Apple More Aggressively Pushing iOS 14 Users to Upgrade to iOS 15

by

Apple is encouraging people who are still running iOS 14 to update to iOS 15, a reversal of an earlier policy that saw the company allowing iOS 14 users to choose not to install the ‌iOS 15‌ update.

iOS 14 vs 15 feature
When ‌iOS 15‌ launched, Apple said that iOS offered a "choice between two software update versions," pledging to offer security updates for those who opted to stick with iOS 14.

iOS now offers a choice between two software update versions in the Settings app. You can update to the latest version of iOS 15 as soon as it's released for the latest features and most complete set of security updates. Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version.

With normal releases, iOS updates are front and center in the Software Update section of the Settings app, but when ‌iOS 15‌ first came out, it was a footnote at the bottom of the Software Update interface on devices running iOS 14, and easily avoidable.

Apple's patience for those avoiding ‌iOS 15‌ seems to have dwindled over the last few months, and the company is now pushing iOS 14 users to update. The ‌iOS 15‌ update is no longer a footnote at the bottom of the Software Update section on a device running iOS 14, and Apple has also stopped releasing iOS 14 security updates.

There was a clear option to stay on iOS 14 and receive updates, which appears to have been eliminated with the launch of iOS 15.2. Apple did not reintroduce the remain on iOS 14 option in the iOS 15.2.1 update that came out yesterday, which seems to be a clear sign that Apple is now expecting people to upgrade. iPhone users who want to have the latest security protections must now update to ‌iOS 15‌.

As an example, Apple in October released iOS 14.8.1 with security updates. On an ‌iPhone‌ still running iOS 14.8, the iOS 14.8.1 update is no longer available, and Apple is only offering iOS 15.2.1 as an installation option.

‌iOS 15‌ is available on all of the devices that are able to run iOS 14, and removing the option to stay on iOS 14 will likely spur people to upgrade. At the current time, ‌iOS 15‌ is installed on 72 percent of devices from the last four years, which is a notably lower adoption rate than we've seen with prior versions of iOS.

(Thanks, DhinakG!)

Related Roundups: iOS 15, iPadOS 15
Related Forum: iOS 15

Top Rated Comments

julesme Avatar
julesme
8 months ago
The menu screen option to stay on iOS 14 was so uncharacteristic of Apple; it seemed (to me) they were silently admitting that iOS 15 wasn’t finished yet.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheIguana Avatar
TheIguana
8 months ago
The marketing churn need for a major release every year really needs to come to an end. When features are ready, release them.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cosmosent Avatar
Cosmosent
8 months ago
Would love to know if Apple's CSAM is the main reason.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
letsGoOn2 Avatar
letsGoOn2
8 months ago
I actually want to update, mainly for shareplay, but I’ve been holding out for a clear message on where the CSAM efforts are going.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DBZmusicboy01 Avatar
DBZmusicboy01
8 months ago
iOS 15 has been hot garbage since day one.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
_Spinn_
8 months ago
I figured this would happen at some point. I was surprised that Apple initially gave users a choice to stay on iOS 14.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Related Stories

iOS 15 General Feature Blue

Apple Releases iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1 With Security Updates and Bug Fixes

Thursday February 10, 2022 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1, two minor updates to the iOS and iPadOS operating systems released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.3.1 come two weeks after the release of iOS and iPadOS 15.3. The iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new...
Read Full Article • 95 comments
iOS 15

Apple Responds to User Complaints of Battery Drain After iOS 15.4 Update

Thursday March 24, 2022 6:07 am PDT by
Users are reporting excessive battery drain after updating to Apple's latest iOS 15.4 update, claiming that their iPhones are no longer lasting as long as they used to before downloading and installing the newest iOS version. Users have taken to Twitter to voice their poor battery life experience on iOS 15.4, tagging the Apple Support account in hopes of finding a solution. "What's wrong...
Read Full Article
iOS 14 vs 15 feature

Apple Says Option to Stay on iOS 14 Was Always Meant to Be Temporary

Wednesday January 19, 2022 9:57 am PST by
Last week, MacRumors shared news that Apple had stopped releasing iOS 14 security updates and was pushing those still on iOS 14 to upgrade to iOS 15, an apparent reversal of a promise to allow users to stay on the iOS 14 operating system. Apple today told Ars Technica that the option to stay on iOS 14 and avoid the iOS 15 upgrade was always meant to be temporary. It is not a mistake that...
Read Full Article • 166 comments
iOS 14 on iPhone feature emergency

Even With iOS 15 Coming Soon, Apple Appears to Be Working on an iOS 14.8 Update

Monday August 9, 2021 6:52 am PDT by
Apple appears to be planning to release at least one more update to the iOS 14 operating system ahead of the launch of iOS 15, according to code spotted in Xcode. There are mentions of all of the released versions of iOS 14 in Xcode, along with a mention of iOS 14.8, which suggests that the new update could be coming in the near future, either ahead of or alongside iOS 15. Spotted in ...
Read Full Article • 59 comments
iOS 15 General Feature Blue

