Questionable Rumor Says iOS 13 Will Drop Support for iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and iPhone SE

[DeepIn2U]

I can see the 6 and 6 Plus being dropped as they have 1GB of RAM and is almost 5 years old, but having the SE being dropped would suck.

This is but one way to force users to upgrade; via software compatibility. That said I doubt the SE will be pushed out.

Reasons "SE" will get iOS 13 support:
Current production
last months 3 fire sales
India

Apple will have to do MUCH better - either with pricing yet most likely with unique hardware to get users to upgrade; a very compelling reason:

iPhone 4s - Siri
iPhone 5s - TouchID
iPhone 6s - Speed, 3D Touch.
iPhone 7 - IP67 Water Resistance, Better Camera, Faster CPU/GPU, sweet Black Colour options
iPhone 8 - Bleh (Qi Charging was NOT enough)
iPhone X - FaceID, Wider Screen and OLED, much faster hardware and better cameras than the Plus!!

Next year, 2020 something BIG will hit.

 

[Phogro]

Nope, fraid not because these days people are usually locked into your eco system, this is particularly the case you Apple..

Yes, ecosystems help retain your customers, but they do not lock them in. That is absurd. Every person has a choice and if you upset a customer enough they can and will leave you no matter how strong your ecosystem is.

 

[realtuner]

Alternatively, they could simply hire competent programmers that can produce fast, non-bloated, properly multi-threaded code. Or give their current programmers time to optimize their code properly. But that requires the corporate mindset that they don't want to force old equipment into obsolescence unnecessarily, which of course they do want to do as long as it isn't blindingly obvious as that drives sales as a people's older device "get slow”.

This has to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve read here.

 

[Phogro]

Their primary growth strategy is upgrades.

Either you don't understand what 'Growth' means or you haven't been paying attention.

 

[Erikaaaaa]

Because Apple delayed new features to focus on bugs in iOS 12. 13 won’t be that way.

If they get greedy like that and do away with the 6S Plus, I’ll go back to Android so fast my own head will spin!
Im sick & tired of apple’s B.S. First, they break my home button while replacing the battery (back when they had the battery problem & were selling them for $30 instead of $80, when they should’ve been replacing THEM FOR FREE as part of the recall), then they don’t tell me about it (luckily I pressed it before I walked out the door and they had to replace the whole phone cause it was too close to closing time for them to fix it), so they replace my phone (which had a brand new battery in it) with one that doesn’t have a new battery in it & then proceed to tell me that if I want a new battery I have to pay $80 for it! Why would I DO that when I already paid for a new batterybut YOUR TECHNICIANS BROKE IT?!! Shouldn’t I get a phone that has a battery comparable to the one I had before my phone was broken?!! Ugh!
I would have NO problem switching to android which you can replace the battery on yourself!

 

[mi7chy]

With Apple's greed it wouldn't be surprising for all the devices with headphone jack like the 6s and recently still sold SE to be dropped to drive people to buy AirPods with 3x more latency.

 

[code-m]

I obviously meant the first gen Pro.

Even the 1st Gen Pro had 2-4GB RAM, and the A8 processor is quite capable even today, those were introduced with A9X chips with the performance between an A9-A10.

Why are we even talking about the iPad Pro anyhow, there is nothing wrong with the hardware and is not limited in any way, most apps do not even take advantage of what the Pro has to offer.

 

[boltarus]

The iPad Mini 4, which Apple was selling as new just a couple months ago, certainly won't be unsupported, and has an older processor and the same amount of RAM. The iPod Touch, which they are still selling, has the same 4" screen, and is also not going to be unsupported. So the only reason to discontinue support for the SE and 6 would be planned obsolescence — something Apple has never done. It would be a major change in corporate policy for them, and at a time when their customer base is already exasperated over problems with keyboards and outrageous pricing with no low-end models, it would be a truly stupid move. I don't believe it will happen, but if it were to happen, it would be a good time for me to consider my commitment to Apple products going forward. Again, though, I think this is an incorrect report that represents a complete lack of understanding of how Apple operates.

 

[Erikaaaaa]

Time to make some money after all those lawsuits.

Wait....I’m outta the loop... what did they get sued for?? I probably heard about it but just can’t remember. Thx!

 

[code-m]

Nope, fraid not because these days people are usually locked into your eco system, this is particularly the case you Apple..

