Apple to Maintain iPhone Compatibility for iOS 19, But Drop Older iPads from iPadOS 19 [Rumor]

iOS 19 is rumored to retain the same iPhone compatibility as iOS 18, but a new report suggests that some older iPads may lose support in the upcoming iPadOS 19 update.

According to iPhoneSoft sources, iOS 19 is allegedly a relatively minor update, allowing Apple to continue supporting all the models compatible with iOS 18.

Good news for iOS 19: all currently supported iPhones are expected to receive the update, much to the delight of users. Our source explains that the relatively minor updates planned for 2025 justify this extended compatibility. Moreover, they mentioned that no new features have been developed yet for the next operating system—a first for them. Craig Federighi's team is said to be prioritizing quality improvements after recent criticisms, focusing mainly on iOS 18.X and visionOS.


Unfortunately, it appears iPad users won't get so lucky. The site's sources claim that Apple will require an A12 chip or newer for iPadOS 19.

Several iPad models will lose support with iPadOS 19, as the A10 chip in the iPad 7 has become too weak. Similarly, the 2017 iPad Pro will no longer be supported. Our source indicates that an A12 chip or newer will be required in 2025 for the update.

If accurate, you'll need one of the following models to run Apple's next software update for iPad:

● iPad mini (5th generation or later)
● iPad (8th generation or later)*
● iPad Air (3rd generation or later)
● iPad Pro (2018 or later)


*iPad 10 is on sale today for just $249.99, it's lowest price ever!

These predictions are not yet confirmed and are subject to change based on the features that Apple is able to finalize for iOS 19 and iPadOS 19. Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for more updates!