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>As an example, in Jan 2026, Apple published iOS 12.5.8 which provides updates for iPhone 5s which released in Sept 2013. That's 12.5 years ago. The equivalent
by gruez 6mo ago
>As an example, in Jan 2026, Apple published iOS 12.5.8 which provides updates for iPhone 5s which released in Sept 2013. That's 12.5 years ago. The equivalent would be to connect to the internet using ADSL in Jan 2000 with your IBM PS/2 rocking in intel 8086, 512 kb of RAM and expecting an update for your DOS operating system.
The updates for ios 12 are all security updates, not feature updates, so your comparison to "connect to the internet using ADSL in Jan 2000 with your IBM PS/2 rocking in intel 8086" doesn't really make sense. The phones stuck on ios 15 are basically unusable because many apps don't support it anymore. At best you can download an older version from a few years ago, but that depends on whether the backend servers were updated. Apps that insist you use the latest version (eg. banking/finance apps) basically unusable.
- brainwad 6mo agoA phone is not unusable because some banking apps don't work on it. It didn't even ship with said apps installed.
- gruez 6mo agoBelieve it or not, "apps" are an important "feature" of a smartphone, even if it's not theoretically bundled with it. Moreover it's not just banking apps, those are just the first ones to go, but any that don't keep backend compatibility will eventually break.
- usef- 6mo agoIsn't it the banks/apps that are choosing not to support the phone, not Apple?
- solenoid0937 6mo agoIt is neither Apple's nor the third party app's obligation to make the third party app work on ancient phones.
- bitmasher9 6mo agoThe entire point of the cellphone is that third party apps are required to live a modern life. If I cannot run the apps required to pay for a parking spot or perform a 2FA ritual then there’s really no point in even having a phone. The first party software isn’t compelling enough to justify the pocket space.
- brainwad 6mo agoYou could always keep your phone and get a second dirt-cheap phone just for the 2FA (or use your banks' non-phone 2FA methods). But if we take your requirement that one phone should be able to do everything that new phones can do, it's somewhat tautological that you have to replace your phone frequently to stay on the cutting edge.