When the rumored iPhone 16 lineup is officially announced at Apple’s event in just over a week, it will include iOS 18, which Apple already detailed at its developer conference earlier this year. But if you don’t plan on upgrading to a newer iPhone model this year, you could be left behind with an operating system that’s no longer supported by Apple.
Typically, each year, some older iPhone models are removed from Apple's iOS compatibility list. Last year, for example, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone x were left off the compatibility list. That meant iPhone owners couldn't update to iOS 17 and missed out on some important features.
We'll help you find out if your iPhone will be compatible with iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence. Not sure what's in the new update? Here's a rundown of the biggest announcements from WWDC, including an overview of iOS 18.
iPhones compatible with iOS 18
We have good news: If you had an eligible phone last year when you updated to iOS 17, that device should still be compatible with iOS 18. According to AppleThis means you won't have to buy a new phone to try out most of the new software features.
In other words, if you have an iPhone from the Model year 2017 or earlier (iPhone 8 or iPhone x), you can't update to the latest iOS, but your phone should still work, albeit without the latest updates.
Is your iPhone compatible with Apple Intelligence?
While your older device will still be able to support the latest version of iOS, you likely won't be able to try out the Apple Intelligence beta just yet. Unless you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max (the high-end 2023 models), your iPhone is not eligibleIt's a safe bet that the new iPhone 16 models will be fully compatible with Apple Intelligence, but we'll have to wait for official details at the event on September 9.
