iOS 15: Apple to drop support for the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus and 1st gen iPhone SE

Apple may be dropping support for three classic iPhone models this year according to iPhoneSoft. The information lines up with an earlier report in November that suggested the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone SE will not get this year’s iOS 15 update.

The French publication, iPhoneSoft claims its information is credible as it came from a developer within Apple. It said (via Google Translate):

Here is the first list of Apple devices that will host iOS 15 beta next June, gleaned once again from our developer friend at Apple and who works in particular on the Plans app.

If the information accurate this would mean that iOS 15 would be compatible with the following devices:

• The 2021 iPhone series
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• 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)

This indicates that Apple plans to drop support for iPhones that are running on A9 chips and earlier. According to iPhoneSoft’s source, Apple is pushing for more AR features in iOS 15 and this would require iPhones on A10 chips or better to run optimally. 

Just to recap, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus originally launched back in September 2015 with iOS 9. Meanwhile, the iPhone SE made its debut in March 2016. While these devices won’t be getting the next update from Apple they still support iOS 14.

All three iPhone models have been very popular and have received a total of five generations of software upgrade from Apple which is remarkable.

This information lines up with the report from The Verifier last November. Going beyond that, iPhoneSoft also said that iPadOS 15 will probably be not available in the following models:

• iPad mini 4
• iPad Air 2
• iPad 5

This would mean the following models would receive the latest software update to the iPad ecosystem:

• The 2021 iPad lineup
• 12.9” iPad Pro
• 9.7, 10.5 and 11” iPad Pro
• iPad Air 3
• iPad Air 4
• iPad 6/7/8
• iPad mini 5

[SOURCE]

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