Apple has paused the release of iPadOS 18 for its high-end M4 iPad Pro models after several users reported that the update rendered their devices unusable. The company acknowledged the issue in a statement to Engadget, explaining that they have temporarily removed the update to investigate and resolve the problem, which they claim affects only a small number of devices.
The issue was first noticed on Reddit, where numerous M4 iPad Pro users shared their experiences of how the update caused their iPads to stop functioning. One user, tcorey23, mentioned how their device powered down during the update and never restarted. When taken to the Apple Store, the device was confirmed to be bricked, and they were told it needed to be sent to Apple's engineers before a replacement could be issued, even though the user had AppleCare coverage.
Another user, Lisegot, faced a similar problem. After their iPad was bricked by the update, they visited an Apple Store, only to be informed that replacements were out of stock. They were told it would take five to seven days to receive a functioning iPad. The user also expressed frustration at the lack of acknowledgment from the store's staff regarding the update being the cause of the issue.
While bricking a device from a software update is rare, ArsTechnica notes that iPads can typically be restored through recovery mode if an update fails. However, the severity of this specific problem seems to have left users unable to restore their devices without further intervention from Apple.
For now, owners of M4 iPad Pro models won't receive the iPadOS 18 update until the issue is fixed, and it remains uncertain when the rollout will resume.