It is the end of an era for Apple and many of its devices.
Apple announced during this year's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) that its newly launched iOS 17 would drop support for two of its own iPhone models - the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X.
Apple released the iPhone 8 on Sept. 22, 2017, while it launched the iPhone 10 on Nov. 3, 2017, per Apple's respective announcements for these devices.
An iPhone 8 on display at an Apple Store on September 22, 2017 in San Francisco, California.
Apple iOS 17 Support Details
Apple revealed during WWDC 2023 the new features and improvements coming to its devices through iOS 17, the latest operating system for many of its devices.
According to Apple's statement, iOS devices capable of installing iOS 17 will have personalized contact posters to give users a new way of expressing themselves, live voicemail that provides real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and even the addition of audio and video messages, reactions, and extends to Apple TV via FaceTime.
Additionally, Apple added the ability for users to create Live Stickers by lifting objects from photos, an expandable menu for its Messages app, and Check In, a feature that lets users notify people if they arrived at a certain place safely.
Furthermore, Apple is also bundling a new app called Journal that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling, new mental health features for the Health app, and greater protection for Private Browsing in Safari.
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There are more features awaiting people who can download and install iOS 17 on their phones, but not everyone can do so. According to The Verge, Apple also revealed the iOS devices that can support iOS 17; phones as far back as the 2nd Generation iPhone SE can support the operating system without issue.
However, people who still use an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X (the base model) will no longer get more OS updates from Apple in the future; the company have officially dropped support for the two phones. To be specific, here are the iOS devices that couldn't run iOS 17:
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
As such, the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR are the oldest iOS devices that can support iOS 17 when it becomes available this fall, though it won't get every new feature that comes with the update.
Apple's announcement debunks the leak made by the same person who accurately revealed the presence of the Dynamic Island of iPhone 14 Pro models ahead of their official launch, per Macrumors. According to the leaker's information, all iPhones that support iOS 16 will indeed support iOS 17, including all devices powered by A11 chipsets - the iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone X).
Apple iOS 17 Release Date
Apple made the developer beta of iOS 17 available to members of its Developer Program starting June 6, while the company plans to open a public beta sometime in July at beta.apple.com.
While Apple didn't mention when it is releasing its iOS 17 software update, Tom's Guide mentioned that the company could release it sometime in mid-Sept. 2023 based on past precedence - the iOS 16 came out on Sept. 16, 2022, while the iOS 15 arrived on Sept. 12, 2021.
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