diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 14a8d2a1..bc9f2cdf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv4_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv4_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv3_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv3_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv2_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=0 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv2_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv4_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv4_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv3_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv3_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-ios && cd build-ios
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=OS -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="armv7;arm64;arm64e" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv2_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ jobs:
         mkdir build-simulator && cd build-simulator
         cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../../ios.toolchain.cmake \
             -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fno-rtti -fno-exceptions" \
-            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" -DIOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=9.0 \
+            -DIOS_PLATFORM=SIMULATOR -DENABLE_BITCODE=1 -DENABLE_ARC=0 -DENABLE_VISIBILITY=0 -DIOS_ARCH="i386;x86_64" \
             -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=install -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `cat ../../opencv2_cmake_options.txt` -DBUILD_opencv_world=ON ..
         cmake --build . -j 2
         cmake --build . --target install
diff --git a/highgui/src/highgui.cpp b/highgui/src/highgui.cpp
index 7b09d750..473c481f 100644
--- a/highgui/src/highgui.cpp
+++ b/highgui/src/highgui.cpp
@@ -20,14 +20,11 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #define STB_IMAGE_IMPLEMENTATION
+#define STBI_NO_THREAD_LOCALS
 #define STBI_ONLY_JPEG
 #define STBI_ONLY_PNG
 #define STBI_ONLY_BMP
 #define STBI_ONLY_PNM
-#if __APPLE__
-#define STBI_NO_THREAD_LOCALS
-#define STBI_THREAD_LOCAL thread_local
-#endif
 #include "stb_image.h"
 
 #define STB_IMAGE_WRITE_IMPLEMENTATION
diff --git a/ios.toolchain.cmake b/ios.toolchain.cmake
index 6109cf55..1240abd4 100644
--- a/ios.toolchain.cmake
+++ b/ios.toolchain.cmake
@@ -226,8 +226,8 @@ if (NOT DEFINED IOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET)
     set(IOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "2.0"
             CACHE STRING "Minimum iOS version to build for." )
   else()
-    # Unless specified, SDK version 8.0 is used by default as minimum target version (iOS, tvOS).
-    set(IOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "8.0"
+    # Unless specified, SDK version 9.0 is used by default as minimum target version (iOS, tvOS).
+    set(IOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "9.0"
             CACHE STRING "Minimum iOS version to build for." )
   endif()
   message(STATUS "Using the default min-version since IOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET not provided!")