The download page says:
"Devices updated to iOS 9 can not be restored to earlier versions of iOS."
Is this true? Can I not install iOS 8.3 (or another latest iOS version signed by Apple) over iOS 9 (or otherwise reset the device to iOS 8.3) even if it means I restore the phone and lose all the contents? Did you guys at Apple just change how it has worked for the past 4 years, or did your text-content writers just drop the ball?
It has always been like that, but you could still downgrade like you could before... DFU and such.... nothing has changed.
Hope this helps.
Andrea
EDIT:
From iOS 8 Beta program
Devices updated to iOS 8 beta can not be restored to earlier versions of iOS. Only registered development devices will be able to upgrade to future beta releases and the final iOS software.
At the end of the day as long as the previews version is still signed you can downgrade without too many issues.
This rule has alwasy been here. This release is for developper and for developement devices.
I'm not sure about 8.3, but I've tried back to 8.4 beta3 and succeeded, remember to use the restore not the upgrade
I installed the iOS 9 beta on a secondary iPhone to try out the new OS, including the new Music app. However it seems that app is being released first on iOS 8.4 and is currently omitted from the iOS 9 beta, so I'm considering reverting that phone back from the beta.
Before installing the beta, I performed a local iTunes backup. However, after doing so I neglected to switch the backup preference setting back from local to iCloud, and so when the phone performed its automatic nightly backup it overwrote the local iOS 8 backup with one for iOS 9. While it's possible to download an iOS 8.3 IPSW file and downgrade to that version, I don't believe I will be able to restore my data backup, since the sole backup is based on iOS 9.
I'm assuming a workaround would be to first restore the last iOS 8 backup file from Time Machine and use that. However, I'm not sure if it's as simple as replacing this backup and restoring from it, or whether additional steps would be required to avoid screwing something up.
Any thoughts?
I just reverted my 5S. YMMV
How?
Downgrading does appear to work if the version to which you're downgrading is still signed by Apple, but it leaves your device in an unsupported configuration with newer baseband modem firmware and an older OS. Personally I will never do it on one of my devices.
I tried to downgrade because i have to send my iphone off to Apple due to a fauty screen, but it fails half way through teh usuaul process. It say the phone failed to restore and then tries to download 8.3 again (even though i've jut told it to instal that a few minutes beofre hand). From previous betas this hasnt been a problem. UPS are due in 1/2 hour to pick up the phone so this is a bit of a problem!
Legally speking I fail to see how Apple can void a legal gaurantee for a hardware defect because i put an authorised developer release on via a dev account etc on, but I really dont want them to have to recieve a phone with a dev release on and then refuse it!
W
