Apple is urging iPhone users to install the iOS 26.2 update, signalling a departure from its usual practice of leaving updates optional for older software versions. The company has warned that delaying the update could expose devices to active, real-world security threats, with the alert applying to millions of users worldwide across a wide range of iPhone models eligible for iOS 26.
iOS 26.2 is now available with these new features 🚨 pic.twitter.com/5ko9IYDBNa
— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) December 12, 2025
Apple is pushing iOS 26.2 primarily due to active security threats targeting iPhone users. The company has confirmed that sophisticated spyware attacks are currently in the wild, aimed at specific individuals but capable of spreading more broadly if left unpatched. The vulnerabilities addressed in iOS 26.2 are considered critical, making the update essential rather than optional.
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A major concern is that Apple is no longer extending full security coverage to older iOS versions. Users who remain on previous releases may not receive the same fixes, leaving their devices more vulnerable to exploitation as threats evolve.
Earlier expectations that iOS 26.2 would be an optional update, with key patches also arriving on older versions like iOS 18, have not materialised. Apple has limited several critical fixes to select iPhone models and software versions, effectively narrowing protection for users who avoid upgrading.
In addition to patching vulnerabilities, iOS 26.2 introduces new system-level protections designed to reduce common attack routes. These include stronger Safari anti-tracking measures, improved safeguards against risky wired connections, and new tools to curb scam calls and messages.
Apple’s guidance is unambiguous: if your iPhone supports iOS 26.2, delaying the update could leave you exposed. With confirmed real-world threats and critical fixes tied to the latest software, updating is positioned as the safest way to protect iPhones in the current security landscape.
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