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.