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On June 5th, Apple is scheduled to reveal iOS 17, iPad OS 17, and a new version of MacOS at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC 2023).
Nonetheless, it is expected that some handsets, such as the iPhone X from 2017, may lose software support this year. This is the case despite the fact that the iPhone X was the first Apple device to have Face ID and had a redesigned appearance.
According to MacRumors, which cites a reliable source for this information, Apple may discontinue support for the iPhone X, all models of the iPhone 8, the first generation of the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, and the fifth iteration of the iPad.
It would appear that the A11 Bionic chipset is included in the vast majority of these smartphones. Nevertheless, iPhones and iPads that contain the A5 through A11 processor are affected by a bootrom security vulnerability that Apple is unable to cure; hence, Apple may be considering ending support for devices that feature the A11 chip or an older version of the chip.
However, there may be a few exceptions, such as the iPad models from the sixth and seventh generations, which were offered with the A10 Fusion chip, and the iPad Pro models from the second generation, which were available in 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes and were powered by the A10X Fusion chip.
MacRumors states further that possessing the bootrom vulnerability enables devices to be jailbroken and will result in the change of iOS system files. This is presumably the fact that is concerning for Apple, as it is likely the vulnerability that was exploited.
Apple’s iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 updates from the previous year removed support for a number of older mobile devices, such as the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, original iPhone SE, final iPod touch, second-generation iPad Air, and fourth-generation iPad mini. Among the other devices affected by this change was the Apple TV 4th generation.
