Apple iOS 17 Drops Support for iPhone 8, iPhone X

Apple has just announced that iOS 17 will not support models below iPhone X and iPhone 8. Both phones were released in 2018, the same time the Cupertino tech giant announced the Face ID.

Apple Dropping Support for iPhone 8, iPhone X Models

Apple releases its latest operating systems every year, meaning the company will leave some older generations of its models. During Apple's 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote event on Monday,

The Verge reported that the company finally announced the newest iOS 17 with several new features. But Apple is dropping support for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models, which means they will miss out on the next iOS upgrade.

These models were launched in 2018, which likely confirmed the theory that any iPhone released in the last five years would not work on the new iOS. Apple reportedly requires iPhone models with the A12 Bionic chip or later chip to install the latest iOS, making iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR the oldest devices eligible for the new update.

However, that does not mean these eligible iPhone models will get all the added features. Apple Support previously said, "Your features and apps may vary depending on your iPhone model, region, language, and carrier." Apple Insider reported that users are usually directed to a feature compatibilities list. But at present, it still needs to be updated regarding iOS 17.

Apple iOS 17 New Features

According to Engadget, eligible iPhone models will have access to newly added features. That includes the Live Voicemail transcript, Standby display mode, more interactive widgets, and the new in-app purchase feature, StoreKit Views.

It will also include the improved iMessage and FaceTime and more customization options for the Lock Screen. The gesture-based reactions with AR effects in Facetime and the much-improved auto-corrections to the keyboard will only be available to iPhone 12 or newer model users.

Aside from these features, there will also be a new accessibility feature called Point and Speak to help people with vision disabilities interact with text in their environment. Unfortunately, this feature will only support the Pro models of the iPhone 12, 13, and 14.

9To5Mac reported a complete list of all iPhone models compatible with iOS 17, and that includes iPhone XS and XS Max, iPhone XR., iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 12 and 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 13 and 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd gen).

iOS 17 will be available later today as beta software, where developers can test and add some notes to improve the experience. For the public beta release, the newest update will be available next month and will be followed by the official release this coming fall. Developers can visit Apple's website to learn more about iOS 17.