Apple Dropping Support for iCloud Backups on iPhones and iPads Running iOS 8 and Earlier

[MacRumors]

Starting next month, making a device backup over iCloud will require iOS 9 or later, Apple has informed some customers via email. New backups for iPhones and iPads running iOS 8 or earlier will no longer be supported, and Apple will delete all existing iCloud backups of those devices as well.

Apps and data stored on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 8 or earlier will not be affected, and Apple says that customers can still manually back up their devices to a Mac or a Windows PC.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1858577275756716424

These iCloud backup changes will be made on December 18, 2024, so customers who have a device running iOS 8 or earlier should update to the latest available version of iOS if possible in order to continue to be able to back up their devices.

According to Apple, iCloud backups for older devices are being discontinued in order to "more closely align" with Apple's "published minimum software requirements." With iOS 9, Apple adopted CloudKit for iCloud backups rather than the prior system, and it seems that the company is now discontinuing the old backup system.

Article Link: Apple Dropping Support for iCloud Backups on iPhones and iPads Running iOS 8 and Earlier

 

[breenmask]

All 19 people are going to cry outrage that their 11+ year old devices can no longer backup to the 5GB of storage they never paid for

 

[supergt]

Planned obsolescence strikes again

 

[davide_eu]

According to Apple, iCloud backups for older devices are being discontinued in order to "more closely align" with Apple's "published minimum software requirements." With iOS 9, Apple adopted CloudKit for iCloud backups rather than the prior system, and it seems that the company is now discontinuing the old backup system.

Read:

...are being discontinued in order to "push" the next report, releasing storage and forcing people to upgrade.

 

[podycust]

Well if anyone is still using a 4s on iOS 8 it’s pretty much useless here in the uk as most networks have turned off 3G lol

 

[magicschoolbus]

Honestly, would a device still even work on iOS 9 with most apps out there? We're talking about software from 2015 would never been updated by the consumer.. that's crazy

 

[dannyyankou]

I’m shocked they were even still backing up iOS 8 devices.

 

[strongy]

Planned obsolescence strikes again

you can't really say its planned obsolescence when the duration is 10 years or older lol, its pretty much just obsolete

 

[LogicalApex]

I'm not impacted as I don't have any old devices like this still around, but I can't help but feel like this sort of stuff needs much better communication. Apple should give users at least a year's heads up especially since they're deleting backups for these users.

 

[AppleTO]

I can’t imagine too many people are still using iPhone 4s or early 5s.

 

[Lizzard899]

I bet itll free up a ton of icloud storage after this.

 

[Entilzha]

Planned obsolescence strikes again

After ten years, I suspect it’s just “obsolescence.”

 

[chris1958]

I can’t imagine too many people are still using iPhone 4s or early 5s.

I'm still using an iPod touch with iOS 4.34. This iPod is older than any iPhone.

 

[ELman]

I can't image any third party apps still support as far back as iOS 8.

 

[Slix]

I stopped using iCloud backups on my older iOS devices years ago because I was on the 5GB plan and I didn't want to waste a gig or two for an older iPod I wasn't using every day for new stuff (texts, app data, etc) that needed a backup. Those got moved to my Mac for backups since then. I doubt this actually affects anyone, especially considering iOS 8 devices can also run 9.

I'm sure there is someone out there regularly backing up their 1st gen iPad to iCloud though. Mine lives on my Mac though.

 

[acgmph]

To all who scream money grab or planned obsolescence: your local to PC and Mac backups should continue to work…

 

[mansplains]

Man I remember installing iOS 8 beta on my iPad Air like a couple years ago, time flies

 

[Glideslope]

Oh no, iOS 7.2.1 is my go to.......

 

[OwlBundy]

I’m sure most people aren’t using devices that old but I bet more people than we think have old devices which include photos that are backed up and that archive will no longer be available.

 

[GMShadow]

Honestly, would a device still even work on iOS 9 with most apps out there? We're talking about software from 2015 would never been updated by the consumer.. that's crazy

Lots of games and older apps that were never pushed to 64-bit still work - I keep an iPad 4th gen on iOS 10 for those.

Apple recently broke App Store/iTunes access for pre-iOS 8 so this does pretty much confirm that's not going to be fixed either.

 

[Rychiar]

I'm not impacted as I don't have any old devices like this still around, but I can't help but feel like this sort of stuff needs much better communication. Apple should give users at least a year's heads up especially since they're deleting backups for these users.

no one with a device that old cares about anything

 

[scrapesleon]

Oh so apple don’t want more money then noted

 

[t0rqx]

Forced upgrades. Its not iOS8, but iOS18. Users need to comply with the new terms and conditions, but they are not able to with iOS17.1.1. Apple says it needs to upgrade to iOS18, before the button works.

 

[ifxf]

Maybe this will fix the disappearing Notes with icloud.

 

[kiranmk2]

Fair enough of the discontinuation of device backups, but seems a bit harsh deleting the existing backups.