A leaked device compatibility list suggests that Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update will support the same iPhone models as the current 17 software.
This information comes from a leaker who shared accurate information in the past. This is the first time we’ve heard that iOS 18 will not cut off some of Apple’s older devices compatible with iOS 17, including iPhone XR and iPhone XS (2018).
In other words, iOS 18 should work on all iPhone models from iPhone XR onward, including the second and third-generation iPhone SE. Meanwhile, iPadOS 18 may drop support for the iPad models running the A10X Fusion chip.
iOS 18 should support the same iPhones as iOS 17
The post was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, and it has since been deleted. However, this was likely because the account prefers to keep a low profile, and many of its previously-deleted posts contained accurate information.
Apple’s operating systems target chipsets instead of specific device models. iPhone XR, the oldest model allegedly supported by iOS 18, runs Apple’s A12 Bionic chip. The situation is a little bit different on the iPad side of things.
iPadOS 18 said to lose support for 2017’s iPad Pros
The oldest iPads that run the current iPadOS 17 operating system are the 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch second-generation iPad Pros (2017), both powered by A10X Fusion.
This is a souped-up version of Apple’s A10 chip with 30 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent faster GPU performance than its predecessor, the A9X. However, iPadOS 18 will likely not support those iPad Pros.
As MacRumors notes in a separate post, this indicates that iPadOS 18 will not run on any devices powered by the A10X Fusion, including the sixth-generation and seventh-generation iPads. In other words, iPadOS 18 should support 2018 and later iPad Pro, 2019 and later iPad Air, 2019 and later iPad mini and 2020 and later iPad.
When will Apple release iOS 18 and iPadOS 18?
Apple is expected to preview iOS and iPadOS 18 at the WWDC24 in June. If the company sticks to the same pattern as in years past, developers and public beta testers will have a chance to get their hands on those work-in-progress software updates throughout the summer as Apple is putting finishing touches on them.
iOS 18 should be released to the public before new iPhones in September. Meanwhile, iPadOS 18 should arrive the following month ahead of new iPad announcements in October. Both updates should bring generative AI features, with iOS 18 rumored to bring design changes to the iPhone’s user interface.