Apple Ends Signing For iOS 9.2.1 After Releasing iOS 9.3.1

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Apple recently rolled out the latest iOS 9.3.1. After the release, the company stopped signing code for iOS 9.2.1 on Tuesday, suggesting it will no longer be possible for users to downgrade to the older operating system version, says Apple Insider.

Usual business for Apple

Ceasing code signing on deemed obsolete iterations of iOS is a routine task for Apple. By doing so, it ensures a consistent user experience and protects consumers against bugs or security vulnerabilities it has fixed with the most recent version.

Apple pushed out iOS 9.3.1 last week, patching a web link bug that was causing troubles such as freezing or crashing of apps. A host of runtime failures that were affecting Safari, Mail and Messages, along with third-party web browsers were due to a bloated associations file in the popular travel app Booking.com, and this was discovered prior to the release.

Simply uninstalling the offending app was not a viable solution, and hence, it became necessary to bring along a new version of iOS since the data overflow was too severe.

iOS 9.3 not a smooth ride so far

Apple’s iOS 9.3, which was launched last month, has seen its fair share of problems, including an Activation Lock bug which rendered older hardware unusable. The company issued the fix only last week, but prior to that it pulled the update for certain iOS devices.

An obscure security exploit which made it possible for nefarious users to gain access to contact and photo data without a passcode, was affecting owners of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus more recently. The bug had minimal impact on the greater iPhone install base since it involved a combination of Siri, 3D Touch and certain system settings.

Apple fixed the Siri exploit yesterday. The flaw first asked Siri to search Twitter specifically for an email address. Then on the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, a “force tap” on the email link provides access to the 3D Touch menu, and from there, one has to choose Add to Existing Contact. This gives access to all the contacts. Also, to access all photos, one had to choose Create a New Contact and add a photo to that contact.

As of now, it is not known how long Apple will be signing iOS 9.3, so if you are witnessing any issues with iOS 9.3.1, it is recommended that you downgrade sooner rather than later to prevent the company from blocking the signing to that version also.

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