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iPadOS 17 Again Rumored to Drop Support for These iPads

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Apple in iPadOS 17 will drop support for the first-generation 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro as well as the fifth-generation iPad, according to French tech website iPhoneSoft.

iOS-17-Icon-Mock-Feature-Feature.jpg

This is the second time we have heard claims regarding iPad device compatibility for the next operating system Apple is developing. Early last month, a source with a proven track record for upcoming software updates said the same three models will not be supported.

iPhoneSoft's information is said to come from an internal Apple source. If accurate, that means the following devices will be compatible with iPadOS 17 when it's released in the fall.
  • iPad Pro (2017 and later)
  • iPad Air (third generation and later)
  • iPad (sixth generation and later)
  • iPad mini (fifth generation and later)
It's worth noting that just because an iPad makes Apple's compatibility list doesn't necessarily mean it will fully support everything the software has to offer. For example, iOS 15 is compatible with all devices that can run iOS 14, but some features are not available on older iPhones.

As for which iPhones will run iOS 17, we've heard conflicting reports. The same source that first revealed which iPad models would be dropped from iPadOS 17 also claimed that iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

However, this was immediately disputed by another leaker who has shared accurate information in the past. According to a post on the MacRumors forum by the anonymous tipster, all iPhones that support iOS 16 will support iOS 17, including all devices powered by A11 chipsets (i.e. the iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus).

Last year, iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 dropped support for quite a few devices, including the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, original iPhone SE, final iPod touch, second-generation iPad Air, and fourth-generation iPad mini.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 during its WWDC keynote on June 5.

Article Link: iPadOS 17 Again Rumored to Drop Support for These iPads
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/04/24/ipados-17-rumored-drop-support-ipads/
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I hope they’ll improve the home screen before my current iPads fall out of support (still safe for iPadOS 17 it seems, except for an old mini 4). I feel that iPadOS 16 is not the best version to be stuck on.
 
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infinitedreams said:
So, the 6th and 7th gen iPads are also getting dropped?
Click to expand...
Noticed that too, doubt Apple is wiping out 3 generations in one update. Especially when the rumors are that this version will be very minor in scope. This report is probably bogus.

EDIT: They edited the post, it used to say 8th gen iPad - now says 6th which makes more sense.
 
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So... now there's rumors that the 2nd Gen iPad Pro won't be dropped and according to these rumors it will be dropped. I wonder which ones are true.
 
Dropping support for some ipads are fine if Apple will add processors or memories intensive additions. If not? People will complain (not me, but people will)
 
Doesn't really make sense to just drop the A9-based iPads. A12 should really be the minimum chip (for the ML cores). I would suggest that Apple supports the A9-iPads until they can drop all the non-A12 models in one go (probably next year). Non-ML core iPads is likely the reason the fancy lock screens from the iPhone haven't made it to iPadOS yet.

Of course, if Apple is dropping them to "encourage" the owners to upgrade then that is another matter
 
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“It's worth noting that just because an iPad makes Apple's compatibility list doesn't necessarily mean it will fully support everything the software has to offer. For example, iOS 15 is compatible with all devices that can run iOS 14, but some features are not available on older iPhones.”

This is wrong. Apple use to abandon major security fixes, heck it appears they still leave minor ones for old iPad OS releases. Just look at released CVE lists later and see what they do/don’t fix in their old OS updates (if ever).

I just wish Apple would publish their official legacy OS release policy. Like anything prior to the latest OS only gets updates for two years or whatever. It’s a shame they are so opaque.
 
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I have a first-gen ipad pro 12.9” from 2015 which still runs fine and have no intentions of replacing it even if ipados drops support. In fact, I’ve found that my ipad use is just a few use cases - email, browsing on mainly forums, some youtube - and I’ll likely keep doing that until the apps drop support and that is likely to take a while.
 
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Some thoughts on this:

-Users of 1st-gen Pros, do you really want Apple to over-support your device without downgrading? According to many comments, performance isn’t bad, but battery life isn’t great. Do you want Apple to obliterate performance, too?

