A leak by an Apple insider has revealed which devices have access to the latest software updates – and it could be disappointing for some iPhone and iPad users.
The good news, according to a generally reliable report from iPhoneSoft, is that any device that already has iOS 18 should be able to update to iOS 19 when it’s unveiled next year.
That means anyone with an iPhone XS, iPhone
Meanwhile, anyone still using an iPhone X and iPhone 8 will miss out as Apple ends support for these popular devices.
And even Apple fans with more recent devices may no longer have access to some of the most exciting developments.
Thanks to the massive computing requirements of Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI software, iPhones older than the iPhone 15 Pro won’t receive everything the update has to offer.
But it will be iPad users who are in for the biggest disappointment, as Apple withdraws support for a very recent model.
According to the leak, the seventh-generation iPad will not be upgraded to iOS 19, despite not being released until 2019.
An Apple insider has revealed which Apple devices will be compatible with the latest software updates, and it could be bad news for some iPad users (stock image)
The iPhone Besides the iPhone XS, these will be the oldest devices that are compatible with the latest software
After Apple products are released, they typically only receive software updates for a certain number of years.
In the past, iPhone models were able to run the most recent version of iOS for up to seven years after they were discontinued.
However, Apple has gradually increased the number of years it will continue to provide support, making it harder to predict when a product will disappear.
While Apple has remained coy on details, the tech giant is expected to release iOS 19 around September 2025, following the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
According to this latest leak, the oldest iPhone model compatible with that update will now be the iPhone XS and XR, both released in 2018.
This shakes up previous predictions from experts, who suggested that Apple would not continue to support these older devices with the latest software.
Tech analysts at CCS Insight previously told MailOnline that they expected iOS 18 to be the last major update for these models, with support ending in 2025.
However, this leak does confirm expectations that the older iPhone X and iPhone 8, both released in 2017, would lose software support.
The leak says that any device currently compatible with iOS18 will be compatible with iOS19. However, Apple Intelligence features are likely limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer (stock image)
Seven years after Apple discontinues a product, it is officially considered obsolete, meaning anyone still using these devices cannot have them serviced or repaired.
Both the iPhone
Likewise, this leak suggests that all iPads that can currently run iPadOS 18 will be compatible with iOS19, with the exception of the seventh-generation iPad.
This iPad model, released in 2019, was the last version to use Apple’s A10 chip.
Due to the increased demands for new software features, it is believed that the minimum requirement to run iPadOS 19 is the A12 chip, which was only included in an iPad in the eighth generation model in 2020.
Fortunately, this means that every other iPad model should be able to run the latest operating system.
With iOS18 still receiving regular updates, Apple hasn’t hinted much about what we can expect from iOS19.
If the company follows the same pattern as in previous years, we can expect developer previews of the software to be released in June 2025 and a public release in September.
The seventh-generation iPad is expected to lose software support next year, leaving users without access to the latest features. This is despite the fact that this model will only be released in 2019
However, rumors already suggest that Apple may not have too many new features in store.
As reported by iPhoneSoft, an Apple insider claims that they “haven’t launched the slightest feature for the next operating system, which is a first for him.”
Similarly, veteran Apple analyst Mark Gurman has suggested that the overrun on work on iOS18 has not provided enough time to get next year’s software ready.
Writing on
‘That will also lead to a long-term rollout of functions in the next cycle. Engineers are stuck working on iOS 18 projects when they would normally already be working on the next operating system.”
That certainly seems likely considering that some of iOS18’s flagship features, like on-screen awareness and personal context for Siri or personalized lock screen notifications, have yet to be released.
But with almost a year until the expected launch of iOS19, it’s still too early to predict what Apple might prepare.
Apple has been contacted for comment.