How Long Does Apple Support iPhones? | RefurbMe Blog (2024)

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How Long Does Apple Support iPhones? | RefurbMe Blog? ›

Apple's commitment to supporting its iPhones is impressive, often extending beyond six to eight years, far surpassing the support lifespan of most Android devices. If you're curious about the longevity of your iPhone's support or considering an upgrade, this guide will provide you with the necessary insights.

Apple's commitment to supporting its iPhones is impressive, often extending beyond six to eight years, far surpassing the support lifespan of most Android devices. If you're curious about the longevity of your iPhone's support or considering an upgrade, this guide will provide you with the necessary insights.

As of June 2024, Apple supports the following versions of its operating systems for bug and security updates: iOS 17, iOS 16 and iOS 15. When iOS 18 launches in September 2024, it is likely that Apple will drop support for iOS 15 and with it support for the iOS iPhones 7, 6S, 6S Plus and 1st gen SE.

It'll be supported until 2027 with security updates so it'll be usable until then. iOS 19 in 2025 might be the last software update it gets though. This. Apple supports iPhones for 7 years beyond the initial release.

The 6s and 6s Plus, alongside the 1st generation SE, are the longest supported iPhones ever released, through seven major versions of iOS from iOS 9 to iOS 15.

Most iPhones tend to get between six and eight years of support, which is way more than almost everything you can find in the Android sphere. If you want to update your iPhone or know if your current handset supports the latest iOS 17, you've come to the right place.

When an iPhone becomes obsolete, it means Apple will no longer support it. This means you can't get it repaired and it rarely receives iOS security updates—if ever. This is a big deal as if your iPhone doesn't receive updates, there is no way of keeping it secure.

Apple classifies iPhones as obsolete when they've been discontinued for more than seven years. This means Apple will no longer provide hardware service or software updates for these devices. Essentially, you're on your own when it comes to repairs and security patches.

The iPhone 6S was introduced in 2015, making it obsolete between 2020 and 2023. The iPhone 7 was introduced in 2016, making it obsolete between 2021 and 2023. The iPhone 8 was introduced in 2017, making it obsolete between 2023 and 2024.

According to rumors circulating on the web, theiPhone XX could be launched in 2030, and there are already several rumors about new features that could be included. One of the main innovations could be 6G technology, which would enable an even faster internet connection than the current 5G.

What happens when a phone is no longer supported? ›

And those are arguably more important than the latest version of Android. However, once a phone officially reaches its end of life (EOL), all updates will stop. You'll no longer get new features, nor will you see occasional security patches or bug-fixing updates.

There will be some legacy protection in terms of the patches you've applied over the lifetime of the device, but your phone is no longer going to be prepared for newer exploits and malware attacks, and that puts your data at risk.

With the release of iOS 17, there are three more iPhone models that won't run Apple's latest mobile operating system: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Apple stopped providing feature upgrades for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 series with the release of iOS 16 last year. Those phones still run iOS 15.

Apple offers five years of OS and security updates to iPhones. A 5-year-old iPhone 11, which was launched with iOS 13, still runs the latest update i.e. iOS 17. So if you buy a brand new iPhone today, you should be good till 2028 on the software bit.

If you paid upfront for 12, 24, or 36 months of coverage for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch you might be able to continue coverage on an annual basis when the service period is over. If you pay annually, your annual plan will renew each year until canceled.

Most Apple software and hardware products include unlimited complimentary support incidents within the first 90 days of product ownership, or longer if required by applicable law. Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch Hermès come with 2 years of complimentary support.

Apple's online support provides the most comprehensive support information available from Apple. Apple online support inlcudes software updates and utilities, technical support and product information and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you still need help buying an AppleCare plan, contact Apple Support. In most countries and regions, you can buy AppleCare+ within 60 days of your device purchase.