As usual, Apple stopped signing iOS 18.1.1, just after the release of iOS 18.2, the latest update. This makes it impossible for iPhone users to revert to the previous version.
A common practice at Apple
For some time now, Apple has stopped signing older versions of iOS shortly after releasing a new update, often within one to two weeks. Once an update is no longer signed, it cannot be installed on an iPhone due to server-side software verification checks. Indeed, you can download it in IPSW format, but it will then be impossible to activate the iPhone after restarting.
This practice aims to encourage users to keep their operating systems up to date, ensuring that they benefit from the latest security improvements. In addition, Apple also stopped signing iOS 17.7.2 last Wednesday, which never pleases jailbreak enthusiasts. Although iOS 17 and iOS 18 jailbreaking is very limited to non-existent, there are also other cases that require a downgrade, such as incompatibility with a specific app or a battery issue. As of yet, none of this has been reported about iOS 18.2.
What’s new in the last two versions
The November 19 iOS 18.1.1 update mainly focused on security fixes without introducing any significant new features. Conversely, iOS 18.2, released on December 11, introduced various new Apple Intelligence features for compatible devices, including Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence, and ChatGPT.
