Apple releases iOS 9.3.6 and iOS 10.3.4 updates for retired devices

Apple has quietly released some updates for earlier iOS versions, including iOS 9.3.6 and 10.3.4, for older iPhone and iPad models that cannot be updated to the latest iOS versions. The beneficiary devices include devices such as the iPad 2 that have entered the antique product list and cannot receive regular updates. This update was released together with the latest iOS 12.4 update.

The iOS 9.3.6 update is available for older devices like iPad 2, iPad mini, iPad 3, and iPhone 4s, while iOS 10.3.4 is available for iPad 4 and iPhone 5 onwards.

According to the release notes, they contain a number of security updates, as well as GPS bug fixes.

This can be seen as a benefit that Apple sends to users of old devices to ensure the security of the operating system. The company will regularly release software updates for old operating systems, but antique products are usually not updated. These cumulative security updates are the first since the old iOS hardware was retired in quite some time.

Apple released iOS 9.3.5 in August 2016 and iOS 10.3.3 in July 2017, and code signing was discontinued in October 2016 and October 2017, respectively.