Apple stops signing iOS 10.2.1, 10.3 following iOS 10.3.1 release

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
Apple on Monday stopped signing iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 10.3, effectively cutting off downgrades for iPhone, iPad, and iPod owners who have already made the leap to iOS 10.3.1.




Without signed code, iOS updates can't be installed. The tactic is a security and compatibility measure, but can create problems for people encountering newly-introduced bugs.

Released last month, iOS 10.3 switched devices to the more efficient Apple File System, and made some other additions such as a "Find My AirPods" feature and a reviews API.

iOS 10.3.1 was released on Apr. 3, and solved some problems with 10.3 including a Wi-Fi vulnerability. Apple also restored over-the-air updates for owners of the iPhone 5 and 5c, the last iPhones with 32-bit processors.

The next update, 10.3.2, is already in its second beta and appears to cut off support for 32-bit apps and hardware, meaning that 10.3.1 could be the last version of iOS for devices like the 5c.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    regmikewallregmikewall Posts: 2member
    The issue disabled iCloud is not fixed, I updated to 10.3.1 and my iCloud setting is no longer visible, it was visible yesterday when I was using 10.2.1.  Hopefully 10.3.2 will fix it.... anyone else still have this issue.  I am using a iPAD Pro 9.7
  • Reply 2 of 8
    randointernetterandointernette Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    regmikewall said:
    The issue disabled iCloud is not fixed, I updated to 10.3.1 and my iCloud setting is no longer visible, it was visible yesterday when I was using 10.2.1.  Hopefully 10.3.2 will fix it.... anyone else still have this issue.  I am using a iPAD Pro 9.7
    The iCloud settings aren't disabled - unless you have a very unstable installation of the update - they moved! Apple now has your iCloud information available within the Settings app at the Top Of The Screen. Select your name at the top, find the following iCloud link, and there you are.
    chiaRacerhomieX
  • Reply 3 of 8
    dempsondempson Posts: 62member
    The next update, 10.3.2, is already in its second beta and appears to cut off support for 32-bit apps and hardware, meaning that 10.3.1 could be the last version of iOS for devices like the 5c.
    The second beta of 10.3.2 can be installed on 32-bit devices. This has been mentioned on other sites such as 9to5mac, and at least one Youtube clip. 10.3.1 and 10.3.2 beta 2 fixed whatever the problem was which resulted in Apple choosing to limit distribution of 10.3 and avoid distribution of 10.3.2 beta 1 to 32-bit devices. I expect 32-bit devices will get iOS 10.3.2 and subsequent 10.x updates.

    I haven't seen anyone other than AppleInsider claim that 10.3.2 would be dropping support for 32-bit apps on 64-bit devices. That claim is illogical: Apple does not do that sort of large scale support cutoff in minor updates, only in major new versions.

    The evidence is pointing to iOS 11 being the version that will drop support for 32-bit apps and devices. A 32-bit app cutoff at iOS 11 gives developers about six months to get their act together and update apps they and their users care enough about.

    A 32-bit device cutoff at iOS 11 gives the iPhone 5 a maximum support window of about five years of being able to run the latest iOS version, which is the same as the iPhone 4s. (The iPad 4 gets one month less. The iPhone 5c gets one year less, due to being released a year later with an older processor, similar to the iPad mini's timing relative to the iPhone 4s.)
    prolinebaconstangcitrusui
  • Reply 4 of 8
    dempsondempson Posts: 62member
    regmikewall said:
    The issue disabled iCloud is not fixed, I updated to 10.3.1 and my iCloud setting is no longer visible, it was visible yesterday when I was using 10.2.1.  Hopefully 10.3.2 will fix it.... anyone else still have this issue.  I am using a iPAD Pro 9.7
    Are you looking in the right place? In iOS 10.3 (and later), iCloud settings have moved to the top of the Settings app, with the introduction of a new major section which has your name and picture, and a subtitle of "Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store".
    chia
  • Reply 5 of 8
    prolineproline Posts: 222member
    dempson said:
    regmikewall said:
    The issue disabled iCloud is not fixed, I updated to 10.3.1 and my iCloud setting is no longer visible, it was visible yesterday when I was using 10.2.1.  Hopefully 10.3.2 will fix it.... anyone else still have this issue.  I am using a iPAD Pro 9.7
    Are you looking in the right place?
    Doubtful. In my experience people who write "iPAD" are typically obtuse (willfully ignorant) in the same way as people who insist on writing MAC.
    lkrupp
  • Reply 6 of 8
    Scotty1Scotty1 Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    10.3 made pages completely unstable. No change with complete reset of iPhone. 10.3.1 did not fix it
  • Reply 7 of 8
    citrusuicitrusui Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    dempson said:
    The next update, 10.3.2, is already in its second beta and appears to cut off support for 32-bit apps and hardware, meaning that 10.3.1 could be the last version of iOS for devices like the 5c.
    I haven't seen anyone other than AppleInsider claim that 10.3.2 would be dropping support for 32-bit apps on 64-bit devices. That claim is illogical: Apple does not do that sort of large scale support cutoff in minor updates, only in major new versions.
    Agreed. Though it is fairly obvious that beta release posts (from many news sites) are copied and pasted from the last one, without any thought being put into what might have remotely changed since the last update.
    edited April 2017 dempson
  • Reply 8 of 8
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    10.3 and 10.3.1 have a major issue that affects all of my iDevices (iPad Air, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus) in that randomly during the installation/download of app updates, the database that keeps track of installed apps and the homescreen layout, gets corrupted.

    All apps, including built in ones like Settings, disappear from the homescreen; only things remaining are URLs saved to the homescreen, and any apps that continue to download and install from the queue of apps to be updated, after the corruption occurred.

    Not clear what the cause is, but it keeps happening. Only "non standard" part of my setup is, that I have apps from several countries AppStores (e.g. public transit apps only available in local stores), and that for testing and comparison purposes, I have considerably more apps installed than the average user, but none of these are out of spec, even though they may not be very common.

    Oddly this happens repeatedly on my devices, but nobody else seems to have the issue; if I'd be carrying sensitive information, with this pattern, I'd assume I was being hacked, but I don't know what anyone would want from me...
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