iOS 26 Mandatory for Newer iPhones: Apple Disables iOS 18 Update Option
While iOS 18.7.3 is available with important security improvements, only older iPhones will receive it. Owners of newer devices must use iOS 26.2.
iOS 26 Overview: Apple is now enforcing Liquid Glass – if you want to be secured.
(Image: Apple)
When iOS 26.2 was released less than two weeks ago, it was already hinted at: Apple will make its controversial operating system upgrade with the Liquid Glass interface mandatory in the future, provided users want to patch all known security vulnerabilities. Despite the fact that iOS 18.7.3 is also available as a standalone download, this operating system is only offered for iPhones that can no longer run iOS 26. Users with more modern devices will no longer have this option.
Only Old Hardware Still Gets iOS 18.7.3
With this, Apple is changing its previous strategy: With iOS 26.1, released in November, the company still gave users the choice to update to iOS 18.7.2, which was available at the same time. Even with the first version of iOS 26 in September, the upgrade remained optional; customers were allowed to stay on iOS 18 if they wished – and received access to the security update iOS 18.7.
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However, iOS 18.7.3 is officially only available for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR – all models that can no longer run iOS 26. A trick that allowed users to still get the current iOS 18 version by activating the iOS beta versions has since been blocked by Apple. Those who do not want Liquid Glass and the other innovations in iOS 26 can stay on iOS 18.7.2, but will have to accept holes in the Safari browser and WebKit support, which Apple says are already being actively exploited via exploits. An upgrade is therefore urgently recommended.
Security Fix Causes Forced Upgrade
Why Apple is pushing so aggressively for an upgrade to iOS 26 remains unclear. With iOS 15, the iPhone manufacturer once opened up the possibility of staying on the older iOS version 14 as well. However, support for iOS 14 on newer devices also ended later – albeit in January, not in mid-December as with iOS 18.
Since iOS 26 offers numerous innovations that are controversially debated among users, many would have wished for more time from Apple. However, it has been the case for years that the company only equips the latest operating system version with all security patches. On the Mac, Apple is not yet forcing users onto macOS 26 with Liquid Glass: macOS 15.7.3 is available for download for all supported systems.
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