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Level 1

6 points

Why can't I restore the same version IOS that's on my phone?

My iPhone 4s has apps on it that are not iOS 6x or even 7x compatible. iTunes/Apple won't let me restore the same version of iOS 5 that is currently on my phone that won't boot up. I have no options anymore except to pay.

1. I can pay a developer to migrate the app I use for work to iOS7 and eventually run into the same problem later and pay AGAIN.

2. I can ditch Apple (because there is no logical reason for this) and pay to go over to a Google phone and pay to migrate my app over to android but have the peace of mind that I won't be forced to do what android wants me to do anymore.

I bought an iPhone, an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 3GS and an iPhone 4S. I don't like using the latest and greatest because I only really care about doing what *I* want to do with *MY* phone. I don't like being told I can't have what I've been using for the past 2 years because Apple has changed a policy or something.

Is Apple doing ANYTHING for people like me or are we just screwed? Can anyone explain why Apple would disallow reinstallation of an iOS i've been using for years now?

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Oct 11, 2013 2:11 PM

41 replies

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:33 PM in response to deggie

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:35 PM in response to kb1951

negative. ask anyone that's been an apple user and tried it. apple has always (until now) allowed you to install same version that's on your phone, or latest version. right now it's latest or nothing, which is not a cycle i am interested in participating in.

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:38 PM in response to klipe

You didn't say that, but yes I'm familiar with that technique also. For about 5 days after a new iOS is released Apple keeps a signed version of the previous version available for developers and beta testers to use and you can use the method you are describing. After 5 days they remove the signature and this technique no longer works unless you have kept a signed SSH blob available on your computer. If you have then you can use the technique you are describing even with 6.1.3. If you didn't then it won't work. You will have to locate one through other means we can't discuss here.

Again, this is not a change. Has worked the same way since the first upgrade. It isn't going to change.

Move on if you don't agree with this policy.

sberman

Level 10

264,051 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:38 PM in response to klipe

OK, I've seen enough and have to jump in.

I'm an avid Apple fan, but your requirements are so against the Apple model that I suggest you jump to Android.

Apparently, since your apps no longer run on current versions of iOS, you have had them custom built and the builders have disregarded Apple's standard software practices, which in general would survive operating system upgrades. The thought of doing that is amazing to me, but if your apps stop working on O/S upgrades, then really you are ready for a switch to Android.

(I am a software developer, though I have not devloped Apple software, I have done so for companies with similar philosophy to Apple's.)

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:41 PM in response to klipe

I'm really surprised that everyone on this forum seems so comfortable saying that this has always been the case when it literally has not been the case (in real life). where are you people getting your information from and why is it so incorrect? do all of you feel comfortable posting without really knowing what you're saying?

crazy.

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:42 PM in response to deggie

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:46 PM in response to klipe

Yes, everyone else is wrong and you, solely are correct.

Of course it also could be because everyone else responding to you have had devices going back to the iPhone OS, and some here are developers.

My last post to you described exactly how it works. If you have a signed iOS 5 SSH blob on your computer you can use your shift click method, or hold down the Option key on a Mac when connecting, whatever, and select the iOS 5 blob and restore your device. If you don't have one, and you don't mind the risk, you can use Google and get one from an unauthorized source and do the same thing.

Only one crazy person in this thread.

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:47 PM in response to sberman

thanks for jumping in sir, i think you're right, for my purposes this new model is completely useless to me and on a personal level i generally dislike being forced to do anything when it comes to something i own.

does anyone else have an ipad2 running ios7? is yours laggy as heck now too? bet you wish you could go back to 6 until they iron out the bugs eh?

or then again maybe you appreciate being forced into 7.. lol

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:47 PM in response to deggie

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:49 PM in response to deggie

okay so you admit that all your previous posts were incorrect. thank you. not exactly sure why you were sarcastic about being wrong....

anyhow -- the 5 day signing period is also something new. i haven't had to restore in a while, but as i said previously, that was never the case for me before so that also *****.

thanks for all your validation of the current apple culture deggie.

