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Questionable Rumor Suggests iOS 13 Will Drop Compatibility for iPhone 5s Through iPhone 6s [Updated]

MacRumors said:



A questionable and unconfirmed rumor from Israeli site The Verifier suggests that Apple's iOS 13 update, expected to be previewed this summer at the Worldwide Developers Conference, will drop support for a number of iPhones and iPads.

The site says iOS 13 will be unavailable on the iPhone 5s, iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus, all devices that are compatible with iOS 12.

iPhone-5s-800x586.jpg

As for iPads, The Verifier believes Apple will drop support for the iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, and possibly the iPad mini 4. The sixth-generation iPod touch is listed as a device that will also be incompatible with iOS 13.

If this rumor is true, and we don't know that it is because The Verifier did not provide details on where the information is from or how it was obtained, it would see Apple dropping support for three generations of iPhones at one time, a move that seems somewhat unlikely.

Apple aims to provide software updates for its iOS devices for as long as possible. Both iOS 12 and iOS 11 offered support for the iPhone 5s and newer, the iPad mini 2 and newer, and the iPad Air and newer. At the time iOS 12 launched, some of those devices were five years old.

Dropping support for everything up to the iPhone 7 would leave iOS 13 compatible only with iOS devices from 2016 or later. Two of those devices, the iPad mini 4 and the sixth-generation iPod touch, are current-generation devices, though they may not be by the time iOS 13 launches as updates for both are in the works.

To cast further doubt on the site's claims, it lists the iPhone 6s as a device that won't support iOS 13 without naming the fifth-generation iPad. Both the fifth-generation iPad and the iPhone 6s use the A9 chip.

The Verifier claims that in addition to dropping support for iOS 13 on a wide swath of devices, Apple will also restrict some iOS 13 features to newer models to "make as many users upgrade to the latest models of iPhones." While it's true there are sometimes iOS features limited to newer devices because of hardware limitations, Apple has a long history of supporting older devices for years after launch.

The Verifier has previously provided semi-accurate info on Apple's plans. In 2017, for example, the site said Apple would bring Group FaceTime to iOS 11. We did get Group FaceTime, but not until iOS 12.1 in 2018.

Update: The Verifier has updated the original article to list the lack of iOS 13 support for the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s as "questionable" rather than concrete.

Article Link: Questionable Rumor Suggests iOS 13 Will Drop Compatibility for iPhone 5s Through iPhone 6s [Updated]
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If this is true, I'm sure I am not alone is saying that this is BS. The devices can perfectly handle the update I'm sure. IMO, Apple will shoot themselves in the foot if they do this. Who would buy an overpriced Apple device when they will stop updating it in 2 years? Look at the people who bought the first Apple Watch...they helped make the product a success while taking a chance on new product and spending hundreds of dollars on it...just to have Apple stop updating it couple years later.

I know I will not be buying anymore Apple devices.
 
The whole thing is fried bologna sandwich, in my humble opinion! Now, if it doesn't support any iPhone that has less than 2 GB of RAM (e.g., older than iPhone 6S or iPhone SE), then it's understandable.
 
HarryPot said:
Why would they continue selling the iPhone SE if it will no longer be supported later this year?

Makes no sense.... yet, I've come to expect such things from Apple.
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I think you’ve answered your own question. How would they get rid of stock after the new iOS was released without support? I have an idea where these SE’s posted on the site came from.
 
mtneer said:
This is great news for folks trying to keep their older hardware going for longer. This way they can escape the ravages of Apple's software engineers optimizing their latest OS to their latest hardware.
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I actually sometimes wonder how fast iOS 7 would be on some of the older devices.
 
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Are they really gonna use iOS 13 or will they chicken out and jump straight to 14?
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AngstyKylo said:
I actually sometimes wonder how fast iOS 7 would be on some of the older devices.
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I was running iOS 9 on my 6S as late as October last year (and only had to stop when the phone itself died). It was amazingly fast. Best iOS they ever made. Wish I could use a skin to go back.
 
I can see the 5s/iPad mini 2, even with 12 those got pretty slow. 6 and up run fine on 12. I bet 6 is the cut off.
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AngstyKylo said:
I actually sometimes wonder how fast iOS 7 would be on some of the older devices.
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I have a iPhone 4 i can sell you, if you really want to know..
 
