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Would be nice, if older iOS versions would be longer supported in parallel to the newer versions. Just only security fixes would suffice. Because it is a reality, that newer versions slow down - even not deliberately - older devices. As it is now, you'll have to update to newer version, if you like it or not...
 
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Makes sense. The A12 was a big leap for Apple’s System on a Chip. A truly awesome chip that marked an era, from my point of view, just like the A15. So yeah, I also expect the A12 devices to remain supported one more year and then, probably, drop support for both A12 and A13 devices on iOS 20, which would set the new minimum on the A14, the first chip with a neural engine of 16 cores. This is pure speculation, please don’t get mad at me iPhone 11 owners, I also have an iPad 9 that would lose support.

Another possibility would be to drop iPhone models with less than 4GB of RAM, such as the iPhone XR or the SE2, making 4GB the minimum standard now that all new iPhones come with 8GB of RAM.
 
I can hardly tell the difference in photos taken on my iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Plus and most recently iPhone 16 Pro besides the improvements in zoom obviously for how I take photos. Certainly no DAMN this looks amazing like going from a Nokia to an iPhone back in the day. I don't even say this is a bad thing, just shows that the photos on iPhone 12 are already great for casual insta shots
I can tell the difference in certain photos from my sons iPhone 12 Pro to my iPhone 15 pm. Yes, the iPhone 12 is great for casual photos, but the iPhone 15 is better.
 
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The cameras, for me, are the least important or interesting part of any phone.

I've never taken a night shot with my 16, nor did I ever with my 13 Pro prior.
I know someone that just bought a new iPhone 12 to replace his iPhone 7. He rarely uses the camera and when he does it’s not for anything important. For me the camera is important, but everyone has their own needs.


I find it funny that some people disagreed with your comment like they don’t agree, you never take pictures at night or the cameras aren’t important for you 😂
 
Would be nice, if older iOS versions would be longer supported in parallel to the newer versions. Just only security fixes would suffice. Because it is a reality, that newer versions slow down - even not deliberately - older devices. As it is now, you'll have to update to newer version, if you like it or not...

The way Apple handles this proves they don’t care about users.

I have an XS running 17.7.2. I don’t want to update to iOS 18 because of performance issues on such an old device, plus I HATE the new photos app.

However, Apple only released 17.7.3 to devices incapable of running iOS 18. If I want security updates, I’m forced to update to iOS 18 despite the fact Apple is still patching iOS 17.

Also, there’s no way to even hide the update. So now I have a permanent notification on the Settings app, plus I get up to 4 push notifications per day asking me to update to iOS 18.

So either I put up with this crap and run an insecure iOS, or shell out thousands for a new phone that can run iOS 18 properly. But then I’d also have to deal with the terrible new Photos app.

Apple is so anti-consumer it’s ridiculous. If I wasn’t so locked into the ecosystem, I’d jump ship to Android which has somehow become significantly better than iOS.
 
Hopefully wont be heavier for the older models
They’ve really managed to spread the weight of an operating system these days. You will hardly notice a thing.

I wouldn't rule out a future smaller iPhone of some kind
May not be called a Mini -- who knows

My 13 Mini is fine for many more years

BTW: I'd switch to Android in a heartbeat if there were a smaller device on that side, but there really isn't one there either. It's a total bummer for those of us who just need a small "communicator" and use tablets and computers for most everything else.
Flip?
 
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It’s a trap!

By keeping iOS support on old devices for longer, Apple can actually obsolete old devices faster.

Because new iOS updates often make old devices slower and more unstable than they would be otherwise.

Best to stick with a known-good iOS version on your old device and resist the temptation to update.
If only that were true, you’d have a good point.
The XS/XR are already pretty slow on iOS 18 I can’t imagine what 19 will be like
The same. If they were slow on 18, they’d have been slow on 17. And guess what, they are probably just as fast as 16. Maybe it has something to do with the processor being faster than the old phones and not the os?

I’m guessing that if you put a brand new XR with original software next to a 16 Pro, it wouldn't be as snappy.
 