Apple Stops Signing iOS 15.0 Following iOS 15.0.1 Release, Downgrading No Longer Possible

Friday October 8, 2021 12:45 pm PDT by
Following the release of iOS 15.0.1 on October 1, Apple has stopped signing iOS 15.0, the previously available version of iOS that saw a public release on September 20. With iOS 15.0 no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to that version if you've already updated to iOS 15.0.1. Apple last week stopped signing iOS 14.8 as well, which means iOS 15.0.1 is the only publicly...
Read Full Article • 95 comments
iOS 15

Apple Releases iOS 15.1.1 With Call Improvements for iPhone 12 and 13 Models

Wednesday November 17, 2021 10:20 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 15.1.1, a minor update that comes almost a month after the launch of iOS 15.1. The iOS 15.1.1 update can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance...
Read Full Article • 101 comments
appleprivacyad cleaned

iOS 15 Patched Security Hole That Potentially Exposed Users' Private Apple ID Information to Third-Party Apps

Thursday January 20, 2022 3:32 am PST by
Apple patched two significant security vulnerabilities when it released iOS 15 that could have potentially exposed users' private Apple ID information and in-app search history to malicious third-party apps and allowed apps to override user Privacy preferences, Apple has revealed in a recent support document update. With most iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS updates, Apple provides a list of...
Read Full Article • 75 comments
iOS 16 mock for article

With WWDC Five Months Away, What Do You Want to See in iOS 16?

Thursday January 6, 2022 1:22 pm PST by
The Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple's annual five-day-long conference to announce updates to its major operating systems, services, and sometimes hardware, is five months away. At this year's conference, we expect Apple to announce iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. iOS is Apple's most important operating system as it runs on the iPhone and shares many features with...
Read Full Article • 266 comments

Popular Stories

cook sept 2020 event

Gurman: Apple Preparing Pre-Recorded iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 Event

Sunday August 7, 2022 6:13 am PDT by
Apple has "started to record" its virtual September event, where it's expected to announce the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 8, and a new "rugged" Apple Watch model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says the event, which is expected to take place in the early part of September, is already under production, implying...
Read Full Article • 128 comments
Apple Watch Series 7 Starlight Midnight

Standard Apple Watch Series 8 Rumored to Feature Same Design as Series 7

Friday August 5, 2022 7:46 am PDT by
The standard 41mm and 45mm models of the Apple Watch Series 8 will feature the same design as the Apple Watch Series 7, according to Twitter user @ShrimpApplePro, who was first to reveal that iPhone 14 Pro models would feature a new pill-and-hole display. Titanium will not be an option for the standard Apple Watch Series 8 models either, according to @ShrimpApplePro, but Bloomberg's Mark...
Read Full Article • 213 comments
iPhone 14 Lineup Feature Purple

Color Options for All iPhone 14 Models: Everything We Know

Monday August 8, 2022 3:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup's color options come from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year. Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the ...
Read Full Article • 40 comments
ios 16 beta 5 battery percent

iOS 16 Beta 5: Battery Percentage Now Displayed in iPhone Status Bar

Monday August 8, 2022 10:43 am PDT by
With the fifth beta of iOS 16, Apple has updated the battery icon on iPhones with Face ID to display the specific battery percentage rather than just a visual representation of battery level. The new battery indicator is available on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12/13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone X and the iPhone XS. Battery percent...
Read Full Article • 329 comments
iphone 14 pro max camera bump compared lipilipsi 16 9

Bigger iPhone 14 Pro Max Camera Bump Shown Alongside iPhone 13 Pro Max

Monday August 8, 2022 4:33 am PDT by
The camera bump on the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to be the largest rear lens housing Apple has ever installed on its flagship smartphones, and a new photo offers a rare glimpse at just how prominent it is compared to Apple's predecessor device. iPhone 14 Pro Max dummy (left) vs iPhone 13 Pro Max All iPhone 14 models are expected to see upgrades to the Ultra Wide camera on the...
Read Full Article • 126 comments
ipad pro magic keyboard white

Rumor Claims Next iPad Pro to Feature New Four-Pin Smart Connector

Sunday August 7, 2022 11:57 am PDT by
A new rumor claims that the next-generation 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pro will feature a new four-pin Smart Connector, an update from the current three-pin connector in the iPad Pro. The rumor from Mac Otakara, citing "reliable sources," says that the next iPad Pro, expected to debut possibly as soon as this fall, will feature a new Smart Connector that has four-pins rather than three. The...
Read Full Article • 141 comments