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According to a new leak, iOS 27 will drop support for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the second-generation iPhone SE. Anyone wanting an iOS 27-compatible iPhone will need at least an iPhone 12.
iOS 27 will be officially unveiled at WWDC on June 8th. The past few days have brought several leaks detailing new features: the redesigned Siri interface with a glow effect, undo and redo functionality for the home screen, and other improvements. Now comes news that some iPhone users are unlikely to be happy about: according to a Weibo leak, four older iPhone models will no longer receive the update.
The information comes from Weibo user Instant Digital, who has a history of accurate Apple leaks. He published a list of iOS 27-compatible iPhone models – and four currently supported devices are missing. If the leak is true, this would mark the second consecutive year that Apple has significantly restricted compatibility.
These iPhones are losing update support
According to the leak, the discontinuation affects the following four models:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
All four devices can currently still run iOS 26, but will not be able to upgrade to iOS 27. The new minimum requirement would be the iPhone 12. For the iPhone SE, only the third generation will be sufficient in the future.
If the leak is confirmed, this would be the second major compatibility reduction in a row. Last year, Apple already removed the iPhone XS generation from the update list with iOS 26 – although the second-generation iPhone SE was still included at that time.
Why Apple is cutting corners on compatibility
The reason for the reduction lies in the performance limitations of the older chips. According to previous reports, iOS 27 brings numerous new features, many of which rely on modern hardware. The A13 Bionic chips in the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2 are no longer efficient enough to handle many of the planned innovations – especially in the area of Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 12, on the other hand, uses the A14 Bionic chip, which is significantly more energy-efficient thanks to its 5-nanometer manufacturing process. This allows Apple to ensure that iOS 27 runs smoothly on all supported devices – even though many of the more exciting features will only be available starting with the iPhone 15 Pro, as they require Apple Intelligence.
iOS 27: What this means for users
Anyone currently using one of the affected models doesn't need to worry about their iPhone suddenly becoming unusable. iOS 26 will continue to receive security updates – Apple provides such patches for older iOS versions even years after the end of feature support.
However, anyone who wants to take advantage of the new features in iOS 27 – such as the revamped Siri or the leaked Wallet and Visual Intelligence features – will need a newer iPhone. For those already considering an upgrade: The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be released in September – a convenient time to switch if your current device is no longer supported.
Apple is expected to confirm the final compatibility list at the WWDC keynote on June 8. (Image: Shutterstock / DANIEL CONSTANTE)
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