13 and below are really bad for night shot

I don’t understand why ppl still have those devices
I still have a 13 Mini because I love the phone. The small size is part of it, but I really like the 13’s in general. This the first iPhone I want to keep using for at least 5 years. And yes, the cameras are not perfect, but it still runs fast and works well for my usage.
 
That means I can likely hang onto my iPhone SE 2 until 2026 or 2027! I'm waiting until they drop new iOS support for that model before I upgrade to a new iPhone (to which I'll bump up to a "regular" non-SE model).
 
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If only that were true, you’d have a good point.

The same. If they were slow on 18, they’d have been slow on 17. And guess what, they are probably just as fast as 16. Maybe it has something to do with the processor being faster than the old phones and not the os?

I’m guessing that if you put a brand new XR with original software next to a 16 Pro, it wouldn't be as snappy.
We’re not comparing an XR to a 16, we’re comparing an XR running its original OS version to an XR running iOS 18. Are you saying there would not be a difference in performance?
 
We’re not comparing an XR to a 16, we’re comparing an XR running its original OS version to an XR running iOS 18. Are you saying there would not be a difference in performance?
I’m saying that’s possibly the case. I know about battery-gate, and that Apple deliberately slowed down parts of the phone to conserve battery quality and people cried about it for years (and still do). But I am not aware of that still occurring.

So yeah, I’m gunna suggest that if someone did a side by side of a brand new XR running iOS12 and a clean install of one running iOS18, then it’d be an interesting test.

I don’t know what the result would be, but I'm into real world testing and facts. Happy with hypothesis, but not pointless bashing. Conspiracies just lowers the quality of someone’s point.
 
iOS 19 will be another boring release all same design, and all focus on ai and Siri
All Phones have been boring for years. Exciting evolutions were (imo):
  • Mobile phones (generally)
  • Nokia 3 & 5 series (phones for the masses)
  • Motorola Razr (original) and Nokia 9 series (phones that looked cool)
  • Maybe Blackberries (not for me)
  • iPhones and subsequent clones (Android etc).
Flips/Folds etc and just variations of smartphones but are essentially the same and just a solution to waning sales. No different to small candy bars or flips phones of an older generation.

No updated operating system is going to make anything exciting.
 
I’m saying that’s possibly the case. I know about battery-gate, and that Apple deliberately slowed down parts of the phone to conserve battery quality and people cried about it for years (and still do). But I am not aware of that still occurring.

So yeah, I’m gunna suggest that if someone did a side by side of a brand new XR running iOS12 and a clean install of one running iOS18, then it’d be an interesting test.

I don’t know what the result would be, but I'm into real world testing and facts. Happy with hypothesis, but not pointless bashing. Conspiracies just lowers the quality of someone’s point.
Just speaking from personal experience having owned an iPhone XS since it was new, this phone is definitely slower now than when it was new. Unfortunately Apple prevents people from downgrading to older iOS versions so the only way to really test this hypothesis would be to find a new XS on eBay and hope the seller wasn’t lying about it being new or that it was not a XS that came with a newer version of iOS pre-installed
 
don't see the reason they continue with those older model iPhones support when they will be hardly getting new features just pull the plug
Still some tangible benefits of getting some security updates, and also keeping their app support for longer.
 
All Phones have been boring for years. Exciting evolutions were (imo):
  • Mobile phones (generally)
  • Nokia 3 & 5 series (phones for the masses)
  • Motorola Razr (original) and Nokia 9 series (phones that looked cool)
  • Maybe Blackberries (not for me)
  • iPhones and subsequent clones (Android etc).
Flips/Folds etc and just variations of smartphones but are essentially the same and just a solution to waning sales. No different to small candy bars or flips phones of an older generation.

No updated operating system is going to make anything exciting.
Software can be good, give us a new ui like Vision Pro; split screen true multitasking something that makes our day to day usage better but all we get is a worse photos app and imagine playground lol come on apple
 
By keeping to the same compatible iPhones for iOS 18 then iOS 19 will extend iOS version support from 6 to 7 years.

In the Philippines 1 of 100 smartphone users are on a 0-6 year old iPhone.
 
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