Apple's Barrage Of Updates Includes A Surprise For This Ancient iPhone Model
If Apple is good at one thing, it's the length of software/firmware support for its devices. To wit, within a large iOS and WatchOS update dump this week, owners of the 13-year-old iPhone 5s received a nice little gift that allows users to use iMessage and Facetime after certificates expire at the end of this year.
Almost lost in the hubbub of the flashier iOS 26.2.1 release, Apple quietly rolled out iOS 12.5.8 for older devices, one of which being the iPhone 5S (that debuted when Ylvis' What Does the Fox Say? was still topping the charts, suddenly making us ALL look ancient). The update is actually a critical maintenance patch to prevent security certificates governing iMessage, FaceTime, and basic device activation from expiring come January 2027. By extending these certificates, Apple has ensured that the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and several older iPads (via iPadOS 12.5.8) remain functional communication tools for years to come.
Simultaneously, Apple released a wave of updates led by iOS 26.2.1 and watchOS 26.2.1. Among other things, these patches opens up compatibility (i.e. the extra power requirements) for the second-generation AirTags, which boast a 50% louder speaker and a 1.5x increase in Precision Finding range. For Apple Watch users, this update is particularly cool: it enables Precision Finding directly on the wrist for the first time, provided you’re wearing a Series 9, Ultra 2, or later.
Almost lost in the hubbub of the flashier iOS 26.2.1 release, Apple quietly rolled out iOS 12.5.8 for older devices, one of which being the iPhone 5S (that debuted when Ylvis' What Does the Fox Say? was still topping the charts, suddenly making us ALL look ancient). The update is actually a critical maintenance patch to prevent security certificates governing iMessage, FaceTime, and basic device activation from expiring come January 2027. By extending these certificates, Apple has ensured that the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and several older iPads (via iPadOS 12.5.8) remain functional communication tools for years to come.
Simultaneously, Apple released a wave of updates led by iOS 26.2.1 and watchOS 26.2.1. Among other things, these patches opens up compatibility (i.e. the extra power requirements) for the second-generation AirTags, which boast a 50% louder speaker and a 1.5x increase in Precision Finding range. For Apple Watch users, this update is particularly cool: it enables Precision Finding directly on the wrist for the first time, provided you’re wearing a Series 9, Ultra 2, or later.
Here is a rough breakdown of the latest changelogs:
iOS 26.2.1 / watchOS 26.2.1
- AirTag 2 Support: Full compatibility with the second-generation AirTag’s enhanced range and louder speaker.
- Wrist-Based Tracking: Enables Precision Finding on Apple Watch (Series 9/Ultra 2+) to locate items with haptic and visual cues.
- Connectivity: Includes a modem firmware upgrade to improve network reliability and Liquid Glass UI stability.
- Bug Fixes: Resolves an issue where the Music app failed to advance tracks and addresses emergency call glitches in certain regions.
- Certificate Extension: Renews the internal system certificates required for iMessage and FaceTime to function beyond January 2027.
- Activation Support: Ensures the device can still be wiped and re-activated through Apple’s servers.
- Security: Provides minor under-the-hood stability fixes to keep the older hardware running smoothly.
