iOS 15 rumors suggest iPhone 6s and iPhone SE won’t make the cut

Rumor mill: We’re still a few months away from Apple’s WWDC conference in June, when the company usually reveals its latest iOS iteration to the world. Every now and then – like with iOS 13 – Apple drops a few models from its supported devices list. According to French site iPhoneSoft, this year’s iOS update will likely bid farewell to the long-running 6s/6s Plus, the iPhone SE from 2016, and a few iPads, including the Mini 4, Air 2, and the iPad 5.

When it comes to getting an iPhone, Apple’s industry-leading device support is one of the many reasons why you’d consider owning one over a similarly priced Android alternative. And although the company brought iOS 14 to all iOS 13-compatible models, it’s now increasingly starting to look like iOS 15 will be dropping a few iPhone and iPad models when it arrives later this year.

Rumors around this topic started surfacing in November last year and have now reared their head again as Apple’s iOS 15 reveal and subsequent beta approaches its June 2021 window. According to iPhoneSoft’s insider source at Apple, iOS 15 won’t be arriving for A9-equipped iPhones, namely the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and the first-gen SE. Similarly, iPads running the same chip or older won’t be getting the update either. These include the A8-powered iPad Mini 4, the A8X-powered Air 2, and the A9-powered iPad 5.

The iPhone 6s (2015) and SE (2016) with their chunky bezels. Image Credit: ArsTechnica

Although all the aforementioned devices have enjoyed over five years of iOS/iPad OS updates up till now, it’s the 6s and 6s Plus that’ll likely stir the most emotions among iPhone fans. The 6s and 6s Plus were not only the last iPhones to ship with a 3.5mm jack and a physical home button, but they also helped push Apple past the one billionth sale mark back in 2016 and are still regarded as one of the most significant models in the entire iPhone lineup.

It remains to be seen what iOS 15 brings to the table; features owners of these older iPhones and iPads might miss out on, owing to their aging hardware. They will, of course, have a few years still left in them to carry on with day to day tasks, alongside security updates that Apple pushes out for such devices.