ByDavid Phelan,
Senior Contributor.
Apple is strongly encouraging millions of users still on iOS 18 to upgrade to the newer iOS 26, over six months after its launch. While critical security threats like the DarkSword exploit previously prompted Apple to release iOS 18 updates for newer phones, the latest iOS 18.7.9 update is now exclusively for older models (iPhone XS, XS Max, XR) that cannot run iOS 26. This signals Apple's clear policy: if your device supports iOS 26, you should upgrade. With over 60 security vulnerabilities addressed in recent updates and new features like encrypted RCS messaging, Apple emphasizes the importance of moving to the latest software. The upcoming iOS 27, set to be unveiled in June, further underscores the need for users to update their devices for enhanced security and functionality.
More than six months after Apple launched the latest iPhone software cycle, iOS 26, there are still millions of users who have opted to stay on iOS 18. But Apple’s latest releases show that the company is eager for everyone who can to move to iOS 26. That includes the new iOS 26.5, full details of which you can read here.
Apple iOS 26 is supported by every iPhone from the iPhone 11 series onwards, and while those phones could also run iOS 18, Apple stopped making iOS 18 updates available to any phones apart from three which couldn’t also run iOS 26: iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
