Upgrade Your Apple Devices: What You Need to Know
If you’re using an older Apple device, it’s time to upgrade to the most recent version of the operating system available. Why? Apple wants users to upgrade to the latest version of the device OS as the company works to expand its product ecosystem.
Here’s what you need to know about upgrading your Apple devices.
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Upgrade to access services
To persuade users to upgrade, Apple plans to turn off access to services for devices running older versions of macOS 10.13, watchOS 4, iOS/iPad OS 11, and tvOS 11, according to a recent leak. But don’t worry – those devices will still be able to access iCloud. It’s only necessary to upgrade the device to the latest version of the OS available to them.
What happens if you don’t upgrade?
If you don’t upgrade, those devices will no longer enjoy access to the App Store, Maps, Siri, and other Apple services. For most users, the impact of the change will be limited. Apple’s own data shows that 87% of all the iPads and 92% of all the iPhones in active use worldwide already run operating systems released in the last two years (iOS 15 or 16). When it comes to iPhones shipped in the last four years, 96% already run the most current version of the system.
Security risks of running older devices
Those running older iterations of the operating systems shouldn’t do so because they could risk exposure to security vulnerabilities usually secured against within these updates. The very small number of users running legacy iPhones will be affected if they run older versions of the OS, but those devices would be at least nine years old.
Enterprises that rely on older devices are already exposing themselves to risk. Threat actors have far more vulnerabilities to exploit on older devices running old versions of Apple’s operating systems, after all. Using older devices is a security risk.
Possible fundamental change on the horizon
While security is clearly a driver for Apple’s change, it is also possible the company is preparing to implement major changes for its online services that may not be supported by older devices or on older operating systems.
It seems plausible that the company might want to constrain mobile device support to certain processor families. The first Apple-designed, TSMC-made iPhone chips began to appear in 2014 with the iPhone 6, which will continue to run Apple services so long as it is upgraded to the latest OS.
What does the future hold?
In related news, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 are expected to abandon support for the iPhone 8, iPhone X, first-generation iPad Pro and fifth generation iPad when it ships later this year. This suggests Apple has defined its active support window for iPhones as around five years, meaning fleets must be upgraded to iPhone XR or later to access any new features introduced with iOS 17.
This also suggests that part of the rationale behind these changes is the introduction of services features that require a more modern processor. If that is the case, it may relate to the Neural Engine on iPhones dedicated to AI and machine learning tasks.
What you need to do
If you’re using an older Apple device, it’s time to upgrade to the latest version of the operating system available. As support for older devices rapidly approaches an end, some hardware investment may be required for enterprises running fleets of older devices.
In conclusion, it’s time to upgrade your Apple devices to access the latest features and secure your devices against security vulnerabilities. As Apple works to expand its product ecosystem, you don’t want to be left behind with outdated technology.
KEYWORDS: Apple, Upgrade, OS, devices, Security, Vulnerabilities, Legacy Devices, Support, iOS,
