iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia and watchOS 11 bring exciting new features, but some of them might not arrive on older iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, even if you can run the new software. Which features won’t older devices get? We rounded up everything we can find that won’t make it to aging gear.
Your old iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch will miss out on these new features
When Apple’s next operating systems arrive later this year, they will run on a wide array of devices. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 support several old iPhones and iPads. Despite that, some of the more resource-hungry features of the upgraded operating systems won’t come to those devices, primarily due to the aging hardware. It’s the same with watchOS 11, which works with Apple Watch Series 4 and later models. However, some of its features will only be available on Series 7 and newer variants.
Table of contents: iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and watchOS 11 features older devices will miss out on
- Apple Intelligence
- Satellite Messaging
- Live Audio Transcription in Notes
- Eye Tracking and Music Haptics
- Express Mode
- Tap to Cash
Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence — the term for Apple’s suite of AI-powered features — is the most notable thing in iOS 18, iPadOS and macOS Sequoia that will not come to older iPhones, iPads and Macs. Apple’s AI features will only arrive on the A17 Pro-powered iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. On the iPad side, Apple Intelligence will only come to M1 and newer iPads with iPadOS 17.
To access Apple Intelligence-powered features on macOS Sequoia, you must own an Apple silicon Mac. Besides, Apple Intelligence will initially only work with U.S. English.
Without Apple Intelligence, users with older iPhones, iPads and Macs will miss out on several features.
Writing Tools
Photo: Apple
Apple Intelligence’s system-wide Writing Tools can quickly summarize long group chats or lectures, proofread your text, change the tone of an email, and more. Think of it like Grammarly but on AI steroids with more powerful, smarter capabilities.
Priority Notifications
Photo: Apple
The new Priority Notifications feature can automatically surface important notifications and, more importantly, summarize them. It can help you quickly catch up on unread and important notifications in apps like Mail and Messages. There’s even a new Focus mode called Reduce Interruptions that uses AI to determine important notifications and display only the ones that need urgent attention. Since Priority notifications are a part of Apple Intelligence, non-iPhone 15 Pro users won’t have access to it.
Genmoji and Image Playground
Image Playground in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia will let you create AI-generated images with just a few prompts. Similarly, using Genmoji, you can input a prompt to create any custom emoji using AI that will help you express yourself better. You can even pick a picture from within the Photos app and turn it into an emoji with your own customizations for sharing with your friends and family.
Siri
Photo: Apple
The new Siri experience in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia is heavily AI-powered. Thanks to this, the voice assistant promises to be a lot smarter, more conversational, and better at understanding your commands. It will even have on-screen contextual awareness and can take actions across apps. But you must own the iPhone 15 Pro, an M1 or newer iPad, or an Apple silicon-equipped Mac to enjoy the new Siri experience.
ChatGPT integration
Since older iPhones and iPads will miss out on Apple Intelligence, they will also lack ChatGPT integration. So, Siri cannot hand over queries to ChatGPT for more complex requests. On Mac, you will miss out on ChatGPT integration in Writing Tools.
Satellite messaging
Photo: Apple
Apple is improving the Messages app in iOS 18 to let you send texts over satellite connectivity. You can even receive messages, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage. As this feature requires an iPhone with satellite connectivity, it is only coming to iPhone 14 and newer devices. Additionally, it will only work in the United States.
Live audio transcription in Notes
iOS 18’s Notes app will allow you to record audio notes and generate live audio transcriptions for them. You can add your own comments or search through the transcriptions as well. This feature will come to iPhone 12 and newer models.
Express Mode
iOS 18 introduces an Express Mode that can automatically unlock doors as you approach them. Alternatively, you can hold your iPhone near the lock to unlock the door. Since the feature requires Apple’s U1 Ultra Wideband chip to work, it will only come to iPhone 11, Apple Watch Series 6 and later devices. The lock must also support Ultra Wideband for Express Mode to work.
Eye Tracking and Music Haptics
Photo: Apple
A new Eye Tracking feature in iOS 18 will allow you to control your iPhone with your eyes. This accessibility option will work on iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 12 and newer devices running iOS 18. In iPadOS 18, the feature will work on iPad 10, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 3, iPad Pro 11-inch (third-gen), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (fifth-gen) and later models. The new M4 iPad Pros are also supported.
Similarly, Music Haptics, which syncs the iPhone’s Taptic Engine with a song’s rhythm, will only work on iPhone 12 and newer devices.
Tap to Cash
The new Tap to Cash feature in iOS 18 and watchOS 11 allows you to transfer Apple Cash to a friend or family member by simply tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch to their iPhone/Apple Watch. On watchOS 11, the feature is only available on Apple Watch Series 7, Apple Watch SE (2nd gen), and Apple Watch Ultrahttps://www.cultofmac.com/790254/apple-watch-ultra-launch/ models.
Below is a quick compatibility list for easy reference:
- Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, M1+ iPads, Apple silicon Macs, U.S. English only)
- Writing Tools (summarize chats, proofread text, adjust email tone)
- Priority Notifications (AI-powered notification summary)
- Genmoji (create custom emojis with text prompts)
- Image Playground (generate AI images from prompts)
- New Siri (more intelligent, conversational, cross-app actions)
- ChatGPT integration (missing on non-compatible devices)
- Satellite Messaging (iPhone 14+ only, U.S. only)
- Live Audio Transcription in Notes (iPhone 12+)
Accessibility Features
- Eye Tracking (iPhone SE [2022], iPhone 12+, iPad 10, iPad Air 3, third-gen iPad Pro and later models)
- Music Haptics (iPhone 12+)
Other Features
- Express Mode (iPhone 11+, Watch Series 6+, Ultra Wideband lock required)
- Tap to Cash (Apple Watch Series 7, Watch SE (second-gen), Apple Watch Ultra)
If your iPhone, iPad or Mac will miss out on the majority of new features that Apple’s next-gen operating systems will bring, consider upgrading to a newer device later this year.
