iOS 26 May Drop Support for iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max

A new rumor suggests that Apple's iOS 26 update may end support for iPhones powered by the A12 Bionic chip—namely the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. If accurate, these 2018 models would see iOS 18 (released in 2024) as their final major feature update.

The leak comes from a private X (formerly Twitter) account with a solid track record in OS compatibility predictions. While Apple typically provides security updates for years after dropping feature support, this marks a significant shift for users still on A12 devices.

iOS 26 Compatible Devices (Rumored)

According to the report, iOS 26 will still support:

• iPhone 16 lineup, including iPhone 16e, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max

• iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series

• iPhone 14 and 14 Pro series

• iPhone 13 and 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max

• iPhone 12 and 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max

• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max

• iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

• Upcoming iPhone 17 models

However, users of older models that do qualify may still miss out on certain features—especially AI tools under the Apple Intelligence umbrella, which are already limited to iPhone 15 Pro and newer due to hardware requirements.

What’s Next

Apple is expected to announce iOS 26—potentially alongside a rebranding of all operating systems using year-based names—at WWDC on June 9. The first developer beta should be available immediately after the keynote, with a public release expected in September 2025.