Apple has just ceased signing iOS 16.3.1 after the release of iOS 16.4.1, thereby restricting iPhone users from reverting to the earlier version. Currently, iOS 16.4, iOS 16.4.1, and the iOS 16.5 beta are still being signed by the company.
This implies that if iPhone or iPad users have already installed a newer version of iOS, they can no longer roll back to iOS 16.3.1, as Apple has stopped signing it. This is a common practice that Apple follows to prevent users from downgrading to older versions of iOS, which could potentially cause security issues or software conflicts. This also ensures that users stay updated with the latest security features and bug fixes provided in the newer iOS versions.
iOS 16.3.1 was launched on February 13, and it primarily focused on resolving bugs, improving the Crash Detection feature for iPhone 14, and providing security patches. Later on March 27, Apple released iOS 16.4, which introduced several new emojis, web app notifications, Voice Isolation for phone calls, and other notable improvements.
Just a few hours ago, iOS 16.4.1 was made available to the public, and it mainly contained crucial bug fixes and security updates. One of the security fixes addressed an issue that could allow third-party applications to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, while another security patch fixed a vulnerability found in WebKit – the engine behind Safari – that could potentially lead to the execution of malicious code.
Today apple unsigned:
— Aaron (@aaronp613) April 8, 2023
iOS 16.3.1
iPadOS 16.3.1
tvOS 16.3.2
audioOS 16.3.2
It’s expected that iOS 16.4 will soon be unsigned, leaving iPhone users with a limited window of time to downgrade to that version if they wish to do so.
Although downgrading to iOS 16.3.1 is no longer an option, users can still downgrade from iOS 16.4.1 or iOS 16.4 to iOS 15, as Apple is still offering security updates for iOS 15.7.4. However, the process of downgrading requires the use of a Mac or PC.
Source: Aaron