Apple has temporarily halted the release of the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pros following complaints from users that the update is rendering their devices unusable. This issue, commonly referred to as “bricking,” has left some iPads completely non-functional, prompting concerns from users and widespread discussions on platforms like Reddit and Apple forums.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Apple started rolling out iPadOS 18 on September 16, intending to bring new features and enhancements to eligible devices. However, shortly after the update became available, M4 iPad Pro users began reporting that their devices were shutting down during the update process and never turned back on. Users tried various troubleshooting methods, including attempting to restore the device using a computer, but nothing worked.
One user reported that their iPad turned off abruptly mid-update, and they were unable to get it back to normal. Another shared a similar experience, stating that Apple Store staff had to send their device to engineers because it was completely unresponsive.
The issue seems isolated to the M4 iPad Pro models, and many of the affected devices had previously installed the iPadOS 17.7 update before attempting to upgrade to iPadOS 18. Apple has acknowledged the problem, releasing a statement: “We have temporarily removed the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pro models as we work to resolve an issue that is impacting a small number of devices.”
In addition, users who downloaded but haven’t installed the update may now encounter an “Unable to Verify Update” error message if they attempt to install it. This indicates that Apple has pulled the update for affected models while they work on a solution.
The M4 iPad Pro, which was introduced earlier this year, came equipped with the latest Apple silicon chip designed to deliver top-tier performance. Despite the powerful hardware, many early reviews mentioned that the iPadOS experience was still clunky, leaving some users frustrated even before the iPadOS 18 update was released.
TF Summary: What’s Next?
Apple is currently working to address the issue and will likely release a fixed version of iPadOS 18 once the problem is resolved. In the meantime, M4 iPad Pro users are advised to avoid installing the update if they have already downloaded it, and those experiencing issues should contact Apple for further support.
Thoroughly testing software updates before wide-scale release is an important step in software development, especially for high-end devices like the M4 iPad Pro and iPhone 15 & 16. Check-in with Apple (and TF) for further updates as a solution rolls out.
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