Apple's iPhone 16 series firmware can now be restored wirelessly from another iPhone
No more Macs or PCs needed to restore bricked iPhones thanks to a new feature that allows wireless firmware restoration.
- Sep 19, 2024,
- Updated Sep 19, 2024 4:38 PM IST
Apple has finally brought its wireless firmware recovery system to the iPhone with the release of iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 lineup. This feature, previously available for Apple Watch and Apple TV, eliminates the need for a Mac or PC to fix firmware issues on iPhones.
How It Works
When an iPhone 16 enters Recovery Mode, users can now initiate firmware recovery by simply placing it next to another iPhone or iPad running iOS 18. The secondary device will automatically download the latest iOS firmware and wirelessly transfer it to the bricked iPhone 16.
This innovative system utilises a dedicated recovery partition on the iPhone 16, allowing firmware restoration even if the main iOS partition is inaccessible. While any iOS 18 device can facilitate the recovery process, only iPhone 16 models can currently be restored wirelessly.
Simplified Firmware Restoration
This advancement significantly simplifies the process of resolving firmware issues on iPhones. Users no longer need to rely on external computers or seek assistance from Apple or repair centres.
It's unclear if Apple plans to extend this feature to older iPhone models in the future or if it requires specific hardware found only in the iPhone 16. Apple has been working on this wireless recovery system for several years, with 9to5Mac first reporting on its internal development back in 2020.
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Apple has finally brought its wireless firmware recovery system to the iPhone with the release of iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 lineup. This feature, previously available for Apple Watch and Apple TV, eliminates the need for a Mac or PC to fix firmware issues on iPhones.
How It Works
When an iPhone 16 enters Recovery Mode, users can now initiate firmware recovery by simply placing it next to another iPhone or iPad running iOS 18. The secondary device will automatically download the latest iOS firmware and wirelessly transfer it to the bricked iPhone 16.
This innovative system utilises a dedicated recovery partition on the iPhone 16, allowing firmware restoration even if the main iOS partition is inaccessible. While any iOS 18 device can facilitate the recovery process, only iPhone 16 models can currently be restored wirelessly.
Simplified Firmware Restoration
This advancement significantly simplifies the process of resolving firmware issues on iPhones. Users no longer need to rely on external computers or seek assistance from Apple or repair centres.
It's unclear if Apple plans to extend this feature to older iPhone models in the future or if it requires specific hardware found only in the iPhone 16. Apple has been working on this wireless recovery system for several years, with 9to5Mac first reporting on its internal development back in 2020.
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