As the revealing of Apple’s subsequent main iPhone software program replace attracts nearer, stories are starting to gel on which iPhone fashions we will count on to get entry to the newest bells and whistles.
Whereas a December report urged no iPhone could be left behind, it appears that evidently might have been a bit optimistic after a newer one revealed that Apple might draw the road at its 2019 iPhone fashions.
To place this in context, the present launch of iOS 18 helps all iPhones launched in 2018 and later, beginning with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR. This additionally consists of the final two generations of iPhone SE from 2020 and 2022 and, in fact, all of Apple’s two-digit-numbered iPhones, from the iPhone 11 to the iPhone 16.
These have been the identical fashions supported by iOS 17, which had dropped the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X from the prior 12 months.
A dependable supply has confirmed the April report, noting that this 12 months’s iOS launch will drop the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR from the checklist of supported units. This implies you’ll want an iPhone 11 or later to run the brand new launch, which might not be stunning contemplating Apple is anticipated to make a serious numbering shift this 12 months by calling it iOS 26 to align it with calendar years.
If true, which means the next iPhones may very well be upgraded to iOS 26:
- 2019 iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Professional, and iPhone 11 Professional Max.
- 2020 iPhone SE (2nd era)
- 2020 iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Professional, and iPhone 12 Professional Max
- 2021 iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Professional, and iPhone 13 Professional Max
- 2022 iPhone SE (third era)
- 2022 iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Professional, and iPhone 14 Professional Max
- 2023 iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Professional, and iPhone 15 Professional Max
- 2024 iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Professional, and iPhone 16 Professional Max
Apple has a protracted historical past of supporting older iPhones for so long as it might, and that’s change into even simpler as new applied sciences have improved {hardware} efficiency. Within the early days of iOS, it was frequent to see older fashions drop with every new launch, however Apple shocked us in 2015 when iOS 9 supported all the identical fashions as iOS 8, together with the 2011-era iPhone 4s.
After that, Apple appeared to settle into a regular five-update cycle, though it often went to 6, as we first noticed with the 2012 iPhone 5s, which was in a position to be up to date to iOS 12 when it got here alongside in 2018. That set a report for the longest-supported smartphone in historical past till 2021 when Apple’s iPhone 6s matched the corporate’s personal report with iOS 15. Apple had a three-year run from 2019–2022 when iOS 13, iOS 14, and iOS 15 supported each mannequin from 2015 onward. Right here’s the rundown:
- 2010 — iOS 4 drops the unique iPhone
- 2011 — iOS 5 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 4.
- 2012 — iOS 6 drops the 2008 iPhone 3G
- 2013 — iOS 7 drops the 2009 iPhone 3GS
- 2014 — iOS 8 drops the 2010 iPhone 4
- 2015 — iOS 9 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 8
- 2016 — iOS 10 drops the 2011 iPhone 4s
- 2017 — iOS 11 drops the 2012 iPhone 5 and 2013 iPhone 5c
- 2018 — iOS 12 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 11
- 2019 — iOS 13 drops the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus
- 2020 — iOS 14 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 13
- 2021 — iOS 15 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 14
- 2022 — iOS 16 drops the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus
- 2023 — iOS 17 drops the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X
- 2024 — iOS 18 continues to help the identical fashions as iOS 17
If the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max find yourself on the checklist for iOS 26, they’ll be the primary to obtain seven main iOS updates. In that sense, it’s not stunning that Apple in all probability figures it’s time to place these 2018 fashions out to pasture. Nonetheless, Google and Samsung are actually promising seven years of updates for his or her Android flagships.
That may push Apple to attempt to match these numbers, but it surely additionally has a number of years to catch up. The Android guarantees solely apply to telephones launched prior to now two years; the 2020 Galaxy S20 ended with Android 13 in 2022, and even Google’s 2020 Pixel 5 received its final main Android replace with Android 14 in 2023. Apple continues to be properly forward in relation to making software program updates accessible for older iPhone fashions.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]