Apple Releases New Versions of iOS for Older iPhones

Apple today released iOS 16.7.15, iPadOS 16.7.15, iOS 15.8.7, and iPadOS 15.8.7, updates designed for older iPhones and iPads that are not able to run newer versions of iOS and iPadOS.

iPhone and iPad users can install the updates by opening up the Settings app, going to General, and selecting the Software Update option. Those with automatic updates turned on will see the new software installed automatically in the coming days.

According to Apple's release notes, the updates include important security fixes.

Apple has committed to providing security updates for iPhones for at least five years after launch, but often Apple provides security fixes for a much longer period of time. Earlier this year, the iPhone 5s got a new software update 13 years after it initially launched.

Update: Apple's security notes for iOS/iPadOS 15.8.7 and iOS/iPadOS 16.7.15 disclose that the fixes are related to the sophisticated Coruna exploit that was disclosed by Google last week. Apple says that while all of the issues were previously fixed in various iOS 16 and iOS 17 updates, today's releases bring the same fixes to older devices that can't update to iOS 17 or later.