The latest iPhone 16 running on the iOS 18 platform received the RecoveryOS function – previously this function allowed you to restore the firmware of the Apple Watch and Apple TV using the iPhone. Now it will be possible to restore iPhone 16 using other iPhones.
Image source: apple.com
When the iPhone 16 refuses to work normally and enters Recovery Mode, you can place an iPad or another iPhone next to it to start restoring the firmware. The other device will automatically download a working version of iOS and transfer it to the locked device. This means that troubleshooting problems on iOS devices will no longer require connecting them to a PC.
To restore a locked device, you can use any gadget running iOS 18, but at the moment only iPhone 16 can be restored in this way. The latest generation phones come with a special recovery partition on their drive, which allows you to manage the entire process regardless of whether the main iOS partition is loaded.
It is not yet clear whether Apple plans to add this feature to previous iPhone models or whether this requires changes at the hardware level. In any case, this is a significant step forward – it makes it much easier for users to troubleshoot firmware problems without having to take their devices to a service center. Apple iPhone 16 will go on sale on Friday, September 20.