Apple Will Stop Releasing Software Updates for These Devices
Apple has a long history of supporting its devices with software updates for many years after they are released. Apple has been providing frequent updates to iPhones, iPads, and Macs for more than five years. However, over time, some devices become too old to support and Apple removes them from the software update cycle . When it comes to updates for the 2024 versions of iOS, watchOS, macOS, and iPadOS, the situation is a bit mixed.
Good news for iPhone users
iOS 18 will be available for every iPhone that can currently run iOS 17. After the iPhone X was excluded from updates last year, I was worried about the fate of my trusty old iPhone Xs Max. Luckily for me, Apple decided to keep the update for another year.
It’s worth noting that all the shiny new Apple Intelligence features coming to iOS are reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro series only for now. Unless you have one of these or plan to upgrade to one of the new iPhones released this fall, you’ll have to live without Apple’s AI features for now.
These Apple Watches won’t get watchOS 11
Unfortunately, this is the end of the road for the following Apple Watch models, which will not be able to update to watchOS 11:
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Apple Watch series 4
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Apple Watch series 5
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Apple Watch SE (1st generation)
Two MacBook models won’t get macOS 15
Apple will not provide macOS 15 Sequoia for the following MacBooks that were still supported last year:
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MacBook Air (Retina, 13 inches, 2019)
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MacBook Air (Retina, 13 inches, 2018)
Please note again that all Apple Intelligence AI features will not be available on any Intel Mac. To upgrade to macOS Sequoia, you’ll need an M series Mac.
Some iPads won’t get iPadOS 18
Finally, Apple won’t ship iPadOS 18 to the following iPads:
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iPad (6th generation)
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iPad Pro 12.9 inch (2nd generation)
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iPad Pro 10.5 inches
Again, the Apple Intelligence features included with iPadOS 18 won’t be available on all models—you’ll need an iPad with an M-series chip to use these features.
While this is the end of the road to major version updates for all of the devices listed above, Apple may continue to release important security updates for them for some time to come.