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:50 PM in response to klipe

It isn't a new model no matter how many times you say that and I already suggested to you look into Android or Windows Mobile 8.

No one is forced, if you don't update you don't have to run it. If you Restore make sure you have saved a copy of the previous blob. What has changed, since iOS 5, is that most people are updating over the air which does not place the blob on their computer so it is not available to them.

deggie

Level 10

167,183 points

Oct 11, 2013 3:53 PM in response to klipe

I didn't admit I was wrong or change anything. You just talked about restoring you didn't mention restoring from an already downloaded blob.

The 5 day signing period has been in place since iPhone OS 2.0 when the iPhone 3G was released.

If you don't like this, which has always been in place for all iDevices for security reasons, then iOS is not the operating environment for you. Since there are other environments available you do have a choice.

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 6:03 PM in response to deggie

deggie wrote:

No one is forced, if you don't update you don't have to run it.

i honestly shouldn't have to point this out to you but you are in fact forced if you need to restore...

you seem to be pretty confused regarding the restore process and apple's policies though so i don't really blame you, however, you probably shouldn't be offering advice if you can't understand what people are asking after multiple clarifications and you don't know that the information you're giving is incorrect.

personally if i were spending time on a support forum i would probably only respond to things i actually know about.. lol but then again this could be some sort of elaborate troll.. or given your level status here or whatever maybe you're just trying to save face? dunno, dont care.

klipe Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 11, 2013 6:12 PM in response to deggie

deggie wrote:

I didn't admit I was wrong or change anything. You just talked about restoring you didn't mention restoring from an already downloaded blob.

The 5 day signing period has been in place since iPhone OS 2.0 when the iPhone 3G was released.

If you don't like this, which has always been in place for all iDevices for security reasons, then iOS is not the operating environment for you. Since there are other environments available you do have a choice.

so just for your information and anyone else watching:

the last time i did a shift+restore and selected a non-current but same-as-installed-on-device firmware was about a year ago, give or take. no special software necessary, just an .ipsw firmware file and itunes. i've been doing that ever since ios1 with every apple product i've owned because i only upgrade when i want to and i make a point to understand what i'm getting into before i pull the trigger. more over i have invested interest in my apps working before and after an upgrade. that's probably not standard practice for 99% of apple users, but that doesn't change the fact that it's true.

so no, the 5 day signing period or whatever you're calling it has not been in place for the greater part of the iphone era (including ios2) and must have been introduced within the last year.

you're definitely right -- the ios environment has become too hostile for me.

i hope you take some time to google the stuff i'm talking about to avoid further misinformation.

have a great weekend sir.

Oct 11, 2013 6:26 PM in response to klipe

Everyone in this thread except you understands. If you restore an iPhone using iTunes it will ALWAYS install the latest version of iOS. It has always been thus since the beginning of iPhone time. The idea of reinstalling the current version by downloading the version you want and shift clicking will not work, and NEVER HAS. If you don't believe me you can search the forum for other message threads that discuss this very subject. The only way you can do what you want is by hacking the phone, and that can't be discussed in an Apple hosted forum.

If you have an app that worked with a previous version and doesn't work with the current iOS 7 it is a very badly written app, and you shouldn't have paid for it or should demand that it be fixed. iOS has always been backward compatible to correctly written apps. I have over 200 apps, some of them have not been updated in 6 years, and they all still work on iOS 7.

BTW, the advice to go to Android is misguided. I work with an android developer, and he is constantly tearing his hair out because different manufacturer's hardware works differently with the same version of Android OS, and his apps have to be released in multiple versions, for each different hardware manufacturer. Not to mention the fact that different versions of Android OS are NOT backward compatible, so apps have to be written that test the version and adjust their operation to the version currently running.

Why can't I restore the same version IOS that's on my phone?