I use both iOS and AndroidOS, and am not locked into any eco system. If one does not shop around for cross platform alternatives who is at fault, plus it is quite easy to find cross platform compatibility with apps these days.

 

[aakshey]

Even the 1st Gen Pro had 2-4GB RAM, and the A8 processor is quite capable even today, those were introduced with A9X chips with the performance between an A9-A10.

Why are we even talking about the iPad Pro anyhow, there is nothing wrong with the hardware and is not limited in any way, most apps do not even take advantage of what the Pro has to offer.

Do you even read?

I wrote about four possibilities.

The least probable was dropping off everything pre A10. Within that I said even if that happens they may drop off A9X or make an exception.

Did you even read the post? The most probable possibility was dropping only 1 GB devices.

 

[code-m]

The iPad Mini 4, which Apple was selling as new just a couple months ago, certainly won't be unsupported, and has an older processor and the same amount of RAM. The iPod Touch, which they are still selling, has the same 4" screen, and is also not going to be unsupported. So the only reason to discontinue support for the SE and 6 would be planned obsolescence — something Apple has never done. It would be a major change in corporate policy for them, and at a time when their customer base is already exasperated over problems with keyboards and outrageous pricing with no low-end models, it would be a truly stupid move. I don't believe it will happen, but if it were to happen, it would be a good time for me to consider my commitment to Apple products going forward. Again, though, I think this is an incorrect report that represents a complete lack of understanding of how Apple operates.

I hope iPod Touch receives FaceID, however that may increase hardware cost. Though more iOS and macOS hardware receiving FaceID should technically lower the price to purchase in mass quantity. Large bezels on small handheld devices is comical.

 

[Dented]

But it is 4''
I'm not sure they'll change the UI in some way, but if they do getting rid of the smaller phones could help. And let me tell you as a developer I'm looking forward to having only bigger displays to work with, optimising an app for the Plus size phones and having to support the 5s and the SE can be a pain sometimes.

I don't think we'll see a major overhaul this year, so I think the SE will still be updated and I know many people still have it, but a new UI taking into account the fact that we have taller phones and no home button has to come sooner or later.
I'm fine with them dropping support for 6 and 6+, they're quite old and the fact you can't upgrade the OS doesn't mean you have to get rid of them, as apps like Whatsapp will support iOS 12 for a few years

I get you have some sympathy for them as a developer but any inconvenience they may have in optimising for a 4" screen is entirely their own doing. If the last 4" device had been the 5S, they could drop it this year (as most expect they will) and honestly everyone would be fine with that as it's an old phone. The SE is not. The SE is a relatively new phone that was introduced more than two years *after* the 5S. Apple chose to put it out there and capitalise on the remaining market for 4" phones, and continue selling it until very recently, therefore 4" phones are very much still part of their existing and current ecosystem and are going to have to be supported by ios 13.

 

[Defthand]

No way. Normally they cripple the old devices with the final update before dropping support.

It did seem as though Apple made changes to an existing OS to prepare older phones to coexist with next gen standards or services and it would cripple the older devices. Every iOS prior to iOS 12 did that. iOS 12 proved that older hardware wasn't inherently incapable. It proved that software can be accommodating if Apple allows it.

 

[Phogro]

but they could definitely support far more hardware than they actually do.

Apple has supported everything dating back to the iPhone 5s with iOS12. Is there a competing flagship smartphone that was released in 2013 that runs today's latest software by any other manufacture?

 

[code-m]

Do you even read?

I wrote about four possibilities.

The least probable was dropping off everything pre A10. Within that I said even if that happens they may drop off A9X or make an exception.

Did you even read the post? The most probable possibility was dropping only 1 GB devices.

I did, and to be frank that fourth possibility should have never been mentioned and possibly redacted. That would be like saying the XR or iPad Mini 2019 (aka. Mini 5) this year should be discontinued as we are moving on to 4GB as base requirement for iOS. What an outlandish possibility to make.

 

[Phogro]

Why? iOS 12 sped up older devices. My daughter's 5s was significantly faster in 12 than in 11 (this was true for my 7 as well). Going from 10 to 11 didn't slow the 5s down.

I was thinking exactly this, Apple can flip the switch whenever they need- Slow/Fast.

iOS 12's headline feature was performance improvements particularly geared toward older devices.

iOS 13's headline features will most likely be more user facing feature additions.

You can not usually do both in the same release.

