Last year, iOS 12 gave a stay of execution to older devices by supporting exactly the same iGadgets as iOS 11. This year, owners of aging iPhones and iPads may not be quite so lucky.
According to a new rumor, iOS 13 will not support the iPhone 5s, iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. On the iPad side, it will cut off support for the iPad mini and original iPad Air.
This wouldn’t be too much of a surprise since Apple typically withdraws support for a handful of older devices each year. Last year was a well-received exception. However, since there’s a limit to what can be done on older hardware, it may not be repeated by Apple for the 2019 upgrade.
Which years do these cover?
The devices that will supposedly be cut off range cover a range of years. The iPad mini 2 and first-gen iPad Air both date back to 2013. That means users would have gotten six years of support by the time iOS 13 ships to most users. The iPhone 5s also dates back to 2013. Faring a bit worse are the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Both of these devices, the first to come in multiple screen sizes, launched in late 2014.
The most disappointing would be the iPhone SE. While it visually resembled 2013’s iPhone 5s, it was only released by Apple in 2016, alongside the iPhone 7 generation. That means that Apple would be ditching it after just three years of support. Since many users are fans of its smaller 4-inch display, a vocal minority would likely be sad to see the end of it. Especially after Apple ditched plans for an iPhone SE 2.
There are a few things that are slightly odd about the list, however. Apple usually cuts off older devices based on their processor. The iPhone SE boasts the same A9 processor as the iPhone 6s, which is not on this list. That would make this something of a break in Apple’s usual approach.
Apple will no doubt answer questions when it showcases iOS 13 at WWDC in early June. For more on what we’re expecting to see from Apple’s next-gen mobile OS, check out the latest rumors here.
Source: iPhonesoft.fr
