After some recent disasters, Apple got its act together with iOS 12.2, it's a rock solid release and you should upgrade. But with the new iPhone 11 and iPhone XR2 designs attracting serious criticism, the news is breaking of a very unpopular way Apple may use iOS 13 to drive sales. 

In a shocking new report, specialist site iPhonesoft.fr states iOS 13 will drop support for the iPhone 5s, iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as the iPad mini 2 and iPad Air. Given the iPhone 6 range is the largest selling iPhone generation of all time (220m units) and, along with the iPhone SE, still sold today the move would leave millions of iPhone owners unexpectedly out in the cold.

Why unexpectedly? Because iOS 12 still supports the iPhone 5S, so Apple would be killing two generations of iPhone in one release for the first time. Given that the iPhone 5S got an expected reprieve with support in iOS 12, perhaps we should not be surprised. But when devices are still being sold, I'm sure new iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone SE owners will consider it a low blow.

After all, when iOS support is lost devices not only miss out on new features but also vital security patches. This causes their second-hand value to plunge and the iPhone SE, in particular, is just three years old and runs on iPhone 6S hardware. Consequently, I've asked Apple for a response and will update this post if I get a reply.

In Apple's defence, it is worth pointing out that iPhones receive significantly longer support than any Android phone. In fact, even Google only guarantees three generations of Android support for its Pixel flagships and that was recently upgraded from two. In contrast, while iPhone SE owners will be furious, the iPhone 6 has benefitted from five generations of iOS to date.

And yet I suspect the real reason why iOS 13 may wield the sword to so many models is that Apple needs to motivate owners of older iPhones to upgrade. iPhone sales are falling and it is no secret that the new iPhone designs do not set pulses racing. They are also missing 5G which, fairly or not, is already being used as a strong differentiator by rivals.

All of which means Apple may have to mine the biggest selling iPhone generation of them all. Yes, iPhone owners are famous for being loyal but with iOS 13 Apple looks ready to put that assumption to the test.  

Source: Forbes