-In a way, this would mark the end of the best iteration, the epitome of Apple’s original design language and intention with the iPad. Feels like the end of an era.

-On a more personal note, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is my favourite iPad ever. The perfect iteration of Apple’s original intention with the iPad. Back when Apple released the original iPad, they had to know that its design would eventually change (like with the iPhone 4s, this device being the last one of Apple’s original iPhone design language), and they chose to end it with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro (as a fully-featured iPad. The 6th-gen was the last one, but it’s not a “main” iPad, if you know what I mean).

I think this iPad will always be significant when discussing the iPad’s history. I have mine - I am writing this with it - on iOS 12. I plan to keep it forever.

That said, even if not a fully-featured iPad, if this report is true, the 9.7-inch design lives on, at least one more year.
 
My homekit support dropped on new iPad os :-( I use my iPad air 2 on wall for my smarthome, and now i can use it as a door stopper..
 
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FeliApple said:
Some thoughts on this:

-Users of 1st-gen Pros, do you really want Apple to over-support your device without downgrading? According to many comments, performance isn’t bad, but battery life isn’t great. Do you want Apple to obliterate performance, too?

-In a way, this would mark the end of the best iteration, the epitome of Apple’s original design language and intention with the iPad. Feels like the end of an era.

-On a more personal note, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is my favourite iPad ever. The perfect iteration of Apple’s original intention with the iPad. Back when Apple released the original iPad, they had to know that its design would eventually change (like with the iPhone 4s, this device being the last one of Apple’s original iPhone design language), and they chose to end it with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro (as a fully-featured iPad. The 6th-gen was the last one, but it’s not a “main” iPad, if you know what I mean).

I think this iPad will always be significant when discussing the iPad’s history. I have mine - I am writing this with it - on iOS 12. I plan to keep it forever.

That said, even if not a fully-featured iPad, if this report is true, the 9.7-inch design lives on, at least one more year.
Click to expand...
You seriously believe that Apple gives a damn about battery life? They have a many years long credit of sacrificing battery life to save .1mm that nobody asked for. All this battery saving is just their convenient excuse to make you buy a new product. I have iPad 2018 and the battery is great. Performance is great.
 
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I guess there's going to be a lot of people joining the "unsupported iPad gang" soon, huh? :(

Sent from my 2012 iPad with Retina Display
 
FeliApple said:
Some thoughts on this:

-Users of 1st-gen Pros, do you really want Apple to over-support your device without downgrading? According to many comments, performance isn’t bad, but battery life isn’t great. Do you want Apple to obliterate performance, too?

-In a way, this would mark the end of the best iteration, the epitome of Apple’s original design language and intention with the iPad. Feels like the end of an era.

-On a more personal note, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is my favourite iPad ever. The perfect iteration of Apple’s original intention with the iPad. Back when Apple released the original iPad, they had to know that its design would eventually change (like with the iPhone 4s, this device being the last one of Apple’s original iPhone design language), and they chose to end it with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro (as a fully-featured iPad. The 6th-gen was the last one, but it’s not a “main” iPad, if you know what I mean).

I think this iPad will always be significant when discussing the iPad’s history. I have mine - I am writing this with it - on iOS 12. I plan to keep it forever.

That said, even if not a fully-featured iPad, if this report is true, the 9.7-inch design lives on, at least one more year.
Click to expand...
100% Agree regarding the iPad Pro 9.7. My only complaint is the Apple Keyboard (folio, I think.). I am on my second one, and this one hasn’t worked in over a year. I want to buy another one, but prices and limited availability have made it too difficult. But the iPad itself… still awesome. And I’ll use it as long as I possible can!
 
It's concerning that as an Apple afficionado I do not remember what specs those model iPads have. Just shows how bloated the product category is.
 
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I'd really like to see Apple (or others) do more with older iPads. Was disappointed to find out they no longer can work as a HomeKit Hub. Make them able to be a HomePod display, or just a simple Siri device that works like the Amazon Echo displays with just simple functions like displaying the weather, news, be a rotating picture frame and so on... I had previously looked at other apps but found them lacking, but haven't looked in a while.
 
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