After a nasty bug: Apple reissues iPadOS 17.7.7 – as iPadOS 17.7.8

In addition to iPadOS 18.5 and other important updates, Apple also released iPadOS 17.7.7 for older iPads last week. The update is actually only intended to plug numerous security holes and does not include any new functions. The problem: The update caused massive difficulties for almost all iPad users who installed it. With iPadOS 17.7.8, which was made available on Tuesday night, the major bug fix is now set to arrive.

Memory loss on the Apple tablet

After installing iPadOS 17.7.7, users reported that numerous apps – whether from Apple or other providers – suffered from a form of memory loss: once set up, accounts were forgotten when a program was restarted and had to be re-entered. If you started Apple's word processor Pages, it would act as if you were opening it for the first time. Safari forgot tabs and settings, TikTok forgot the stored account. The issues were so severe that Apple decided to stop the distribution of iPadOS 17.7.7 last week or prevent it from being installed.

However, there is usually no easy way to downgrade an iPad's operating system. Accordingly, Apple had to combine the fix with a version number increase. This is where iPadOS 17.7.8 comes into play: the update can simply be “ironed over” an existing iPadOS 17.7.7. Users who did not have iPadOS 17.7.7 installed anyway can simply update directly to iPadOS 17.7.8.

Little information from Apple

Apple initially left users out in the cold when it came to iPadOS 17.7.7 – Apart from the withdrawal of the update, there was no official information on the issue. Even with iPadOS 17.7.8, users are not told what is actually going on. The instruction leaflet only states that the update provides important security fixes and is “recommended for all users” – the same text as for iPadOS 17.7.7. The company should actually draw up a support document for those affected – it is unclear whether this will be forthcoming.

Confusingly, Apple writes on its security update website that iPadOS 17.7.8 contains “no published CVE entries”, i.e., no fixed vulnerabilities. However, as iPadOS 17.7.8 replaces 17.7.7, this is probably not the case.

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