Apple's iOS 17 may drop support for iPhone X, original iPad Pro

AppleInsider

A new rumor claims that the forthcoming iOS 17 will specifically drop support for 2017's A11 Bionic processor, and all the devices using 2015's A9 or A9X -- but there's a curious gap of devices that will keep support.

Apple's iPhone X

Apple famously supports its older iPhones with updates for far longer than Google does Android phones, but eventually it does stop updating them. In 2022, the then-new iOS 16, for instance, dropped the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and iPod touch.

The iPhone 6s was released in 2015, and the iPhone 7 in 2016, so it's to be expected that iOS 17's release would see an end to updates for iPhones from 2017. However, a new rumor claims that it's more complicated than usual.

The devices rumored to be being dropped, comprise ones running three specific processors.

• iPhone 8 (A11 Bionic)


• iPhone 8 Plus (A11 Bionic)


• iPhone X (A11 Bionic)


• First-generation 9.7-inch iPad Pro (A9X)


• First-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro (A9X)


• Fifth-generation iPad (A9)

Half of the models being dropped are iPad or iPad Pro models that use the A9 or A9X processors from 2015. The other half are iPhones that all use the A11 Bionic from 2017.

Normally, whatever the technical reasons for cutting off support to any one specific device, the age of the processor is key. Yet if this rumor -- spotted by MacRumors -- is correct, that's not quite what is happening this time.

The sixth and seventh generation iPad, from 2018 and 2019 respectively, use the A10 Fusion processor. The iPhone 7 with the A10 Fusion was dropped in iOS 16.

The A10X processor from June 2017 is in the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, the second generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the original Apple TV 4K.

Nonetheless, if iOS 17 is unable to support all the same devices as iOS 16 did, that could support other rumors that this year's update will be more significant than expected.

Read on AppleInsider

tht

So, this iPadOS version will be the last version supported by my iPP10.5. Frankly surprised I’ve used it that long. 

daalseth

Even if true, it’s still amazing how long they do support old hardware.

mike1

tht said:

So, this iPadOS version will be the last version supported by my iPP10.5. Frankly surprised I’ve used it that long. 

I've been expecting my 9.7" iPad Pro to lose updates for at least two cycles now.

multimedia

Just in time to upgrade my A9X 9.7” iPad Pro to an 11” M3 iPad Pro.

tht

mike1 said:

tht said:

So, this iPadOS version will be the last version supported by my iPP10.5. Frankly surprised I’ve used it that long. 

I've been expecting my 9.7" iPad Pro to lose updates for at least two cycles now.

Yes. Apple could support the iPP10.5 for another couple of cycles if they so choose. It has 4 GB versus 2 GB in the iPP9.7. That's a big difference in terms of how much OS it can run. So, another 2 cycles in the iPP10.5 could be possible. 8 GB RAM iPads with the page file on? They could continue to support that with OS updates until the hardware bits (NAND, RAM) start to fail.

entropys

replaced my IPP 10.5 with the current IPP 11 last week. TBH, apart from stage manager and a few other little things, it just feels a tad snappier. And the battery lasts twice as long as the one in the heavily used 10.5.
oh, and I no longer see that annoying stage light about two inches above the home button on the IPP 10.5.  But I don’t see why the 10.5 can’t be supported anymore.

And what about the Apple TV? As I recall the A10X was used in the 4K versions sold up until the end of 2021.

I think the issue, if true, will be ram related.

edited April 2023

dewme

entropys said:

replaced my IPP 10.5 with the current IPP 11 last week. TBH, apart from stage manager and a few other little things, it just feels a tad snappier. And the battery lasts twice as long as the one in the heavily used 10.5.
oh, and I no longer see that annoying stage light about two inches above the home button on the IPP 10.5.  But I don’t see why the 10.5 can’t be supported anymore.

And what about the Apple TV? As I recall the A10X was used in the 4K versions sold up until the end of 2021.

I think the issue, if true, will be ram related.

Same exact update for me. I still use the 10.5” iPad Pro with Sidecar and it’s still plenty snappy. Best thing about the M2 iPad Pro is how well it works with the Magic Keyboard and 2nd Gen Apple Pencil. 

My previous second tier iPad was the original 12.9” Pro but it succumbed to the most frequent iPad Killer that I’ve experienced over the life of all iPads that I’ve owned - battery bloat. It was too big for sofa based use cases. 

Strangely, my iPad 2 is still chugging along. That thing is amazing. Not the fastest and not endowed with the crispest screen Apple has ever done, but thing is still working and is decently functional if you’re not in a hurry. 

edited April 2023

fidonet127

Another rumor came out that all the same devices will be supported.