Apple has stopped signing iOS 14.4, 9to5Mac reports. This means that users can no longer downgrade if they’ve already updated their iPhones to iOS 14.4.1.
iOS 14.4.1 shipped earlier in March, fixing a potential security vulnerability affecting Apple’s Safari web browser. According to Apple, this vulnerability would potentially allow attackers to use “maliciously crafted web content” to carry out “arbitrary code execution” on target devices. By updating to the latest version of iOS 14, users are protected against this.
In other words, there’s no good reason why users would necessarily want to downgrade to iOS 14.4 if they’ve already updated their handsets. But, by actively stopping signing earlier versions of the software, Apple’s now barred users from reverting to this earlier version—whether they like it or not.
Safeguarding iOS Users
Protecting users from these kinds of security threats is exactly why Apple stops signing earlier versions of its software so quickly. Apple wants to make sure that as many users are running the latest version of its software as possible—with squashing security bugs in a rapid fashion being an important part of the reason. This safeguards users from potentially suffering the effects of nasty malware designed to target iOS users.
Apple typically gives users around one-and-a-half weeks to downgrade from the latest version of its software after releasing it. One explanation for this is in case a bug is discovered in the new software that adversely affects upgraders. Once it transpires that there is not, Apple typically pulls the plug on the old version pretty quickly.