The same iPhone models that received the current iOS 14 will receive iOS 15 too. This means that every phone released since the iPhone 6s will have yet another year of software updates. The iPhone 6s will get iOS 15, and every newer iPhone will receive the update as well. This is great news for Apple customers, as it once again proves that the company is the best when it comes to long-term smartphone software support.
Here’s a list of all the iPhones that will get iOS 15:
It is still unclear whether all of the older iPhone models will support all of the new features. Previously, Apple has indeed removed some features from new iOS versions on older phones. The explanation was always that the older hardware couldn’t cope with the extra options found on software. Of course, we can expect that most of the new FaceTime features that need Apple’s Face ID sensors to work won’t be available for the older iPhone design, which is found on the 6s, 7, 8 and SE models. We’ll see what other improvements and features will come in a ‘lite’ form due to the hardware limitations on these devices.
Some of Apple's new iOS 15 features rely on Face ID
Support
As with every new iOS release, this one once again brings out the question of whether it will be the last new iOS that your iPhone will receive. If your question was will the iPhone 6s get iOS 15, or any other older model that got iOS 14 last year, then you have your answer. But if your question is how long iPhone 6s will be supported, then the simple answer is not much longer.
We had our doubts on whether iOS 15 was going to be too much of a hassle for Apple to make it work on the iPhone 6s’ 2015 hardware, but they pleasantly surprised us once again. But we think the time of software support left for Apple A9 chip devices is running out, and this will probably be the last new iOS the phone will receive. After all, the 6s is going to be 6 years old in September, so good job Apple on keeping this fan-favorite device updated for so long.
The iPhone 6s has always been a fan favorite because of its performance
The iPhone 7 is another story. Here things are different compared to the 6S because of its different processor, and while this might sound like a strange reason to make a big difference, just hear me out. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus use the Apple A10 Fusion chip. There’s nothing interesting to say about the A10, except that it was the first quad-core processor in an iPhone.
What makes the difference is the fact that this processor is also used in a 2019 Apple device. Yes, a 2016 processor made its way into the 7th generation iPad 10.2. At the time Apple was introducing the vastly superior A13 Bionic chip. The 7th gen iPad 10.2’s release date is all that matters here. As you know, Apple is very persistent in offering at least 4 years of updates for all of its devices. It has been two years since the iPad 10.2’s release. This means that the iPhone 7 is looking at at least another two years of fresh iOS software.
The 7th gen iPad 10.2 uses a processor from a 2016 iPhone
Of course Apple could always make up a reason not to update the iPhone 7 models, but because of its decision to put the exact same processor in a 2019 iPad, such a decision cannot be justified.
As far as the rest of the older iPhones goes, you have nothing to worry about, as all of them should be supported for years to come.
Iskren, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been passionate about technology since his childhood, sparked by his early experiences with phones like the Ericsson T28 and Sony Ericsson P910i. After earning a bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism, he turned his fascination with smartphones into a career, with a particular interest in Apple and Motorola. Outside of his tech pursuits, Iskren enjoys watching TV series, movies, driving, and has a deep passion for cars and Formula 1. He looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly the potential of rollable smartphones.
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