It might be time to move on from your aging iPad if rumors are true about which devices iPadOS 17 will support.
According to iPhoneSoft (opens in new tab), the first generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2015, alongside the iPad 5 from that year, will be unable to update to the upcoming version, expected to be announced at WWDC 2023.
It’s normal for Apple to drop support for its previous products – the second generation iPad Air from 2014 was unable to update to iPadOS 16 in 2022 for example.
However, as Apple decided to open up Stage Manager to more iPad models in the run-up to iPadOS 16’s release, we could see some features reserved for its more recent devices.
A tale as old as Apple time
Removing old devices from newer updates is nothing new – even before iOS 4 removed support for the original iPhone back in 2010, Apple made sure to remove older Macs from updating to its Mac OS X updates. It’s all in the vein of making sure there are enough plates to spin without spreading itself too thin.
No company can maintain supporting a bunch of products – the probability of bugs hampering the user experience is too great. It’s the same for developers – there is only so much an app can support without it buckling from running on every Apple device.
So while iPadOS 17 is rumored to be a smaller update this time, with refinements and bug fixes being the name of the game while its VR headset takes center stage, it could still be a good time to look into upgrading your iPad if you own one from 2015.
From the iPad mini (2021) to the iPad (2022), you could get a faster chip, TouchID on the power button, and many colors to choose from, with software support for a few more years to come from any of Apple’s best iPads.
