Apple’s iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 arrive without the usual generational cutoffs for iPhones.
The updates support every iPhone still selling in 2026, from the SE 3rd generation to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. iPadOS 27, however, will no longer run on the original iPad Air, the fifth‑generation iPad mini, and a few early iPad Pro models. The change list is short, and Apple provides a migration guide for the affected devices.
For users, the move means no forced upgrade cycle for iPhones, preserving resale value and extending the lifespan of devices that already receive security patches. iPad owners of the dropped models must either stay on iPadOS 26 or invest in newer hardware, a shift that may accelerate hardware turnover in the low‑end tablet market.
In short, Apple has opted for a broader iPhone safety net while finally trimming the long‑tail of legacy iPads—a modest but notable tweak to its evergreen‑device strategy.