Here's What To Know About Whether iOS 14 Will Work On Older iPhones
On Monday, June 22, Apple gave users a glimpse at the new features and upgrades they can expect when its latest operating system rolls out to customers in the fall. With a home page redesign that includes new widgets planned for iOS 14 and Messages updates that include the ability to mention directly converse with someone in group messages, you might be wondering if Apple's iOS 14 update will work on iPhone 6S or another older model. Here's what to know about getting all these sweet new features on your device when the update is released.
When iOS 14 officially launches for the public in a few months, any users who were able to download iOS 13 — which launched back in September 2019 — can also expect to get Apple's next generation operating system on their iPhone. All iPhones that run iOS 13, including discontinued devices like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the iPhone 8, and the iPhone X, will be able to access the system going back to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, as well as 2016's iPhone SE. Users can also access it on the seventh generation of the iPod Touch. However, if you have anything older than the iPhone 6S or original iPhone SE (like an iPhone 6) and weren't able to download iOS 13, you're also out of luck and will need to upgrade your device to get in on the brand new features that come with iOS 14.
If you do currently have iOS 13 on your smartphone, you can rest easy knowing you'll have access to some of the system's most hyped updates. In addition to continuing to remove glitches and help things run more smoothly on your device, iOS 14 will be revamping some designs that date back to the original iPhone. For example, Apple will be changing the way incoming calls take up the whole screen and kick the user out of whatever app they're in until they choose to answer or decline the call. Instead, the tech giant will be showing incoming calls in a banner-type alert at the top of the screen.
In addition, Apple plans to update it's grid-like app view on the home screen by allowing users to easily search and scroll through an alphabetical list of all their apps. Users will also be able to change the sizes of widgets on their phone to help keep their most-used apps updated with the information they need.
These updates, as well as a number of other highly-anticipated features, will be coming out on June 22 for the developer beta, as well as a public beta in July. The official iOS 14 update will launch sometime in fall 2020 — usually around the same time new devices are announced — so users with iOS 13 will be able download the newest operating system when it launches later in the year.
