This happens because you have the iOS 10 update (or whichever version) downloaded but not installed. If you delete the update from Settings -> General -> Storage & iCloud Usage -> Manage Storage, and turn off automatic app updates so it doesn't get downloaded again, the prompts go away.

Worked for me on iOS 9.3.5 after another HN user recommended it, anyway. Older versions I'm not sure about, but it can't hurt to try.

It annoys the hell out of me when apps do this, but I'm very forgiving when it comes to operating system upgrade prompts. The reason is simple: unpatched/out-of-date operating systems tend to have a lot of security exploits. This is also why I've learned to live with Windows 10's mandatory updates.

It would annoy me a lot less if Apple (and the rest of them, to be honest) didn't just change stuff for the sake of change. Like oh hey, let's change four finger swipe up gesture to not be a toggle. Just because. Or, oh hey, let's just remove your battery life indicator. Ugh. Makes me scared to update anything.

Is it really just because? I've seen this mentioned before, but there must be some reason right?

I've never owned an iPhone (or any i* devices), so I have no experience here, but aren't the folks at Apple likely to do stuff for a reason? Or are things really that bad?

I try very hard to understand why they do some things, and come up short. With a lot of the minor UI tweaks, it's certainly not based on any real-world research, because some of the tweaks go against what's already established or being published in journals.

They probably do have reasons, but as to what they are, no idea. And as to whether their reasons are beneficial to the user, in many cases I can say no, absolutely not.

They've recently screwed up enough things badly enough to severely abrogate user trust, and I don't think they even realize it.

Serious question: why do you not use the "upgrade during off-hours" option? With my iPad it usually takes a few times because it's not on the charger that often. I always assumed a phone would be (I'm on Android).

I assume they don't want to upgrade. I wish I had just put up with the incessant upgrade nagging/trickery because of how much I dislike iOS 10, especially with how much they changed basic stuff that I have muscle memory for.

I actually wish I could go back to iOS 6, but I've never been a fan of the flat UI style.

Because just blindly upgrading is a REALLY bad idea, as with OS X. I wish I could downgrade some of my iDevices to an earlier OS.

made the mistake of upgrading a friends \phone thinking it needed it like an android device...nope basically bricked it. I mean the 4s worked but but it was essentially not usable at that point. Gotta love planned obsolescence.