Most iPhones tend to get between six and eight years of support, which is way more than almost everything you can find in the Android sphere. If you want to update your iPhone or know if your current handset supports the latest iOS 26, you’ve come to the right place.
This article will answer how long Apple supports each iPhone model (including the iPhone 17), ensuring that the device receives the essential software and security updates. At the same time, we will show you which smartphones Apple has labeled as obsolete and vintage.
Table of contents
How long will my iPhone be supported?
To answer how long Apple supports iPhones, we must first understand what it means for a handset to get too “old.” Simply put, it’s a consequence of new demands on the internal components due to recent OS updates or new technical requirements from the latest apps.
When a new iOS update comes out, your device can no longer meet those demands. As a consequence, support stops at that moment.
Let’s compile all historical data about the support of every iPhone model, accompanied by release dates, discontinuation dates, and iOS compatibility.
Please take into consideration that support end dates are estimates and based on past releases with an average of 7 years of support. Therefore, they may be subject to changes in the future.
| Model | Release date | Discontinuation date | Supported | Maximum iOS compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | Jun 29, 2007 | Jul 15, 2008 | No | iOS 3 |
| iPhone 3G | Jun 09, 2008 | Jun 7, 2010 | No | iOS 4 |
| iPhone 3GS | Jun 19, 2009 | Sep 12, 2012 | No | iOS 6 |
| iPhone 4 | Jun 24, 2010 | Sep 10, 2013 | No | iOS 7 |
| iPhone 4S | Oct 14, 2011 | Sep 9, 2014 | No | iOS 9 |
| iPhone 5C | Sep 20, 2013 | Sep 9, 2015 | No | iOS 10 |
| iPhone 5S | Sep 20, 2013 | Mar 21, 2016 | No | iOS 12 |
| iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus | Sep 25, 2014 | Sep 7, 2016 | No | iOS 12 |
| iPhone 6S / 6S Plus | Sep 25, 2015 | Sep 12, 2018 | No | iOS 15 |
| iPhone SE (1st generation) | Mar 31, 2016 | Sep 12, 2018 | No | iOS 15 |
| iPhone 7 / 7 Plus | Sep 16, 2016 | Sep 12, 2017 | No | iOS 15 |
| iPhone 8 / 8 Plus | Sep 22, 2017 | Apr 15, 2020 | No | iOS 16 |
| iPhone X | Nov 3, 2017 | Sep 12, 2018 | No | iOS 16 |
| iPhone XS / XS Max | Sep 21, 2018 | Sep 10, 2019 | No | iOS 18 |
| iPhone XR | Oct 26, 2018 | Sep 14, 2021 | No | iOS 18 |
| iPhone 11 | Sep 20, 2019 | Sep 7, 2022 | Yes, until 2026 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max | Sep 20, 2019 | Oct 13, 2020 | Yes, until 2026 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone SE (2nd generation) | Apr 24, 2020 | Mar 8, 2022 | Yes, until 2027 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 12 | Oct 23, 2020 | Sep 12, 2023 | Yes, until 2027 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 12 mini | Nov 13, 2020 | Sep 7, 2022 | Yes, until 2027 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 12 Pro | Oct 23, 2020 | Sep 14, 2021 | Yes, until 2027 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | Nov 13, 2020 | Sep 14, 2021 | Yes, until 2027 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 13 | Sep 24, 2021 | In production | Yes, until 2028 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 13 mini | Sep 24, 2021 | Sep 12, 2023 | Yes, until 2028 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max | Sep 24, 2021 | Sep 7, 2022 | Yes, until 2028 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone SE (3rd generation) | Mar 18, 2022 | Feb 19, 2025 | Yes, until 2029 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 14 | Sep 16, 2022 | Feb 19, 2025 | Yes, until 2029 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 14 Plus | Oct 7, 2022 | Feb 19, 2025 | Yes, until 2029 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max | Sep 16, 2022 | Sep 12, 2023 | Yes, until 2029 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 15 | Sep 22, 2023 | In production | Yes, until 2030 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 15 Plus | Sep 22, 2023 | In production | Yes, until 2030 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 15 Pro | Sep 22, 2023 | Sep 9, 2024 | Yes, until 2030 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | Sep 22, 2023 | Sep 9, 2024 | Yes, until 2030 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 16 | Sep 20, 2024 | In production | Yes, until 2031 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 16 Plus | Sep 20, 2024 | In production | Yes, until 2031 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 16 Pro | Sep 20, 2024 | In production | Yes, until 2031 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | Sep 20, 2024 | In production | Yes, until 2031 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 16e | Feb 28, 2025 | In production | Yes, until 2032 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 17 | Sep 19, 2025 | In production | Yes, until 2032 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone Air | Sep 19, 2025 | In production | Yes, until 2032 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 17 Pro | Sep 19, 2025 | In production | Yes, until 2032 | iOS 26 |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | Sep 19, 2025 | In production | Yes, until 2032 | iOS 26 |
As you can see in the table, the current iOS 26 supports iPhone 11 and newer, including iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). iPhone XR and XS series stop at iOS 18. iPhone 8 and iPhone X stop at iOS 16.
Take a look at the full iPhone stats page on RefurbMe for live price trends, average discounts, and the days from release to first refurbished listings. It is a quick way to time your purchase.
Finally, Apple is still issuing critical security updates on older iOS branches for supported devices. In the next section you will see which models are now vintage or obsolete, where official service and parts availability begin to wind down.
What are the obsolete and vintage iPhones?
When considering how long Apple supports older iPhone models, it helps to start with Apple’s policy.
Obsolete iPhones list
Obsolete iPhones are discontinued models with more than seven years since Apple last distributed them for sale. Apple and Authorized Service Providers no longer offer hardware service for these devices.
- iPhone (the original)
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5C
- iPhone 5S
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6S Plus
Vintage iPhones list
Vintage iPhones are models Apple stopped distributing more than five but less than seven years ago. Repairs may still be offered, subject to parts availability.
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus (except 32GB, which is obsolete)
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8, 64GB and 256GB models (128GB not yet listed)
- iPhone 8 (PRODUCT RED)
- iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT RED)
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XS
💡 Note on networks: All major US carriers completed their 3G shutdowns in 2022, and European operators are phasing out 3G through 2025. In the UK, Virgin Media O2 began switching off 3G in 2025. If you rely on a 3G-only phone, mobile data connectivity will be affected.
Takeaway
In conclusion, we’ve seen that Apple’s support has been extended exceptionally over time. Even if its products can be more expensive than their Android counterparts, the cost-benefit ratio of having up to seven years of support can ease customers’ minds and make it worth it.
👉 Learn more: 5 Best Places to Buy Refurbished iPhones
We invite you to check out our compared refurbished iPhones on RefurbMe below. Buying refurbished products is the best way to save money when purchasing a smartphone, boost the circular economy, and get a completely functional device that has been thoroughly examined, warranty included:
We will update this post whenever a new iPhone or iOS version comes out, or any iPhone is classified as vintage or obsolete, so don’t forget to save or bookmark this page and return from time to time.
See you soon!
