While Apple officially announced the release of iPadOS 17.4.1 on March 26, 2024, the patch was already available for most iPad users on March 21, 2024. That might have been as simple as Apple not checking in with two departments, but there’s a little more to it now.
Apple has now released a fresh update for both iPadOS and iOS with build number 21E237. For those unaware, the patch released on March 21 had a 21E236 build number. This update might only be compatible with a few devices, such as the recently released iPads.
This is because there is no over-the-air download option for this latest version. Users running an outdated version on their iPhones and iPads must plug the devices into Macs to download it.
That suggests that Apple may not be too concerned about not all iPhone and iPad owners receiving this update. Then again, the difference in build number between the two releases is minor.
Moreover, before Apple made the March 21 update available to developers, Apple Park hosted approximately seventeen iterations of the update for testing. A single version implies that there have been very few changes from the previous one.
Furthermore, it suggests that Apple tested the update and that no additional work or testing was required. This implies that Apple might not need to take any additional actions to accommodate the next iPad Pro and iPad Air releases.
Though this is only speculation, there have been frequent reports on social media regarding iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1, causing some iPhones to become stuck in a boot loop. Maybe the latest build will enable such devices to successfully recover.
Apple rarely makes any announcements about their updates besides security comments, so it’s unlikely that Apple will ever disclose what went wrong in this case.