The next major update coming to iPhones around the world will almost certainly be called iOS 15, and we expect to hear all about it at the company’s WWDC 2021 conference expected to take place in June this year.
Little is known about iOS 15, but a number of rumors have given us an idea as to whether your iPhone will be able to download the latest software when it comes out – and it differs according to iOS 14 compatibility.
Any phone that could download iOS 13 was also compatible with the latest iOS 14 software released in 2020 before the iPhone 12 series was unveiled. iOS 14.4 is the latest upgrade, and it was released before the end of January 2021.
But what’s the latest news we know about iOS 15? We’ve scrutinized the biggest rumors so far to let you know as best we can if your phone will be upgraded.
iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone SE (2016)
If you own the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, or original iPhone SE, it is unlikely that you will be able to upgrade to iOS 15. That’s the hard truth, and while it hasn’t been confirmed yet, we have it from at least two sources now.
The iOS 14 upgrade was available on these three devices, but that wasn’t to be expected in and of itself, as many had expected Apple to drop support for those devices in the 2020 upgrade.
While this isn’t confirmed, it would make sense for Apple to discontinue support for these older devices, given that they are all over five years old by the time iOS 15 lands and some are even older than that.
The switch to iOS 15 doesn’t mean your phone is useless, but if you’re looking for the latest features and security updates you’ll want to move to a more modern Apple smartphone or an alternative.
iPad Air 2, iPad (2017) and iPad mini 4
It’s also likely that these three iPad models won’t be able to download iOS 15, or rather the company’s offshoot software likely called iPadOS 15, when it lands.
We haven’t heard this specifically from major sources yet, but it would make sense for the company to drop the next generation of its devices from the iOS 15 update, so keep an eye out for when the iOS 15 details come in.
iPhone 7 and above
Do you have an iPhone 7 or a smartphone from Apple released after 2017? You will probably still be supported by iOS 15. There is currently no guarantee for this and we will have to wait for the official confirmation from Apple before we know for sure.
All the leaks thus far have suggested that iOS 15 is coming to all devices older than the iPhone 7 series so we tend to agree with those sources and hopefully it will be positive news for you.