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.