Don’t want to upgrade to iOS 15? You can still get new security updates while staying on iOS 14.

Apple finally released iOS 15 to the public, bringing upgrades to FaceTime, Photos, Safari, Photos, Weather, and more listed here. Some users might not be ready for the new version yet, as it can be a drastic change to what they are used to. For those people, Apple is giving the option of either updating to iOS 15 or staying on iOS 14 while still receiving security updates.

These security updates are crucial, so it is highly recommended that you update your iPhone regardless of which version you choose. The new iOS 14 build number is still iOS 14.8, and it patches security vulnerabilities that could have been dangerously exploited. These vulnerabilities were found in CoreGraphics, WebKit, and iMessage.

This is the first time that Apple is letting you stay on an older version. Previously, you would basically be forced to install the major update, but now you can remain on iOS 14 and download the latest version available.

Staying on iOS 14 is a good option for those who are more concerned about stability, as it is normal to expect bugs or issues with apps when there’s a major update. Major updates are normally unpredictable and there is bound to be many bugs found and fixed in the next few weeks.

How to update to iOS 14.8

• Open the Settings app
• Go to ‘General’
• Go to ‘Software Update’
• Select ‘Download and Install’ under iOS 14.8

The iOS 14 updates will stop eventually, but apparently Apple will keep releasing security updates for the time being.

It is interesting to note that the ‘Upgrade to iOS 15’ button is quite small in the ‘Software Update’ page. It’s listed as ‘also available’ and the option is at the bottom of the page. This further demonstrates the fact that iOS 15 is more of an option than a requirement. I do wonder why the iOS 14.8 option is bigger and at the top. Is Apple not confident enough in iOS 15 to make it the main advertised option?

Why is Apple allowing this?

This is the first time that Apple is allowing users to stay on an older version of iOS. In fact, what they’re doing now is not a very Apple thing to do. Apple usually doesn’t give users a choice and you’ll download the very latest iOS version that’s available for your iPhone. So why are they doing this?

One possible reason is Apple might think iOS 15 isn’t fully ready yet to be adopted by all users. Some of the new features such as SharePlay and Universal Control were not available with the initial iOS 15 release. This is a sign that the full iOS 15 experience will only be rolled out later. Giving the option to stay on iOS 14 would be the safer option for people who are worried about bugs on the new iOS version.

Another possible reason is to mitigate potential legal trouble or backlash. You might have heard of ‘batterygate’, where Apple is accused of intentionally slowing down older iPhones via software updates in an attempt to get more people to buy newer models. While we can’t 100% be sure that iOS 15 will slow down older devices, the new option provides users to stick to their current OS version without compromising on crucial security and bug fixes. Giving us the option would be a great way to avoid backlash by simply saying users get to choose to participate or not.

By not pushing iOS 15 aggressively, there’s a possibility that the adoption might be slower than past releases.

What are you going to do? Are you going to update to iOS 15 or stay on iOS 14? Let us know!

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