Rumor Claims iOS 15 to Drop Support for iPhone 6s and Original iPhone SE

[MacRumors]

Apple will drop support for the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus in next year's release of iOS 15, according to a rumor shared today by Israeli site The Verifier.

If the rumor is accurate, that would mean iOS 15 will be compatible with the following Apple devices:

• 2021 iPhone series
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone X
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone SE (2020)
• iPod touch (7th generation)

The site said last year that iOS 14 would be the last version of iOS that the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus would be compatible with, which wouldn't be a surprise as Apple often provides software updates for approximately four or five years after the release of a new device.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus originally launched in September 2015, followed by the iPhone SE in March 2016.

The Verifier doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to accurate leaks with both hits and misses, but it did accurately predict that iOS 14 would be compatible with all iPhones and iPod touch models able to run iOS 13.

There's no word on which iPads will be able to run iPadOS 15, but if iPadOS 15 is compatible with all iPads able to run iPadOS 14, it will work on the iPad Air 2, 3rd-gen iPad Air, iPad mini 4 and 5, 5th, 6th, and 7th-generation iPads, and all iPad Pro models.

Article Link: Rumor Claims iOS 15 to Drop Support for iPhone 6s and Original iPhone SE

 

[jprmercado]

Me to my iPhone 6S: “Time to retire, my good friend.”

 

[jonppa]

Still using 6S and no need to retire it, works perfectly. iOS 14 will be newest OS for almost year now and after that nothing dramatic happens in 1-2 years.

My iPad is running iOS 12 because support ended and works just fine. I don't know why I would need to upgrade it..

 

[Andres Cantu]

I'm assuming they'll drop support for the iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad (5th generation), and probably not the iPad Pro 12.9" (1st generation) nor the iPad Pro 9.7", since they did give the A8/A8X iPads one more year of support versus the iPhone 6.

 

[ghanwani]

What am I going to do? Concerned about PWM otherwise I’d get the 12 mini.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I look at this and think... maybe I should be keeping my phone for a few years longer than I do. Great motivation and great device support!

 

[PsykX]

Apple is the only company in the world to still support a 5-years old phone and push major updates that still bring new features. They will pull the plug after 6 whole years.

I still have one (to bring on vacations) and it still works fantastically well. Considering iOS 14 is its final version, it will ALWAYS work well.

I even have an iPhone 5 that works well, slightly slow sometimes, but it's definitely useable. Starting from iPhone 5S, planned obsolescence is no more.

 

[SchrodingersMartian]

I think that's enough time to support those devices after all they were released 5 years ago initially. We cannot expect for Apple to support outdated tech forever and that's a lot more generous than what Samsung or Google would have done.

 

[kenni417]

i kinda wish i kept my 6s. they had a good long run. other android phones from 2015 only lasted like 1.5/2 years max.

 

[jonppa]

Apple is the only company in the world to still support a 5-years old phone and push major updates that still bring new features. They will pull the plug after 6 whole years.

I still have one (to bring on vacations) and it still works fantastically well.

Yes and most of the apps support old OS versions quite long since too ..

 

[tranceking26]

My 6s has been in retirement for a fair while now, so this won't affect me.

But it's good to see support for devices go on for many years, the 6s, 6s Plus and SE are still more than good enough for some people.

 

[legis_arvum]

Stupid cowards. Drop support to fully functional working perfectly devices is nothing short than greedy pitiful treachery

 

[rp2011]

it’s vital that older legacy software be dropped regularly. It’s good for consumers and developers, even as some may wish they could drive a horse and buggy exclusively and beat that dead horse forever.
It’s why Microsoft and Intel have dragged behind Apple lately. Not moving forward and innovating is the reason most companies go out of business.
And in that specific case the reason we need choices from technological monopolies that can afford to drag their feet and offer whatever they want because lack of options and market share.

 

[rgeneral]

Still using 6S and no need to retire it, works perfectly. iOS 14 will be newest OS for almost year now and after that nothing dramatic happens in 1-2 years.

My iPad is running iOS 12 because support ended and works just fine. I don't know why I would need to upgrade it..

The only reason would be security updates.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Speaking of SE, T-Mobile is offering $215 trade-in if you get a line.

 

[kiranmk2]

Surprised they don't drop the iPhone 7/7 plus too. The S models normally get an extra year support compared to the non-S models.

 

[rgeneral]

Stupid cowards. Drop support to fully functional working perfectly devices is nothing short than greedy pitiful treachery

you have to move on. Over 5 years of support for internet facing device is quite long already.

 

[MrGuder]

Me to my iPhone 6S: “Time to retire, my good friend.”

YES!!
My 6s will deserve a full retirement party with confetti cake and party hats. It has been a workhorse and has never let me down. The latest iPhones are not yet pushing me to let go of my 6s. I'm considering waiting for next fall and hopeful for touch ID implementation.

 

[deevey]

Stupid cowards. Drop support to fully functional working perfectly devices is nothing short than greedy pitiful treachery

It's not like your 6 year old phone will suddenly stop working, they are just going to drop OS update support.

The majority of apps will continue working for years even on older OS's.

How many update versions do Android phones get normally ... Two, three maybe ?

 

[IG88]

Stupid cowards. Drop support to fully functional working perfectly devices is nothing short than greedy pitiful treachery

I don't typically think like this, but Apple absolutely dunks all over any Android mfg, including Google themselves, as far as supporting hardware for X length of time.

Yes it sucks that the 6s is probably perfectly capable of running iOS 15. But I have a hard time hating on Apple for ending major OS upgrades as of 2021 on a phone released in 2015.

 

[MrGuder]

I'm still amazed when I think that my 6s came with iOS 9 and I've updated to 10, 11, 12, 13 and everything went very smoothly. I'm going to stick on iOS 13.7 as it works very well and I don't need all the bells and whistles of iOS 14 (although I'm sure my 6s can handle it) I've been through many batteries (some my cost, some Apple paid) and it still performs as when I first bought it.

My 6s has been the best iPhone I've ever owned, the 2 GB of ram is a crucial part of it's performance all these years.

 

[aednichols]

It's nice that Apple is still releasing security updates for iOS 12, which is the last OS supported on the previous cohort of devices.

I wonder whether they are aiming for the even versions (12, 14) to be "LTS" releases that keep older devices secure.

 

[ediks]

I'm assuming they'll drop support for the iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad (5th generation), and probably not the iPad Pro 12.9" (1st generation) nor the iPad Pro 9.7", since they did give the A8/A8X iPads one more year of support versus the iPhone 6.

i think that the extra year for A8/A8X iPads was because of the 2GB of ram which iPhone6 didnt have

 

[reallynotnick]

What am I going to do? Concerned about PWM otherwise I’d get the 12 mini.

Get the new iPhone SE?

 

[legis_arvum]

you have to move on. Over 5 years of support for internet facing device is quite long already.

however, this is too clear an egregious example of poorly grounded planned obsolescence to be honest