Just last Monday, Apple released iOS & iPadOS 15.5 to the general public with changes for Apple Cash and the Podcasts app, and as many would come to expect, this move also meant that Apple would stop signing the older iOS & iPadOS 15.4.1 in the near future.
It now seems that time has come, as Apple is no longer signing iOS or iPadOS 15.4.1 as of this evening. The move prevents ordinary means of downgrading from iOS or iPadOS 15.5 to the older iOS or iPadOS 15.4.1 using iTunes.
There are still ways to get an iPhone or iPad to iOS 15.4.1 despite the unsigning, such as futurerestore or the DelayOTA with Dallas, however these methods require the end user to either jump through hoops or prepare ahead of the unsigning to achieve their goal.
Apple’s motivation for preventing software downgrades spans from keeping users from jailbreaking their iPhone or iPad to ensuring users download and install the latest version of the mobile operating system to pump up adoptions numbers and please shareholders.
Still, non-jailbreak related reasons for downgrading firmware exist. For example, sometimes new software updates introduce bugs that can make the user experience of the handset they install it on unbearable. Examples include when iOS 14.7 broke the ability to unlock paired Apple Watches with an iPhone’s Touch ID authentication and when iOS & iPadOS 13.2 imposed overly-aggressive app backgrounding management.
Those wondering what version(s) of iOS or iPadOS are being signed for their device can head over to the handy IPSW.me website and check for themselves. All firmware files are available from our dedicated Downloads page.
Are you upset to see that Apple had unsigned iOS & iPadOS 15.4.1? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.