In June we can expect Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference again, the annual conference for software developers that often showcases major updates for iOS, macOS and more. It is also occasionally announced which iPhone models are no longer supported, for example when iOS 13 was presented. There are rumors that certain phones will no longer be supported by Apple this year.
According to the French website iPhoneSoft The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will no longer be supported, in addition to the iPhone SE from 2016. Also some older iPads, including the Mini 4, Air 2 and the iPad 5, will no longer be provided with new updates by Apple.
Apple is known for supporting its phones for extended periods of time (so goes the iPhone 6s has been around for almost six years), but sometimes the end is really near for certain models. Where iOS 14 was released for all models that also ran on iOS 13, iOS 15 will probably not be available for every smartphone.
3.5mm jack is a thing of the past
In November last year there were rumors that some models will no longer be supported and as we get closer to WDDC it seems that this is becoming a reality. According to iPhoneSoft, which relies on a source from Apple, iOS 15 will not appear on iPhones with an A9 chip, which would cover the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and the first iPhone SE. It should come as no surprise that iPads with the same or an older chip will no longer receive an update, including the iPad Mini 4, the Air 2 and the iPad 5.
This also means that iPhone owners now have to say goodbye to the 3.5mm jack headphone output and the physical home button. The iPhone 6s phones are the last models with these functions. Apple itself will probably have to swallow: the iPhone 6s has turned out to be one of the most successful iPhone models and helped Apple reach its milestone of a billion iPhones sold.
Time for a replacement?
With regard to iOS 15, the question remains what to expect. It is almost certain that there will be a new iPhone this year that will make optimal use of the new operating system.
So it remains to be seen whether it is worthwhile to replace your old iPhone 6s with a new model that will support the operating system. Usually older phones can run on an outdated operating system for a while and on top of that, Apple continues to roll out security updates for older models from time to time.
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