iOS 26.2 fixes 20 security vulnerabilities, 2 actively exploited

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Security fixes, versions, and backports

  • Thread notes 26.2 fixes serious issues (RCE, data access, root), with concern for older OSes like iOS 15 if some vulns aren’t backported.
  • People debate Apple’s patch policy: links show only latest OS gets all security fixes; older versions get partial coverage due to “architecture and system changes.”
  • Some conclude they’ll avoid macOS/iOS as long-term platforms because of this; others argue Apple still supports devices longer than most vendors.

Hidden 18.7.3 and “dark pattern” debate

  • Many report that on iPhones only iOS 26.2 is prominently offered, while the security-only iOS 18.7.3 is hidden.
  • Workaround: enable iOS 18 Developer/Public Beta, install 18.7.3 (same build as release), then disable beta.
  • On macOS, users must click the “ⓘ” icon to deselect “Tahoe 26.2” and pick “Sequoia 15.7.3”.
  • Some call this a clear dark pattern (non-disruptive security update hidden behind extra/hard-to-discover steps). Others insist it’s just a reasonable default for most users and overusing “dark pattern” dilutes the term.

Liquid Glass UI, usability, and accessibility

  • The dominant topic is hostility to the new “Liquid Glass” look: busy transparency, diffraction effects, and wide corner radii that distract from content and hurt readability.
  • Reports of UI bugs: keyboard resizing, status text rendering black-on-black/white-on-white, Safari controls turning into “mystery meat,” layout shifts, CarPlay lag.
  • Accessibility toggles (Reduce Motion, Reduce Transparency, Increase Contrast, Show Borders, “Tinted” style) make it “barely usable” for some but introduce their own glitches and perceived latency.
  • A minority say they stop noticing the glass quickly and that the new features (e.g., spam filtering, iPad windowing) outweigh aesthetics.

Performance and device longevity

  • Multiple anecdotes of severe slowdowns after upgrading older iPhones and even a high-end M2 Max MacBook to 26.x, compared to devices on earlier OSes.
  • Others counter that 26.2 runs fine on their older devices and that perceived lag is often temporary indexing or poorly-updated Electron apps (partly fixed in 26.2).
  • Longstanding suspicion remains that major updates are used to push hardware upgrades; defenders attribute issues to batteries, heavier apps, and background work.
  • Some users now treat “never install a major OS” as best practice, relying on x.2 releases or staying on older versions until 26’s UX/perf improves—or planning to exit the Apple ecosystem entirely.