Millions of iPhones Left Exposed as Users Skip iOS 26 Security Update

Apple has issued a stark warning: iPhones are once again being compromised by mercenary spyware, and for most users there is only one way to stay protected—upgrade to iOS 26. Two serious vulnerabilities were patched just before the holidays, but weeks later it’s clear that a large portion of iPhone users still haven’t installed the update. As a result, millions of devices remain exposed, and experts warn that attacks are likely to increase.

Recent data suggests that adoption of iOS 26 is unusually slow. Estimates vary widely: StatCounter reports that fewer than 20% of users have upgraded, while TelemetryDeck puts adoption closer to 60%. Even the most optimistic figures leave hundreds of millions of iPhones running older software without access to the latest security fixes.

This sluggish uptake stands in sharp contrast to previous years. According to 9to5Mac, at the same point last year more than 60% of users were already running the latest version of iOS 18, and iOS 17 crossed the 50% mark just as quickly. By comparison, iOS 26—available for nearly four months—is lagging far behind.

Many users assumed Apple would continue to provide security updates for iOS 18, allowing them to delay upgrading. However, Apple reversed course. The latest iOS 18 security update (iOS 18.7.3) is only available for devices that cannot run iOS 26. For everyone else, upgrading is now mandatory to receive critical patches.

This decision has turned what might have been a routine upgrade delay into a serious security concern. As MacWorld notes, having the latest version of iOS is the only way to ensure access to all current security protections. Without it, users are left vulnerable to known, actively exploited flaws.

Some commentators point to Apple’s new “Liquid Glass” interface as a possible reason for the resistance. Critics argue that while the redesigned look emphasizes visual depth and aesthetics, it sometimes sacrifices usability. Others suggest the hesitation is simply normal resistance to change. Still, the scale of the delay is unusual by Apple standards.

Security analysts stress that the reasons no longer matter. With Apple limiting fixes to iOS 26, users who stay on older versions are exposed by default. Analytics Insight warns that attackers often target users who delay updates, making this group especially attractive to spyware developers.

James Maude of BeyondTrust sums it up bluntly: upgrading is no longer optional. The vulnerabilities already being exploited are likely to become standard tools for a wide range of threat actors.

Apple may introduce new features, such as enhanced background security improvements, to reduce reliance on user action. But for now, protection depends on adoption—and until more users move to iOS 26, millions of iPhones will remain at risk.

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Millions of iPhones Left Exposed as Users Skip iOS 26 Security Update