I snagged two iPhone 11s for my daughters since they were a great deal on Swappie. These phones are more than enough for what the girls need, but I'm curious how long they'll keep getting new iOS updates. Anyone have any insights?
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iPhone 11 iPhone 11 longevity
- Thread starter VitoBotta
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Normally Apple give 6 years of updates. iphone 11 came out in 2019, so it should be until next year…
Yikes. Any way to get an unsupported version installed, kinda like how you can with Macs using something like the OpenCore Patcher?
It’ll be fine for a further 2-3 years after becoming unsupported. I still use an SE which became unsupported in 2022 and all my apps still work fine (Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, banking applications, etc…). Security patches are also still released periodically which ensure the device is secure and protected.
You will not got new versions of the iOS but you will get security updates which is the most important for many years to come.
The 11 Pro Max is my primary phone and my wife's primary phone (since February 2021).
I expect iOS 18 to be the last major update for this device, then just security updates. All that's already been mentioned. I just wanted to confirm all that as an 11PM owner.
We upgrade every 2.5 to 5.5 years. It just depends on what's going on. And at some point I determined that we don't need to upgrade to the latest. So, next year, when the 17 series launches we'll be upgrading to either the 15 or 16 series.
I think tapping out on major iOS upgrades is my limit. I buy iPhone primarily because of iOS and if I can't update iOS, then I'm going to want a newer phone that can.
I expect iOS 18 to be the last major update for this device, then just security updates. All that's already been mentioned. I just wanted to confirm all that as an 11PM owner.
We upgrade every 2.5 to 5.5 years. It just depends on what's going on. And at some point I determined that we don't need to upgrade to the latest. So, next year, when the 17 series launches we'll be upgrading to either the 15 or 16 series.
I think tapping out on major iOS upgrades is my limit. I buy iPhone primarily because of iOS and if I can't update iOS, then I'm going to want a newer phone that can.
My iPhone 11 Pro max would still be going strong, but I use it on my job installing solar panels and it took one too many tumbles off high roofs onto concrete. It was my favorite iPhone. Loved the midnight green and rounded edges. My job bought me a new iPhone 16 Pro Max Otherwise I’d still be using my 11 Pro Max. Great iPhone.
To extrapolate on this, the only solution would be jailbreaking. And as a jailbreaker, I can say that there has never been a tool or a method (that I have seen) that allows a user to get a newer version of iOS on an older device.
Plenty of people want and use jailbreaking to downgrade and that's fraught with rules and exceptions and a lot of hoops. But upgrading? Even if you could, the problem is that the newer version of iOS will have dependencies and requirements that don't exist on the older phone.
Which is why the simple answer was…no.
I reckon you’ll get around 3-4 years of security patches after your device is no longer supported. I wouldn’t worry at all as the 11s you bought will last many years before you’ll have to replace them.That sounds betterHow long do they release security patches for unsupported phones?
That sounds better
Apple are very generous with their security fixes. For example, iOS 15.8.3 came out for older devices on 23 July 2024, while the most recent iOS for all the supported devices was iOS 17.
Even if they cut iPhone 11 out from iOS 19 next year, your daughters will still be able to use them until 2026 without any major issues (all the apps will still work, etc.).
As a budget friendly option, afterwards you could look into the new 6.1” (larger) iPhone SE models, rumoured to launch in the first half of next year.
iOS 19 will not be available for A12 Bionic and A13 Bionic devices, iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
iOS 18 will still get security updates for about a year or two after iOS 19 release... iOS 17 is the minimum version required by some apps right now so you should still be able to download app updates...
iOS 18 will still get security updates for about a year or two after iOS 19 release... iOS 17 is the minimum version required by some apps right now so you should still be able to download app updates...
Keep in mind the security patches that older iOS versions get are not as secure as the latest iOS.
Apple selectively patches only extremely critical issues on n-2 versions of iOS.
In terms of app compatibility, the iPhone 11 will work for years to come.
Apple selectively patches only extremely critical issues on n-2 versions of iOS.
In terms of app compatibility, the iPhone 11 will work for years to come.
So far I've gotten three years of use (and counting) and both my phones were a year and a half old when I got them.
Daughters are notoriously hard on phones, and damage insurance on old models is unlikely, so I would worry more about physical protection [cases] than I would about the phones aging out. Maybe encourage different colors or whatever for each kid's [strong] case.
Also note that IIRC the 11 may have been before the iPhones became really physically bombproof like they are now. Today I use no case but I use phones hard, and in the past most of my cases physically fell apart in <6 months. It may be cost-effective to watch their cases closely and encourage case replacement when needed or even just for girlish whims.
Also note that IIRC the 11 may have been before the iPhones became really physically bombproof like they are now. Today I use no case but I use phones hard, and in the past most of my cases physically fell apart in <6 months. It may be cost-effective to watch their cases closely and encourage case replacement when needed or even just for girlish whims.
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I don't think so, because they're still selling it? Probably 2 more years? They haven't dropped the XR yet.
They haven't sold the 11 in years. The 14/14 Plus are the current 'low end' outside of the SE.
I don’t see Apple dropping the Xs and 11/Pro the same year