I’m one of those folks who has automatic updates for iOS and iPadOS software (i.e., firmware) updates turned off; I prefer to start the downloads of new iOS versions (and their subsequent installations) when the time is convenient for me.
I noticed that after updating my iPad to iPadOS 16.4, that 16.4 had turned the Settings for Automatic Updates had been changed back to On. I had to manually switch them back off again.
I suspect the same occurs when you update an iPhone with iOS 16.4; I haven’t done so yet.
Just wanted to mention this, in case others who prefer Automatic Updates be set to Off weren’t unpleasantly surprised when this happens.
I can confirm it also happens with iOS 16.4. It’s annoying.
I will, however, in Apple’s credit say that unlike in the past (where they just screwed around with your settings without telling you) this time they told me about it on a big fat landing page displayed to me after the update had installed. It even had a small link at the very bottom (hidden, but not so much that I couldn’t recognize it) to keep auto updating turned off, as I had set it up before.
I have automatic turned on for both my iPhone and iPad, but I will say that I almost always update the iPhone within a day of release, and the iPad never starts an autoupdate (if I don’t get to it first) for weeks after the update arrives.