Apple re-releases iOS 17.6.1, releases watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1

AppleInsider

Apple has released watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1 to the public, as well as rereleasing iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1.

A new-new iOS 17.6.1 update is available

On August 7, Apple released iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1, as well as macOS Sonoma 14.6.1. Over a week and a half later, it's re-releasing iOS and iPadOS.

The operating system releases on Monday consists of four items, two of which are repeats. The other two, watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1, are first-time releases which catches up with other current-gen versions.

The new build number for iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 is 21G101, replacing 21G93. The watchOS 10.6.1 release is build 21U580, while tvOS 17.6.1 is build 21M80.

The release notes for the iOS and iPadOS rereleases mention that the update includes a number of bug fixes. Apple also highlights that one of the bugs is an issue with Advanced Data Protection.

In a small number of cases, users could not enable or disable Advanced Data Protection, and in some cases, it seemed disabled but was still enabled for data stored on iCloud.



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unbeliever2

I seem to be unable to install the new iOS version. I have the old 17.6.1 build number (21G93), but when i try to update it says I'm up-to-date. Guess I'll wait and try again later.

yyzguy

unbeliever2 said:

I seem to be unable to install the new iOS version. I have the old 17.6.1 build number (21G93), but when i try to update it says I'm up-to-date. Guess I'll wait and try again later.

Same.  

FC49er

yyzguy said:

unbeliever2 said:

I seem to be unable to install the new iOS version. I have the old 17.6.1 build number (21G93), but when i try to update it says I'm up-to-date. Guess I'll wait and try again later.

Same.  

Same

digital_guy

Sorry, but why wouldn't this be released as 17.6.2? 

zimmermann

Same here iPhone 14 Pro 

jib

Also the same on my iPhone 15 Pro, and my wife's iPhone 12 mini, which was only updated to 17.6.1 yesterday.  Both remain on 17.6.1 (21G93) despite repeated attempts to "update." 

heavypound

When Apple re-releases a macOS build like this (build number changes, but version stays the same), it’s generally only for future installations of the software. Apple has deemed the changes minor enough that people already running 17.6.1 do not need to upgrade to the new version. If you had a device still running 17.6, it would get the new build of 17.6.1.

I suspect this is something to do with the installation process. If your device already got through the installation, no need to patch a one-time process that has already completed.

dewme

digital_guy said:

Sorry, but why wouldn't this be released as 17.6.2? 

I agree, why indeed. If I had done this to my customers for the software I’ve developed they would have gone ballistic. Phones would be ringing off the hook. To anyone who needs to manage and enforce strict version control over dozens to hundreds of machines in a facility having to track both version numbers and build numbers is needlessly complex. The version number should tell the whole story. 

I suppose Apple knows what it’s doing and feels confident they are following version control at the appropriate level for their customers. The whole notion of two different production builds of software product being released to customers with the same version number is very foreign to me. This is especially true when your customers are in highly regulated industries that have to have absolute control over every single version of everything that goes into their production, for example, pharmaceuticals, functional safety products, food processing, etc.

Sure, what Apple is doing is totally resolvable because of the build number, but it seems totally unnecessary to me. Bumping the release to 17.6.2 would be far easier for customers. For whatever reason Apple has chosen to push unnecessary complexity on to their customers and users rather than keeping the version numbering scheme as simple and predictable as possible.