Apple Pushes Critical iOS 26 Updates as Millions of iPhones Remain Unpatched in Canada

**Toronto – Jan. 9, 2026** – Apple has issued a series of urgent security updates for iPhone and iPad users across Canada after internal testing revealed that millions of devices have missed recent patches. The latest releases – iOS 26.3 for iPhone and iPadOS 26.3 for iPad – are being rolled out with background‑installation improvements designed to accelerate the update process and close two high‑risk zero‑day flaws in the WebKit browser engine.

### What happened?

Two days ago, security researchers observed Apple’s internal “background update” framework being stress‑tested on a large cohort of iOS devices. The test, which Apple confirmed in a brief advisory, showed that a sizable segment of the Canadian iPhone fleet – particularly models older than the iPhone XS – had not received the prior critical patch, iOS 26.2. The unpatched devices were left exposed to a pair of zero‑day vulnerabilities discovered in WebKit, the core component that powers Safari and the web view used by many third‑party apps.

If exploited, these flaws could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code, effectively taking control of the device or siphoning personal data such as passwords, payment credentials, and location history. Apple’s security bulletin, published on its support site, emphasizes that the company “does not disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are generally available.”

In response, Apple accelerated the deployment of iOS 26.3, which includes background‑download and install capabilities that reduce user interaction requirements. The update also bundles the fixes for the WebKit zero‑days, making it the most urgent upgrade for any iPhone or iPad still running iOS 26.1 or earlier.

### Recent timeline

– **Dec. 27, 2025** – Apple withdrew the previously scheduled iOS 18.7.3 update for all devices except the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. The decision forced owners of newer models to transition to the upcoming iOS 26 series, a move that surprised many users who expected a longer grace period before adopting the new major version.

– **Dec. 30, 2025** – Apple issued a “critical warning” to iPhone and iPad users, urging immediate installation of iOS 26.2 or iPadOS 26.2 to mitigate the WebKit zero‑day threats. The advisory highlighted that the vulnerabilities could be weaponized through malicious links, urging users to exercise caution when clicking unknown URLs.

– **Jan. 7, 2026** – Internal testing of iOS 26.3’s background update mechanism flagged that millions of devices, especially those on older iOS releases, had not yet applied iOS 26.2. The finding triggered Apple’s latest public alert and the accelerated rollout of iOS 26.3.

### Background and Apple’s security posture

Apple maintains a strict policy of secrecy around its vulnerability management. The company’s “Apple security releases” page on Apple Support explains that it “does not disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are generally available.” This approach is intended to protect customers from active exploitation while the company works on fixes.

However, the rapid succession of updates this winter – iOS 18.7.3, iOS 26.2, and now iOS 26.3 – underscores the increasing pressure on Apple to balance secrecy with transparency. The WebKit engine, which underpins Safari and countless in‑app browsers, has historically been a frequent target for attackers. The two zero‑day flaws disclosed in late 2025 are the latest in a series of high‑impact vulnerabilities that have prompted Apple to tighten its update delivery mechanisms.

### Implications for Canadian users

For Canadian consumers, the stakes are high. A recent survey by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) found that 42 % of iPhone owners in the country still run iOS versions older than 26.1, often because automatic updates are disabled on devices with limited storage or on older hardware with reduced battery life.

The new background update feature in iOS 26.3 is designed to address these barriers by downloading updates when the device is connected to Wi‑Fi, plugged in, and idle – conditions that many users naturally meet overnight. Apple’s engineering team claims this will cut the “unpatched window” by up to 70 %, a significant improvement for the nation’s mobile security landscape.

Nevertheless, experts warn that users must still manually approve the installation on devices that have not enabled “Automatic Updates.” “Apple can push the code, but the final consent still rests with the user,” says Dr. Maya Singh, a cybersecurity professor at the University of Toronto. “If users ignore the prompts, the devices remain vulnerable, especially given the sophistication of the WebKit exploits, which can be triggered by a single malicious link.”

### Business and regulatory fallout

The incident arrives as Canadian regulators, including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), intensify scrutiny of technology firms’ patch management practices. In a recent statement, the OPC urged manufacturers to adopt “transparent, timely, and user‑centric update strategies” to protect personal data. Apple’s swift response with iOS 26.3 could be seen as a proactive step toward compliance, but the earlier withdrawal of iOS 18.7.3 has already drawn criticism for potentially forcing users into a major OS jump without clear communication.

For Apple, the episode also carries reputational risk. While the company’s hardware market share in Canada remains robust – with iPhone accounting for roughly 55 % of smartphone shipments in 2025 – any perception of neglecting security could erode consumer trust, especially among privacy‑conscious Canadians.

### What users should do now

1. **Check your iOS version** – Go to Settings → General → About. If you are on iOS 26.1 or earlier, you are at risk.
2. **Enable automatic updates** – Settings → General → Software Update → Automatic Updates.
3. **Manually install iOS 26.3** – If the update does not appear automatically, tap “Download and Install” in the Software Update screen.
4. **Avoid suspicious links** – Until the patch is applied, refrain from clicking unknown URLs, especially in email or SMS messages.

Apple’s latest advisory reiterates that the iOS 26.3 update “includes all security content in iOS 26.2 and addresses additional background protection enhancements.” For Canadians who have been waiting for a stable, secure iPhone experience, the message is clear: update now, or risk becoming part of the millions of unpatched devices that could be exploited by sophisticated threat actors.

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