Why Apple Just Updated an iPhone From 2013
Apple this week released iOS 12.5.8, a surprise update for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 – devices that launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively. It's the first software these aging devices have received in three years. So why did Apple bother?
It has to do with something called certificate expiration.
According to Apple's release notes, the update extends a security certificate required for iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation to continue functioning. Without it, these features would have stopped working after January 2027.
Device activation is what allows an iPhone to be set up or restored in the first place. If the certificate in question had been allowed to expire, anyone still using an iPhone 5s or iPhone 6 would have been left with a device that couldn't be reactivated after a factory reset. It would be bricked, as they say.
Apple has committed to providing at least five years of security updates for iPhones, but the company routinely exceeds that. The iPhone 5s has now received support for 13 years, while the iPhone 6 sits at 12. Both models last saw an update in January 2023.
Apple also released new versions of iOS 18 and iOS 16 this week, offering a lifeline for the millions of older iPhones still in circulation that aren't compatible with iOS 26, which also got an update.
Update: Apple has temporarily made the updates unavailable to download as it works with telecommunications company Telstra to fix an issue preventing some older Apple devices from connecting to the Australian network.
Popular Stories
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available.
Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has...
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new...
