Apple stopped signing iOS 12.0.1 on Tuesday, a move that prevents all iPhone and iPad users from downgrading their firmware via iTunes to any version lower than iOS 12.1.
It’s been almost one full month since Apple publicly released iOS 12.1, signaling one of the Cupertino-based company’s longest firmware signing windows in recent memory; most windows only last for about two weeks.
Apple regularly stops signing older versions of iOS to make more people update their devices. Many of these updates contain vital security patches or performance improvements that Apple wants its users to take advantage of, but they also hinder jailbreaking, as most jailbreak tools typically support older firmware versions.
Electra and unc0ver, which are the two most current jailbreak tools available, only support iOS 11.0-11.4 beta 3. No publicly-available jailbreak tools currently support any version of iOS 12, and so this news doesn’t impact you too much if you’re already jailbroken.
But for those who are waiting for a jailbreak for iOS 12, this is potentially a big deal. Many acclaimed iOS hackers previously expressed the importance of staying on the lowest possible firmware when waiting for a new jailbreak; this is because every new update patches exploits that could potentially be used for jailbreaking your device.
Apple’s rapid update release schedule validates the continued cat-and-mouse efforts between the company and prominent hackers in the jailbreak community. If you’re on iOS 12.0 or 12.0.1 and waiting for a jailbreak, then you’re advised to stay on your current firmware. If you have no interest in jailbreaking, then you can go ahead and update to iOS 12.1.
As always, you can track which versions of iOS are being signed for your device from the ever-so-useful IPSW.me website. You can also download relevant firmware files from the downloads page on iDownloadBlog.
Which version of iOS are you currently running? Let us know in the comments section below.