Do not download the latest iOS 15 beta from Apple. Such a warning comes from users who downloaded the iOS 15 update after it reportedly caused Face ID to stop working for them.
People using the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro smartphone models have turned to social media to vent your frustration (opens in a new tab)saying that after downloading the beta update, Face ID stopped working. Then when they went to reset Face ID to see if that would fix the problem, they were shown the error message “Face ID is not available” (via MacRumors (opens in a new tab)).
It’s not clear if other iPhones with Face ID (including the iPhone X, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13, as well as their respective Pro and mini versions) are affected. we recommend avoiding the latest iOS 15 beta for now.
Fortunately, if the Face ID issue is already affecting you, there may be a fix. Some users who had the problem said that downloading iOS 16 solved it.
Analysis: why not just update to iOS 16?
If iOS 16 is available for download and its installation can solve this iOS 15 glitch, why shouldn’t users go straight to Apple’s latest software?
First, iOS 16 is not yet perfect, as is often the case with new software. Example – Some iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro users had problems with FaceTime and iMessage (basic phone functions) until Apple released a patch and fixed them. The previous bug also caused the iPhone camera to not work properly, again until Apple fixed it.
On the other hand, iOS 15 is now a fairly stable release as it’s been out for over a year, so regardless of that last issue, some users may want to stick with it until Apple fixes major issues with iOS 16.
Other users may not want to install the latest update for fear that it will degrade the performance of their iPhone.
OS updates are mainly designed with the latest hardware in mind, so they won’t be as well optimized for older devices. As such, people using older iPhones may find that their systems run slower after updating to the latest version of iOS.
Finally, there will be people who would like to take advantage of the new features of iOS 16, but their smartphones are just too old. All phones such as the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 and the original iPhone SE are compatible with iOS 15, but have not achieved compatibility with iOS 16. Therefore, those users – who want to continue using their old phone, whether or not for another reason – they will rely on these older iOS software updates to keep their devices safe.
Hopefully Apple will fix this and any other iOS 15 glitches before the update leaves beta, but don’t expect too many iOS 15 updates after that – we wouldn’t be surprised if 15.7.1. It is the last version of iOS 15 unless there is a major issue.
If you’re concerned about your older iPhone losing iOS support – and this could cause a security issue – you can check out one of our picks of the best iPhone you can buy today to find a newer model that’s right for you.