AngstyKylo said:
I mean iOS 7 on like an iPhone 8.
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I know but I coulndt help myself.. iOS 8 and 9 were a blur to me, the only iOS device I had at the time was a iPad 2 and it sucked with everything past iOS 6. I got back into iOS with 10 when I got a iPhone 5C. Went to a 6 after that and ditched that with 11 because it sucked, went to an 8 and now with 12 my 6 is usable again with a new battery. Oh well. Thats Apple life.
 
There's no way they will drop support for the A9 but continue for the A10. The high performance cores are just higher clocked A9 cores, and the 4 cores do not work together at the same time. the efficiency cores are just that, efficiency. They are not powerful

The GPU in the A10 is also a half step up from the one in the A9, it's not even the "next gen" version of what was in the A9

Plus the LPDDR4 ram is identical, and the quantity was the same across all devices (2GB)

They're so similar in performance that it just doesn't make sense to not support A9 devices but support A10

Further, apple still sells them in some markets and just stopped selling them last year. Apple supports devices at least two more years, usually three from the last retail date.


I don't buy it.


I could believe no iPhone 5s and maybe 6, sure. But the 6s and all A9 devices, but A10 devices get support? I do not buy that.
 
It would be strangely out of character for Apple to drop support for so many models, particularly the 6S and SE — the latter of which was still being sold in their online clearance store as of last week [CORRECTION: as of today!] — after it used the iOS 12 keynote to tout the support and speed increases given to older models.

It’s quite possible they will drop support for all these models, but I have my doubts....with my iPhone SE clutched tightly in my hands. ;)
 
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Lol, this is the most ******** rumour I've ever heard
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dumastudetto said:
iOS 13 is expected to be a substantial upgrade with a radical home screen overhaul. It's logical that older devices will be unable to support these advanced new features and technologies from Apple. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect all people using iPhone 6s and older to upgrade this year.
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Not gonna happen
 
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Well that's fine but if true I will be buying android. If I don't get as much support there is no reason to own iPhone since I won't be buying another Mac now that they cost a fortune and reliability has gone to crap. The only reason I pay more is for better support and better Mac integration.
 
If true, this shows how desperate Apple is to get customers to buy the XR or whatever they introduce later this year.

The 6s though? Really? What a typical crappy Apple move, it's still a really good phone.
 
I highly doubt Apple will drop support for the 6s and SE. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the 1 Gb ram 5s and 6 get dropped though.

These rumors are stupid.
 
freddiebarnes said:
I highly doubt Apple will drop support for the 6s and SE. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the 1 Gb ram 5s and 6 get dropped though.

These rumors are stupid.
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There is still hope for iPhone 6. Carriers are stilling selling iPhone 6. I am not sure if Apple has completely stop manufacturing iPhone 6 or not. But up until now, iPhone 6 are still being sold.

If Apple decides to drop iPhone 6, that means iPod Touch 6th generation, iPad Mini 4 and iPhone 6 will all got dropped. Considering Apple is still selling iPad Mini 4 currently, I highly doubt Apple will drop any A8 devices.
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aleni said:
Lol. That thing is ancient and only has 1GB of ram. Do you think it can handle iOS 16?
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Just saying you can still buy brand new iPhone 6 on the market right now. And Apple is still selling iPod Touch 6.
 
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Just when you thought Apple ran out of ideas to gimp your device to force upgrade. Now it makes sense why Apple bundle core apps like Maps, Siri, Safari, FaceTime, etc. with iOS updates so the device is rendered useless when updates stop. In comparson, core apps on Android can be updated from app store independently of OS updates. Clever engineering for obsolescence.
 
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If Apple wanted to limit functionality of older phones to boost sales, I think it would just be easier for Apple to provide updates per normal, but withhold certain new desirable iOS 13 features from the older models. They have done this in the past. Fewer customer complaints, and Apple still encourages upgrades to newer devices.
 
I actually think that this might be a good way for Apple to keep up sales.
Making sure that iOS runs smooth even on older devices while declaring iPhones older than 3 (4?) years as obsolete.
I find this rumor to be quite realistic.
 
SE and 6s will get another year. Basically iOS 13 will be tuned for 2GB Memory baseline, anything less than 2GB wont run. Swift 5.1 will make a big entrance into every iOS 13 component, these rewrite should also mean there will be new user experience changes in UI.

The sad part with every new rewrite and redo of UI, is that they tends to be unoptimised at launch, so everything you see with iOS 12 performance gain will likely be wiped out.
 
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