iOS 27: Will Your Older iPhone Be on the Guest List?
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Apple’s 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference is just around the corner, and with it will come the big reveal of iOS 27. It’s an exciting moment that promises a wave of new features, but for some, there’s a catch: the point where older iPhones are often left behind.
We’ve already heard our fair share of rumors about the new things that iOS 27 will bring to the table, including major Siri improvements, generative AI tools in Photos, more powerful visual intelligence features, and even the ability to create your own passes in Apple Wallet.
However, not everyone will be able to take advantage of everything iOS 27 has to offer — and if your iPhone is too old, you might not be able to enjoy this year’s software update at all. How old, I hear you ask? Let’s break it down.
These Are the iPhones That Will Support iOS 27
In a report last month Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared a list of the iPhones that will support iOS 27. While the list is pretty big, some older devices will unfortunately be left out.
Here’s the full list:
- All iPhone 17 models (17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and 17e)
- iPhone Air
- All iPhone 16 models (16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and 16e)
- All iPhone 15 models (15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max)
- All iPhone 14 models (14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max)
- All iPhone 13 models (13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max)
- All iPhone 12 models (12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max)
- iPhone SE (2022)
Surprisingly, the complete iPhone 12 lineup is not ready to say goodbye just yet, as those will be the oldest iPhones to support iOS 27. However, this is most likely the last big software update these devices will support, so it might be a good idea to start thinking of a replacement.
So Long, iPhone 11
The biggest news about this rumor is that the iPhone 11 will no longer support new software updates. Likewise, Apple is also expected to drop support for the 2020 iPhone SE.
The iPhone 11 launched in 2019, and it was the lineup that launched the new Pro and Pro Max versions, while the second-generation iPhone SE came out a few months later in March 2020. All of these models arrived with iOS 13, giving them six years of major software updates.
With that said, it’s worth noting that the iPhone 11 lineup and the 2020 iPhone SE will still almost certainly receive security updates over the next couple of years in the form of iOS 26 point releases, so you can still rock your older iPhone without having major security issues.
Get Ready for iOS 27
As you can see, most older iPhones will still support iOS 27. If you have an iPhone 12 or a later model, you’ll still be able to install this year’s new software update. Of course, you might not have access to all the new features, as some of them will be exclusive to the newer iPhones, but that’s a story for another time.
It’s also worth noting that, so far, these are only rumors. While it’s very plausible that Apple will drop support for the iPhone 11 and 2020 iPhone SE, we can’t know for sure until the company confirms it. Still, if you have an iPhone 11 or even an iPhone 12, you might want to start saving up some money right now.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
