Normally, I recommend updating to new versions of iOS when they hit your iPhone. However, reports have begun to surface that iOS 18.4.1 is bricking some iPhones, so it may be best to wait a bit before installing the update.
The Latest iOS Update Might Stop Your iPhone From Working
The trouble with updates that cause problems like this is that they are often random. As usual, there doesn’t appear to be any real rhyme or reason for why phones are being bricked.
Still, it’s important to note that the number of phones that end up bricked is relatively small.
However,reports posted by Reddit commenterssuggest that the issue could affect iPhone 15 and 16 models. This leaves many iPhone users open to the possibility, and it’s certainly not a problem you want to end up with.
These kinds of problems aren’t exactly new. We’ve seen similar issues in the past with Samsung phones, and iOS updates have had other issues in the past, too. This particular issue is so bad, though, because it could result in the phone being unable to identify its IMEI number—which is essentially the phone’s identity.
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The smaller iPhone 16 Pro is more tempting due to these factors.
Without that number, the phone can’t boot up because it cannot verify the device isn’t stolen or otherwise working correctly. Others have reported issues with installing the update and their phone becoming unresponsive, with no way to fix it, even when talking to official support teams.
As of the publication of this article, Apple has yet to make any official announcement regarding these issues.
Updating Is Worth the Risk
One reason you should consider updating to iOS 18.4.1, though, is that it fixes two major security issues in the operating system. These are real-world risks that you’re better off being protected from.
The update also brings priority notifications to your iPhone, and the Control Center also has some new options, like ambient sound. These aren’t exactly the most exciting changes, but there is more to this update than just a few new security measures.
Personally, I still recommend updating to the latest operating system when possible. Sure, nobody wants to have to deal with replacing or repairing their device because of an iOS update, especially when they can just wait for the next one to be released. But in this case, waiting does put your device at unnecessary risk and could introduce other possible issues.
It also isn’t unheard of for an update like this to break something. We’ve seen this quite a bit with Windows updates in the past, with one update even completely removing the Copilot app from Windows PCs. And there are a myriad of possible glitches you can run into during the update process, so you’ll never be 100% protected from a problem.
The truth is, most people probably won’t be affected by the bricking issue. But if you are part of the small percentage that runs into the problem, you’ll need to contact your carrier orApple Supportto resolve it.
In the meantime, make sure youback up your iPhonebefore updating to a new operating system, just in case anything goes wrong.
