FU to iOS 10 Question

[SteveO]

Found this link for 10.2.1 -- am I correct in assuming I'd need to find a link for 10 before I could upgrade my iOS 9 5s using this 10.2.1 link? https://www.redmondpie.com/download-ios-...-and-ipad/

Thanks.

[clay]

you don't have to do anything special...just plug it into your computer and let iTunes download and update. Or go into your settings app > general > updates and download it that way. Should be pretty painless.

[Winston]

Will it work, given that Apple has stopped signing older iOS versions?


Good luck.

- Winston

[space-time]

Winston wrote:
Will it work, given that Apple has stopped signing older iOS versions?


Good luck.

- Winston

I hope they still sign older iOS for devices that cannot go any higher. If someone has an iPhone 5 with iOS 9 or lower and Apple refuses to allow iOS 10 install, that would be really mean of them.

EDIT: I also believe Apple is CRIMINAL for now allowing us to use any iOS version we want. I know, security and all that, but people have hardware accessories that cannot use newer iOS devices. As long as the device shipped with that iOS version, you should be allowed to use any version in between that one and the last one the device can use.

[clay]

signing only matters when your device will go to something higher. If it is a terminal version upgrade, just install it. it will work. no problem.

[SteveO]

Thanks guys - sorry I'm not that bright with some of the language here - are you guys saying I can install that iOS 10.2.1 on my 5s which is currently on iOS 9 - that I can use that link to download 10.2.1 -- and I don't need iOS 10.0.0 first?

clay: currently, when I go to Settings app --> General -- Software Updates ... in my phone... it actually wants to take me all the way to iOS 12. I'm not ready for that yet, need to update my Mac OS (on a mid-'10 MBP Mavs) which will mean losing some important legacy software. Were you saying that I can follow that path on my phone to update to any version of 10? Or just to update to 10.3.3, or whatever the last version of 10 was? Sorry for the confusion on my part. Thanks for the advice!

[Winston]

My understanding is that if the phone supports iOS 12, then Apple will not allow you to install iOS 10. If you already had iOS 10, I think it would allow you to do updates within iOS 10.

The 5s does work with iOS 12, so I don't think you can go to 10.
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/iphon...specs.html
"iPhone 5s
Pre-Installed OS: iOS 7.0 (11A466) Maximum OS: Current*
Details: This model is fully supported by the last version of iOS 9 as well as the last version of iOS 10 with the exception of the minor Raise to Wake feature. It is supported by iOS 11, but it does not support person-to-person payments or Apple Pay Cash nor does it support the minor "Appointment confirmation" feature. It is supported by the current version of iOS 12, as well, with the exception of the Memoji, Camera Effects, ARKit 2, and Siri Suggestions features."


As to your question about the installer, I believe that Apple's iOS installer is smart enough to figure out whether it needs a full install, or just a version update. So, no, I don't think you would need iOS 10.0.0 first. So if the iOS 10.2.1 link works, it should give you the full installer. Make a backup first, then try it. But don't be surprised if it does not work.

No expert on this, but I think the only way around Apple's forced upgrades is to have a jailbroken phone.


Good luck.

- Winston

[Winston]

This discussion explains something about how iOS signing works. Essentially, when you try to install a given version of iOS on an iPhone, iTunes checks in with Apple servers to get an OK for the install. If Apple has "stopped signing" that version of iOS, iTunes will not allow you to install it.
https://apple.stackexchange.com/question...ed-anymore

The exception is if you previously installed that version of iOS on your phone, and have not upgraded the phone past that version. iTunes will then use the previous OK from Apple to do a reinstall.


I haven't run into anything (yet) that confirms what Clay said, that if, say, iOS 10 is the latest version of iOS that will run on a given iPhone, and you are on iOS 9, that Apple's signing system will still allow you to upgrade to iOS 10, even though there is no signing (authorization) available from Apple.

But that doesn't apply for your 5s.


Good luck.

- Winston