These iPhones, Macs, iPads may not support Apple’s new software

1 month ago 2

iOS 26 is a huge improvement – but there’s one big problem

Next week, Apple will unveil major new software updates including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26, but rumors indicate these releases will drop support for a variety of existing devices. Here are the iPhones, Macs, and iPad that may miss out on the latest software.

iOS 26, macOS 26, and iPadOS 26 expected to drop support for several devices

Every year when Apple ships new software, it’s hit or miss whether those new updates will support all of the same devices as their predecessors.

For example, last year’s iOS 18 update supported all of the same devices as 2023’s iOS 17.

But this year, according to rumors from various sources, Apple plans to drop support for certain older devices.

iOS 26 is expected to drop three iPhone models:

iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR

iPadOS 26 is expected to drop just one iPad:

iPad (7th generation)

macOS 26 is expected to drop four Macs:

2020 MacBook Air with Intel
2018 MacBook Pro
2018 Mac mini
2017 iMac Pro

These lists may not prove final, but they offer the latest expectations for what Apple’s new software releases will bring.

It’s also worth noting that, as happens often from year to year, Apple may technically support a device while still withholding new features from it.

For example, many iPhones support iOS 18, but only a handful are compatible with Apple Intelligence. As a result, a whole host of iOS 18’s most powerful features aren’t actually available on the majority of devices that can run iOS 18.

Is one of your devices on the lists above? Do you expect you might consider buying a newer model as a result? Let us know in the comments.