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Apple will let iPhone users keep iOS 14 after iOS 15 launches

The tech company will continue updating the old OS even after iOS 15 is released in the fall.

Corinne Reichert Senior Editor
Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently writes news, analysis and features for CNET across the topics of electric vehicles, broadband networks, mobile devices, big tech, artificial intelligence, home technology and entertainment. In her spare time, she watches soccer games and F1 races, and goes to Disneyland as often as possible.
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Corinne Reichert
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During a FaceTime video call, you can now play a song or a video and everyone on the call can listen or watch it together.

Apple

Apple users will be able to keep using iOS 14 once the next version of Apple's operating system is released in the fall. Any users of the iPhone's current operating system will continue getting security updates and bug fixes without immediately updating to iOS 15, as reported earlier Monday by 9to5Mac.

The news is embedded in Apple's iOS 15 features list, which says, "iOS now offers a choice between two software update versions in the Settings app. You can update to the latest version of iOS 15 as soon as it's released for the latest features and most complete set of security updates. Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version."

Read more: Apple's iOS 15 preview at WWDC shows off game-changing new features

Until now, Apple has required users to update their iPhone operating system in order to receive security updates (unless they owned older devices that could not upgrade).

Watch this: WWDC 2021 in 11 minutes

Revealed during Apple's WWDC on Monday, iOS 15 will come with the ability for Android and Windows users to join FaceTime calls using a browser; notification summaries instead of individual notifications for less important alerts; co-watching videos while on a FaceTime video call with others; and storing your driver's license on Apple Wallet.

iOS 15 will likely debut on the rumored iPhone 13, but a developer version is available to download today, and a public beta will launch in the summer.