Coutts bank warns customers not to update their iPhone operating systems

Coutts has warned customers not to update the operating systems on their iPhones due to a problem with its online banking service.

The blue-blooded lender, which counted the late Queen as a client and still banks for the rest of the Royal Family, sent an email to its customers on Saturday asking them to take the unusual step of turning off automatic updates on their phones. 

It said they may lose access to their Coutts digital services if they upgraded to iOS 16, Apple’s biggest update to the iPhone since 2020 which was released yesterday.

Several customers were alarmed by the message from NatWest-owned Coutts, pointing out that updates often contain important security features as well as fixes to bugs and vulnerabilities.

The boss of one City firm who banks with Coutts told the Daily Mail that various systems which he uses for work will only function when the latest version of Apple’s operating system is installed.

‘In short, as a customer of Coutts I have a choice of either having access to my work or having access to my bank account,’ he said. 

‘The problem with not upgrading to latest operating systems is that you open up cyber security risk for the individual and also, if linked, to your company.

‘I am amazed that this has happened and that a major part of the NatWest group – who as everyone knows operate the new King’s account – cannot supply a digital service once Apple upgrade their operating system.’

A spokesman for Coutts said: ‘A new version of the Coutts app is now available in the app store.

‘Clients are being asked to update their app before downloading iOS 16.’