Apple has temporarily suspended the distribution of iPadOS 18 for M4 iPad Pro models after reports of device malfunctions. The company has unsigned the 18.0 update for these specific iPad models, preventing users from downloading or installing it.
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The company told that it had “temporarily removed” the update to address an issue affecting a small number of devices. This decision comes after users reported that their iPads became unresponsive when trying to install the latest operating system.
Anecdotal reports from online forums show mixed experiences among users. While some M4 iPad Pro owners were able to install the update without any issues, others faced problems that made their devices inoperable.
Apple’s Reaction and Possible Causes
In an unusual move, Apple is reportedly offering hardware replacements to affected users. This suggests a serious bug, as devices can typically be restored using recovery or DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode, even if software updates fail.
Some users who encountered issues noted that they installed the iPadOS 17.7 update before trying to install iPadOS 18.0. The 17.7 update, primarily a security patch for those not ready to upgrade, may not have been as thoroughly tested as the upgrade path from 17.7 to 18.0, compared to the standard transition from 17.6 to 18.0.
In the meantime, Apple continues to sign the iPadOS 17.7 update for M4 iPad Pro models. This incident highlights the importance of waiting a few days before installing updates, rather than doing so immediately. The update to iPadOS 19 was only released on September 16th.