Every year, Apple rolls out an upgraded version of its iPhone operating system, bringing new features, performance improvements, and enhanced security to its devices. This year, the company is preparing to release iOS 26, the latest update that promises to significantly change the iPhone experience. While the update will reach millions of users worldwide, not every iPhone model will be eligible for the new software.
According to Apple’s announcements, iOS 26 will most likely be made available to the public next week following its official unveiling at Apple’s fall event. The update introduces a series of innovations, most notably the Liquid Glass feature—a design enhancement for smoother animations and transitions—and a set of AI-powered tools under Apple Intelligence. These artificial intelligence functions are expected to be the highlight of the update, providing iPhones with more intelligent suggestions, personalization, and automation.
However, the rollout of these features will not be uniform across all devices. Apple has confirmed that AI capabilities under Apple Intelligence will be exclusive to the most powerful models—namely, the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, the upcoming iPhone 16 series, and the yet-to-be-released iPhone 17 series. The reason lies in the hardware: these advanced features demand the A17 Pro processor or newer, which older models simply cannot support.
Despite this limitation, iOS 26 as a whole will still be accessible to a wide range of iPhones. Apple has drawn a clear line in terms of compatibility: the new system will be available only for iPhone 11 or later models, effectively cutting off support for devices released in 2018 and earlier. This means that iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR—once flagship models—are now officially excluded from software support. For users of these models, iOS 25 will be their final upgrade.
For eligible devices, the update list is extensive. The following models will receive iOS 26:
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 15 series (including Pro models)
- iPhone 16 series (launching later this year)
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and newer)
This ensures that millions of users with relatively recent devices can still benefit from Apple’s annual software enhancements.
One of the key points emphasized by Apple is that, while unsupported models will no longer receive iOS 26 or future updates, they will continue functioning with their current systems. However, there are drawbacks to this: without access to new updates, older iPhones become more vulnerable to security threats, malware, and hacking attempts, since each new iOS version also delivers critical bug fixes and security patches. Over time, the lack of updates can make these devices less safe and less compatible with new applications.
This policy of phasing out older iPhones is not surprising. Apple has followed a consistent pattern of discontinuing support for aging devices to focus resources on optimizing performance for newer hardware. By doing so, Apple ensures that the latest versions of iOS run smoothly and efficiently, avoiding the lag and instability that older devices might suffer if they attempted to run feature-heavy modern systems.
