ZDNet: iPhone users urged to install iOS 26.2 for security fixes

ZDNet writer Kerry Wan recommends iPhone users move to iOS 26.2, saying the update patches several serious security vulnerabilities and improves AirDrop security. Adoption of iOS 26 appears slower than for prior major updates: StatCounter reports a 16% adoption rate while TelemetryDeck puts it at about 60%, and Wan notes even the higher figure is behind past releases.

Wan says many users delay updating because the process can be a hassle, updates can temporarily affect battery life, the new Liquid Glass aesthetic is divisive, and there are no must-have new features—some users remain on iOS 18 for these reasons. Wan outlines practical benefits: after a major update a phone performs housekeeping tasks that can temporarily strain battery and performance but usually return to normal; iOS 26.1 adds a setting to reduce or tint the Liquid Glass look; and iOS 26.2 lets users use a one-time code for AirDrop transfers with people not in Contacts and for more than 10 minutes.

On security, Wan says iOS 26.0.1 fixed a flaw in Apple's FontParser framework, iOS 26.1 resolved more than 51 security flaws, and iOS 26.2 addressed about 25 bugs affecting the App Store, FaceTime, Messages, Photos and other apps, including two zero-day vulnerabilities reported as exploited in the wild that may have been used in sophisticated attacks against targeted individuals.

Key Topics

Tech, Airdrop, Apple, Zero-day Vulnerabilities, Liquid Glass, Fontparser