 

[az431]

I don’t understand why a publication would re-publish a “questionable rumor” other than for click bait. A new low in journalism, though it’s a stretch to call MR journalism.
[doublepost=1557508704][/doublepost]

So what if it's true. Not going to miss the next animoji pack or dark mode.
If the older phones are dropped, there better be a good explanation as to why, otherwise we'll come to our own conclusion$

Your threat surely has Apple rethinking its position.

 

[Juicy Box]

I see where you're coming from but if you try and put yourself in Apple's shoes they'd probably have tons and tons of angry customers complaining about how a new update impacted the performance of their old phone because they don't keep up with the OS updates and just update when there's one available.

They could just let the user desire whether to upgrade, and then allow downgrades to older iOS versions if the new version's performance is undesirable;e to the user.

It would be good for everyone involved, well maybe not Apple as much, but definitely good for their customers.

 

[iop]

I used my 6 Plus for years before upgrading to the X. It was such a great phone

Im still using 6. Gonna continue for another 2 years if possible.

 

[aakshey]

I did, and to be frank that fourth possibility should have never been mentioned and possibly redacted. That would be like saying the XR or iPad Mini 2019 (aka. Mini 5) this year should be discontinued as we are moving on to 4GB as base requirement for iOS. What an outlandish possibility to make.

There was a rumour to that affect. That’s why I stated it.

 

[redheeler]

When has Apple ever dropped OS support for a device that it was selling as new just a year ago? Never.

8 GB iPhone 3GS (discontinued in September 2012, dropped by iOS 7 in September 2013) and 8 GB iPhone 4 (discontinued in September 2013, dropped by iOS 8 in September 2014). This is something you could have easily researched.

Edit: iPod Touch 5 deserves an honorable mention at 1 year, 2 months (discontinued in July 2015, dropped by iOS 10 in September 2016).

 

[L-Viz]

No support for SE and no new SE would mean, that I quit the Apple ecosystem altogether, canceling my music and iCloud subscriptions, selling my two macs.

 

[code-m]

If they get greedy like that and do away with the 6S Plus, I’ll go back to Android so fast my own head will spin!
Im sick & tired of apple’s B.S. First, they break my home button while replacing the battery (back when they had the battery problem & were selling them for $30 instead of $80, when they should’ve been replacing THEM FOR FREE as part of the recall), then they don’t tell me about it (luckily I pressed it before I walked out the door and they had to replace the whole phone cause it was too close to closing time for them to fix it), so they replace my phone (which had a brand new battery in it) with one that doesn’t have a new battery in it & then proceed to tell me that if I want a new battery I have to pay $80 for it! Why would I DO that when I already paid for a new batterybut YOUR TECHNICIANS BROKE IT?!! Shouldn’t I get a phone that has a battery comparable to the one I had before my phone was broken?!! Ugh!
I would have NO problem switching to android which you can replace the battery on yourself!

Don't believe all the B.S., I suspect the 1GB hardware requirement for iOS is where the truth lies. to my knowledge Apple stopped providing iPhone 6 hardware replacement in 2017 via phone carrier channels. iPhone 6S replacements are still being offered in 2019 via carrier channels.

When looking at iOS, RAM is the best indicator for lifespan and support. The question is does Apple start the clock for iOS support relating to RAM from the time it initially introduced the iOS device or the last it ceased to sell it. I suspect sell, that leaves iPad Mini 4 and SE to be supported for another 4-5 years if Apple discontinues iPhone 7/8 sales this year.

I see Apple having a problem, to get people into the ecosystem they kept the iPhone 6s/7/8 around with 2GB of RAM for profit, while on the other hand they will have to support that minimum RAM requirement for 4-5 years. If their shorten that support timeframe, it goes against their green initiative and in tune if you factor in shareholders interests, it becomes messy.

I feel Apple should have discontinued the sales of iPhone 7/8 in 2018 and reduce the cost of the XR, however that would still leave the SE in the mix. With all this said iPhone 7 maybe discontinued in 2019 and iPhone 8 in 2020, with 4 years iOS updates and support that will bring the 2GB requirement to 2024 since the last year of sale. Anyone purchasing an iOS device with 3GB of RAM today will not have to be concerned to upgrade for a very long time. However factoring the Apple trade-in program, I suspect things could change going forward compared to what was previously the norm.

 

[BootsWalking]

Their primary growth strategy is upgrades.

Not according to Mr. Cook it's not.