Your Devices Become Unusable Without It
Apple has once again released a series of important updates for its hardware. Once again, older devices are particularly affected. Without the installation of these updates, important functions will no longer be available in the future.
A few days ago, Apple demonstrated that older devices remain important to the company. At that time, there was new software for the iPhone 5s from 2013, among other things. Further updates are forthcoming and are also aimed at owners of older hardware. They fix a problem that, as with the iPhone 5s, could lead to total failure in the future.
Apple: Updates for old Macs and Apple Watch
As MacRumors reports, Apple is once again updating the certificates that are required for the software to run smoothly in the latest updates. Specifically, these certificates will expire in January 2027 if the updates are not installed. This, in turn, means that functions such as FaceTime, iMessage, and device activation are no longer available.
In this case, Apple has released updates for macOS Big Sur 11.7.11, watchOS 6.3.1, watchOS 9.6.4, and watchOS 10.6.2. There is also a new security update for macOS Catalina that renews the corresponding certificates. The iPhone manufacturer is ensuring that older Apple Watch models, including Series 1 through Series 5, will continue to work. If you are still using older smartwatches or Macs, you should monitor for the corresponding updates.
New update for old iPhones
Owners of an iPhone 8 or iPhone X should also check their smartphone settings for updates. Apple has released iOS 16.7.14, which fixes issues with emergency calls in some regions. The same update is also available as iPadOS 16.7.14 for older iPad models. The new versions replace 16.7.13, which was released just a few days ago.
All updates are available as usual in the device’s settings. The software can be installed directly there. An Apple Watch must be charged as usual on the charging puck for installation. The battery must also be charged to at least 50 percent before the update starts.