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Comment by k2enemy | Hacker News Reader

I'm really hoping Apple backtracks on its refusal to update the 18.x line for phones that are compatible with 26. At least provide a security update.

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Apple used to have a really good security record, it's mind boggling they blew it all up just to force Liquid Glass on users.

For those not in the loop, Apple used to provide security patches for supported older iOS versions. They changed a lot of behavior around the release of Liquid Glass (iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe). Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now.

So much goodwill and trust, obliterated.

Those trillions of dollars aren't going to find their way into the pockets of the shareholders if they have to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff!

I'm always surprised what isn't a national security issue.

> to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff

Can LLMs backport fixes to stable branches?

Well, Apple already fixed the code, Apple is just choosing not to release it for most iPhones.

It's especially glaring since Apple just released a fix for a Coruna exploit that patched iOS 15.

That's interesting, as they released security patches for iOS 15 devices like iPhone 6 as recent as a week ago.

Apple was always defeated in every pwn2own competition. I'm not sure if their security is any better or worse than anyone else.

> Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now.

  iPhone XS/XR: the only Usable + Secure iPhone in 2026

Not going to happen (despite my still being on 18.x) because they want to force you to upgrade to 26 for publicity. As simple as that.

The new "security upgrade available" will (I bet) be "to 26".

> for publicity

Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures.

But they did push out iOS 18 patches for iPhone XR/XS, so the backporting work is already done. Seems like they want to force people to 26.

They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.

> for publicity

Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures. Apple has always been visually opinionated.

They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.

Their design disaster must be hidden in metrics, damn be security.

Apple should stop doing security by obscurity in the first place. People have no way finding out whether their phones have been compromised. Lockdown mode is just a cope mechanism for phones likely already compromised and there is no guarantee lockdown mode cannot be bypassed.

Apple hardware is inherently insecure and it is bizarre that Apple keeps burying their head in the sand.

Aren’t their devices the most secure on the mass market?

More than non-obscure phones, laptops, desktops… washing machines, robot vacuums, doorbells, you name it

Yes, but you can use anti-virus software on other platforms which can detect many threats.

Also just because others are not great, doesn't excuse Apple from being very much negligent.

I know many people who bought Apple products specifically because of the myth that they are secure. They were in fact mis sold. There is common thinking that no anti virus software = no viruses = secure among non technical crowd.

> the most secure

Except for withholding iOS 18 security fixes when public exploits are fixed in iOS 26.

Even then. I'll take a leaky iOS 18 over pretty much any leaky Android or internet-connected TV or whatever.

iPhones are still the least bad option, for regular people who aren't planning to solder anything, select their boot loader on launch, or recompile a kernel.

My Pixel 8 Pro is more secure than your iOS 18 handset Apple don't care about.

https://x.com/protonvpn/status/2034400966590496834

You are claiming that based on information you don't have (the future). At least you could call it a prediction rather than state it as an obvious disfact.

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