repository for streaming video content. Sampling TV shows and movies from multiple apps, "TV" lets users watch the shows they love and surfaces new content through a recommendation system.

In addition to "TV," iOS 10.2 also delivers redesigned emoji and more than 100 new characters.

The latest point update also includes a number of performance enhancements for first-party apps. For example, Photos gained improved stabilization and faster frame rates for Live Photos, while Messages nets new "love" and "celebration" full-screen animation effects. HomeKit also receives a buff with notification support for connected accessories.

As for bug fixes, iOS 10.2 addresses issues in Photos, Messages, Music, News, Mail, Accessibility features and more.

Finally, Apple's latest mobile OS update includes a widget for the Videos app, three new wallpapers, a "Preserve Camera" setting and a "Press and Hold to Speak" setting for the home button.

Alongside iOS 10.1 and iOS 10.1.1, Apple stopped signing for tvOS 10.0.1 on Tuesday after tvOS 10.1 landed last week.

Results Oriented

The TV app is very buggy and was not ready for release. Not sure how it escaped Apple's quality control. Apple should make the Videos app available until it is fixed. Some of the issues include: 1. Can't play downloaded TV shows purchased from iTunes when there is no Internet connection. The many people who use their iPads and iPhones to pass the time watching TV shows on long plane flights are in for a bad surprise. (This is not true for movies, only TV shows) 2. Uses wrong thumbnails for some shows. Example: It's using Trans Siberian Orchestra cover art as the thumbnail for "The Big Bang Theory". 3. No way to hide purchases that you no longer watch, even if you don't download from the cloud. 4. Home movies are not available without crude work-around steps.

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