Apple is making it easier to fix bricked iPhones with a new feature in iOS 18, exclusively for the iPhone 16 models. Now, iPhone 16 owners can restore phones without using a Mac or PC anymore through wireless recovery.
In the past, if an iPhone stopped working due to firmware problems like boot loops or black screens, people had to connect it to a computer with a cable. The computer would then reinstall the iPhone’s firmware through iTunes. However, not everyone keeps a computer or the right cable around, which makes repairs hard. iOS 18 looks to change this for the better.
The new Recovery mode helps iPhone 16 models recover wirelessly using an iPhone or iPad running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18. Users need to bring their broken iPhone 16 near another iPhone or iPad close enough. The working device downloads software and sends it to the broken iPhone without cables.
This works because of a special recovery part inside the iPhone 16. Even if the main software fails, this part handles the recovery easily. Other Apple devices like the Apple Watch and Apple TV already have this wireless recovery, but it’s the first time that iPhones have had this feature.
Right now, only 16 iPhone models have this feature. Maybe Apple will bring it to older phones later. Apple has been exploring over-the-air recovery options since iOS 13.4, but older iPhones probably lack the right hardware for this new feature.
The iPhone 16, with this new wireless recovery feature, will be released on September 20, 2024. The iOS 18 software, which makes this possible, is already available for download.
