Apple Stops Signing iOS 16.1.2 Following iOS 16.2 Launch
After the launch of iOS 16.2 on December 13, Apple has stopped signing iOS 16.1.2, the previously available version of iOS. With iOS 16.1.2 no longer being signed, it is no longer possible to downgrade to an earlier version of iOS after installing the iOS 16.2 update.

Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date, which means it is not unusual that the updates are no longer being signed.
iOS 16.1.2 was a minor update that added improved compatibility with wireless carriers and crash detection optimizations on iPhone 14 models.
The iOS 16.2 update that replaces it is the biggest update to iOS 16 we've seen yet, with Apple adding the Freeform app, support for Apple Music Sing, expanded iCloud encryption with Advanced Data Protection, and much more, with all of the changes outlined in our dedicated iOS 16.2 guide.
Popular Stories
Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV.
iPhone 18 Pro
The iPhone 18 Pro is going to look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a smaller Dynamic Island. It's getting some internal updates, including a new Wide camera with a variable aperture for more control over lighting ...
For the first time since Apple started selling standard and "Pro" iPhones, we're not going to get an entry-level iPhone model this fall. Apple doesn't plan to release an iPhone 18 in September, and will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra. The lower-cost iPhone 18 won't come out until spring 2027.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple will release iOS 27 in September, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system and nixing bugs, there are still many additional features on the way, not least of which is Apple's new context-aware Siri, re-tooled for the generative AI era.
This year's major iPhone software update isn't all about AI, though, as the following feature list...