Apple's upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, scheduled for June 8, is set to introduce the next generation of iPhone software: iOS 27. While the tech giant is expected to roll out a beta version on the same day, followed by a public release later in the fall, not all existing iPhone models may be eligible for the new operating system.
Which iPhone Models Might Miss Out?
Following trends from previous iOS rollouts, it is anticipated that Apple may discontinue software support for certain older iPhone models. This would mark the second consecutive year the company has dropped support for older devices, after ending updates for iPhone XS models last year.
Reports indicate that four specific iPhone models, currently running on iOS 26, are likely to be incompatible with iOS 27. These include:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
This suggests that iOS 27 may exclusively support iPhone 12 and newer models, along with the iPhone SE (3rd generation) and subsequent iterations.
What This Means for Affected Users
For owners of the iPhone 11 series or the second-generation iPhone SE, the news means their devices will not receive the full suite of new features, design changes, or advanced artificial intelligence capabilities introduced with iOS 27. While these phones will continue to receive vital security patches, bug fixes, and other maintenance updates, they will miss out on the latest innovations.
Furthermore, advanced features like Apple Intelligence are reportedly reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and the very latest generation models. Users eager to experience all the new functionalities expected to be announced at WWDC 2026 may need to consider upgrading to a newer iPhone model.