While many iPhone owners are still getting to grips with Apple’s iOS 16.4 update, there has been news about the company’s next big software release.
Reports suggest iOS 17 will feature a bunch of highly requested features when it lands (possibly) in the autumn. People are already speculating about what these new additions could be, such as more lock screen customisations and more options to choose default apps.
There’s only one problem: the brand-new operating system may not be compatible with iPhone models released before 2018.
These include the 2017 iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on the smartphone side.
As for Apple’s iPadOS 17, it reportedly won’t work on both the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2015 and 2016, respectively, and the 2017 iPad. The top-secret info comes from an online leaker with “a proven track record” for upcoming software updates, according to MacRumours.
Seeing as some people will still be getting mileage out of the iPhone X, the news is bound to come as a disappointment. If true, it basically means that iOS 17 won’t run on most devices powered by Apple’s A11 Bionic chip or older, barring some iPads that contain A10 chips.
Why is the iPhone X being left out? MacRumours claims an unpatchable vulnerability could be the culprit on devices that come with the A5 through A11 chip.
A technical hitch means Apple apparently can’t fix the issue on these devices, which allows users to gain access to the main software and alter how the phone works at the root. The process known as “jailbreaking” lets you choose a new operating system and install apps from unofficial stores, among other things.
Though it is legal as long as you’re not using pirated software, jailbreaking is frowned upon by manufacturers including Apple. By doing it, you also risk bricking your iPhone or voiding your warranty.
Beyond fun messaging and personalisation tricks, Apple’s software updates typically include critical security features that target bugs and vulnerabilities. iOS 16.4 came with a total of 33 fixes aimed at flaws in the Safari browser and in the core of the iPhone operating system.
More broadly, Apple’s reported iOS 17 support list makes sense. With the launch of iOS 16 in 2022, the company cut off support for the then six-year-old iPhone 7 , citing hardware limitations. The move was met with criticism online, with users pointing out that less powerful iPads were still getting the update.
The chances are that we’ll catch our first glimpse of iOS 17 at Apple’s developer’s conference in June. The company is also expected to reveal its mixed-reality headset, before an official release in September to coincide with the iPhone 15 launch.
