Apple is well known for supporting its devices with software and security updates for several years However, that support does not last forever, and Apple will eventually stop providing major updates Therefore, the fact that a security patch (opens in new tab) has been released for a device nearly 10 years old is quite remarkable

Devices to which the new update applies include iPhones, Macs, MacBooks, and iPads dating back to 2013 iPhone 5s was released in September 2013, and with the launch of iOS 13 in 2019, major iOS updates It is one of the oldest models to receive updates, no longer receiving major iOS updates with the launch of iOS 13 in 2019

These updates include MacOS Big Sur 1173, MacOS Monterey 1263, iOS 1257, iOS 1573, and iPad OS 1573 But they are not the only ones Apple's support page lists a huge variety of security updates released on January 23, covering nearly every device released in the past decade, from iPhones to Apple TVs

According to the patch notes, the updates do not all target the same things, which is quite interesting For example, the iOS 12 update (opens in new tab) only covers WebKit bugs that could endanger users from "maliciously crafted web content"

The iOS 15 update (opens in new tab), on the other hand, resolves issues with the kernel, Mail Exchange, and provides updates to features like Maps and Screen Time, but makes no mention of WebKit iOS 16 update (opens in new tab) open) offers more changes, including WebKit fixes similar to those from iOS 12

Why? Who knows, but it really doesn't matter The fact is that there were issues that could have affected various older Apple devices Rather than ignore the problem, Apple released an update to fix it Even if, in all likelihood, the number of people affected could be quite small, it is commendable

Apple released the following update:

Keeping your phone updated is very important, especially if you have an older device that stopped regular update support some time ago If you have automatic updates enabled, the device will take care of the problem on its own

If not, you can manually install updates by going to Settings > General > Software Update Alternatively, see our guides on how to update your iPhone and how to update your Mac