The act of preventing an iPhone or iPad from automatically installing the latest version of Apple’s operating system (iOS) is a common user practice. This involves disabling automatic software downloads and installations through the device’s settings. For example, a user might choose to remain on iOS 16 even after iOS 17 is released.
Delaying or completely preventing these updates can be motivated by several factors. Users might want to avoid potential bugs in new releases, ensure compatibility with older applications that haven’t been updated, or maintain a device’s performance if a newer OS is believed to be more resource-intensive. Historically, some users have also waited to update until a new iOS version has proven stable and reliable through community feedback.