Also released today: New iOS 17 and macOS 14 updates for upgrade refusers

Today is the official release date for the public versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15 Sequoia, and a host of other Apple software updates, the foundation Apple will use for Apple Intelligence and any other features it plans to add between now and the Worldwide Developers Conference next June. But for those who value stability and reliability over new features, updating to a new operating system with a version number that ends in “0” may not be a particularly happy prospect.

For those of you who'd rather wait for a few bug-fix updates before installing brand new stuff, Apple is also releasing security-only updates today for a number of its (now) final generation of operating systems. The iOS 17.7, iPadOS 17.7, and macOS 14.7 updates are either available now or should be available shortly, along with a security update for macOS 13 Ventura in 2022 and an updated version of Safari 18 that runs on both macOS 13 and 14.

Apple has historically been pretty good about providing security updates for older macOS versions—you can expect them for about two years after the operating system is replaced by a newer version. But for iOS and iPadOS, the company stopped updating older versions entirely after a new version was released. That changed in 2021, when Apple decided to provide some security-only updates for older iOS versions to help people who were worried about installing a brand new, potentially buggy operating system upgrade.

At some point, iOS and iPadOS users will need to install iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to continue receiving security updates. But for the handful of older iPads that tilt If you're running iPadOS 18, Apple typically supports those particular devices with security updates for a year or two. As recently as July, Apple provided new security updates for 2022's iOS 16, so older devices like the iPhone 8 and first-generation iPad Pros remained reasonably secure despite not being able to run newer operating systems.