OS versions

No sooner had Apple tidied up the major version numbers between devices than it gets more complicated again... even before it was available to consumers, the Neo received a bug-fix release to MacOS 26.3.2, and now we have Background Security Improvements which add an (a), and presumably (b), (c) etc as required, to the version number.

Quite possibly with a different letter for different devices depending on the fix...

So now my iPhone and Mac are on Tahoe 26.3.1 (a) and the Neo on Tahoe 26.3.2 (a), and all are up to date.

Ain't life fun

Edited by billford (Thu 19-Mar-26 10:02:24)

I think you mean the iPhone is on iOS 26.3.1. I have just checked mine - there is no (a) on the end of the version number on iOS for my device. I don't have a Mac to see what version it is on. Although would still quite like a Neo but can't really justify it as I have an iPad and a Windows 11 gaming laptop so not sure what I would do with the Neo.

26.3.1 on my Mac mini m2, just updated it.
No Iphone here.

I think it just means that came across something post-release that wasn't worth a new version number, but still needed to go out. It took about a minute to install on my phone.

I'm pretty sure it has happened before

In reply to a post by ian72:

I think you mean the iPhone is on iOS 26.3.1. I have just checked mine - there is no (a) on the end of the version number on iOS for my device.

You haven't got the patch. Its a fast fix, and uninstallable, and will be included in the next full release (e.g. 26.3.2, or 26.4)
You need Background Security Updates turned on to get this, iPhone, iPad, Mac etc.
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/17/security-update...

I did look after I responded yesterday and saw it was background updates - essentially small patches that don't need to wait for the next point release.

EDIT : Interestingly I do have them turned on but it hasn't installed it yet (and if I check for updates there aren't any).

Edited by ian72 (Fri 20-Mar-26 13:03:20)

In reply to a post by ian72:

Interestingly I do have them turned on but it hasn't installed it yet (and if I check for updates there aren't any).

My iMac installed it automatically, but for the iPhone and the Neo I had to go into Background Security Improvements and start the procedure manually, even though all three were set to Automatic.

As Ian said, it only took a minute or so.

IIRC they don't show in Updates, you have to look in the Background Security Improvements section. They seem to be treated independently.

(Don't ask me, ask Apple )

In reply to a post by ian72:

EDIT : Interestingly I do have them turned on but it hasn't installed it yet (and if I check for updates there aren't any).

Its in a very different place in the iOS Settings app, but my iPad Pro M1 and my iPhone 15 both told me about the update on Tuesday night.

After reading this, I looked further into - "settings/privacy and security/background security improvements" on my iPhone and iPad.

Both devices were already set to automatically update *but* both showed "update available" with a selectable option to install. Not quite so automatic after all

In reply to a post by longedge:

Not quite so automatic after all

There certainly seem to some inconsistencies- when I clicked Install the Neo did so straight away but the iPhone had to download it first.

In reply to a post by longedge:

Not quite so automatic after all

I see the same with most iOS updates, its about a week or so later that "auto update" does its thing. I also read you have to be charging and in WiFi coverage for "auto" to work.

I've seen one iOS update that was obviously more critical and Apple didn't use the above timing.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

I also read you have to be charging and in WiFi coverage for "auto" to work.

I think you either have to be on external power or have more than 50% battery before any form of installation will take place.

Haven't seen any requirement for WiFi rather than mobile internet, but it wouldn't be a surprise.

Mine decided to install yesterday, got the notification that it had completed.

My iPhone took the upgrade with the A appendix automatically overnight…. and this morning there’s a big update to iOS 26.4 … you are greeted with having to verify your age …. different.

My iPad didn’t receive the A update, but just went straight to iOS 26.4 … no having to prove one’s age on initial restart either.

Edited by Zarjaz (Wed 25-Mar-26 08:10:52)

Mine told me I had to verify my age followed swiftly with "we used your card payment method to verify your age" (or words to that effect, can't remember exactly what it said). I'm guessing once you verify your age once on the account that other devices wouldn't need to do it (assuming it is account level rather than device level). It is probably to meet EU/UK age verification and may well limit under 18's in what apps they can download?

Edited by ian72 (Wed 25-Mar-26 08:38:09)

I knew 26.4 was out, but none of my devices have yet started nagging me to install it... I'll probably do it later on today.

I'll do the iMac first- that's the only one I use to make payments (it's the only one that's wired not wireless), hopefully that will sort out any age matter for the other two 🤞


What's the betting there'll be an (a) version by the weekend ?

Edited by billford (Wed 25-Mar-26 09:22:40)

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

My iPhone took the upgrade with the A appendix automatically overnight…. and this morning there’s a big update to iOS 26.4 … you are greeted with having to verify your age …. different.

I read California has a new age requirement in operating systems that Apple has met, and they enable this by country, and the UK's online safety act is probably why they've enabled it here.

I hit the prompt last night on my iPad, and then my iPhone didn't ask. Mine said "your Apple Account is old enough to prove your age" which I thought was interesting!

It asked for a credit card, I don’t have one, I tried a debit card, no joy. You can progress through this, and then it took my drivers license no problem, it also suggested a passport.

All done... re age verification: the iMac didn't ask, the iPhone was happy with a FaceID and my account credit card, the Neo didn't ask.

The Neo update was huge, a bit over 10GB download . Once the d/l was complete they all seemed to take a lot longer than usual in the Preparing... phase, but then the Neo only took a couple of minutes to actually install. Odd.

Edited by billford (Wed 25-Mar-26 12:31:10)

I'm getting some 10GB+ updates on my iPhone, when colleagues with identical phones are getting the smaller delta patches. I can only assume my hotel WiFi is poor and the device decided to get the full pack.

Shouldn't have been a wifi issue here, it was less than 5 feet from the router... I did some googling around before updating, one site commented that the update size was "typically around 4-5GB, up to 10+ GB if you were unlucky", so who knows how an Apple device decides which package to download?

Yes, agreed, I know if you do the install via your laptop through Finder or Apple Devices the download is about 15+ GB for iOS / iPadOS. My hotel WiFi was quite fast (100 Mbps) so perhaps it just decided to do a large download. As you say, we have no idea what criteria Apple use!