Recent market rumors indicate that Apple plans to discontinue major operating system update support for four prominent smartphone models with the upcoming official release of iOS 27. According to detailed information shared by technology leaker Instant Digital ahead of the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2026), scheduled for June 8, significant aesthetic modifications and new structural software adjustments will cause the operational lifecycle of these specific devices to definitively conclude with the current iOS 26 version.
The mobile devices affected by this planned discontinuation of software support would include all members of the premium product lineup originally launched in 2019, alongside a specific mid-range model: the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the second-generation iPhone SE.
Apple is likely to discontinue updates for the iPhone 11 series and the 2nd Gen iPhone SE, which means iOS 26 would be their last OS.
Should this market speculation be confirmed, the installation and deployment of iOS 27 will strictly require users to own, at a minimum, an iPhone 12 or a subsequent generation device. The listed models will no longer receive new ecosystem functionalities, although the manufacturer typically maintains the periodic distribution of software patches focused exclusively on data security and critical vulnerability fixes for a prolonged period of time.
Even with the scheduled termination of support for these older hardware devices, the brand’s history reflects the notable longevity of Apple’s update policy within the competitive global mobile telephony sector. For the iPhone 11 family, this lifecycle conclusion represents a total of six years of major operating system upgrades. Meanwhile, the second-generation iPhone SE will record a slightly shorter support period, a characteristic that industry experts generally attribute to its market positioning as a lower-cost option within the company’s retail product catalog.
Up to the present moment, Apple has not issued any official statement regarding the complete future compatibility list for the upcoming mobile operating system. Beyond the ongoing discussions concerning the operational lifecycle of devices, the annual developer conference is expected to serve as the main platform for presenting various other technological innovations, including a redesigned version of the virtual assistant Siri featuring innovative integrated capabilities powered by advanced generative Artificial Intelligence technology.