Apple Disclosed iOS 17 Adoption Numbers Prior to WWDC24: A Good Sign for iOS 18?
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Apple shared the latest adoption statistics for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 before WWDC 24 started. Apple calculates these statistics based on the iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on June 9, the day before WWDC kicked off.
Apple shared that 86% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years and 77% of iPhones overall have upgraded to iOS 17. As for iPads, 77% introduced in the last 4 years were using iPadOS 17 and 68% of all iPads have upgraded to the latest iPadOS. Interestingly, 14% of all iPhones are still using iOS 16, while 9% are using an even earlier version of iOS. 17% of iPad users are still using iPadOS 16 while 15% are using an older version of iPadOS 16.
Around the same time last year, Apple shared that iOS 16 adoption reached 81%, while only 53% of iPads were running iPadOS 16. The pace of both iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 adoption has been faster than for iOS 16 and iPadOS 16.
Overall, iOS and iPadOS 17 adoption rates offer an important predictive lens through which Apple can anticipate and plan for the release of iOS and iPadOS 18. Apple’s goal is to maximize user satisfaction and engagement with iOS 18, which will hopefully lead to even faster adoption than iOS/iPadOS 17.
One alarming statistic is the overall number of iPhones and iPads that haven’t upgraded beyond iOS/iPadOS 16 or are using even earlier versions. 23% of all iPhones and 32% of all iPads haven’t yet made the leap beyond iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. These numbers suggest the biggest threat to iOS/iPadOS 18 could be device compatibility. While we don’t know for sure, it’s possible many of these users will need a new device to enjoy Apple’s latest and greatest operating systems. Maybe that’s why we’ve seen Apple increase trade-in values towards a new device.
iPhones and iPads Supporting iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence
Only the newest iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will gain Apple Intelligence as part of iOS 18. This excludes the newest iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15. Here’s a complete list of iPhones capable of running iOS 18.
- Phone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone SE (second generation or later)
Here’s a list of the iPads capable of running iPadOS 18. Note that only iPads with an M1 chip or newer will be capable of running Apple Intelligence, iPadOS 18’s most powerful feature. Here’s the complete list of iPads that will support iPadOS 18:
- iPad Pro (M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
- iPad Air (M2)
- iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (7th generation and later)
- iPad mini (5th generation and later)
If your device isn’t on the list, maybe you’re among the users who have yet to try iOS 17. It might be worth exploring trading in your device or selling it via third-party retailers and upgrading. Keep an eye out for carrier deals as well. Given the hype around iOS 18, we expect Apple to continue to encourage trade-ins and carriers to offer more promotions. iOS 18 is packed full of new features and will mark a new era for iOS and artificial intelligence. Don’t miss out.
