iOS 18 Compatibility: Which iPhones Will Support Apple's New AI-Focused Update?

Can Your iPhone Run the Newest Apple Mobile OS? See All the iOS 18 Compatible Devices

Nelson Aguilar is an LA-based tech how-to writer and graduate of UCLA. With more than a decade of experience, he covers Apple and Google and writes on iPhone and Android features, privacy and security settings and more. The iPhone 16 series and Apple Watch Series 10 are officially here, as well as Apple's latest mobile software release -- iOS 18. But if you didn't decide to upgrade your tech, you might be left wondering whether the iPhone you're still chugging along with supports the new software. It's quite possible, as many older devices can use iOS 18. Its still a good idea to check, though. You're likely wondering: does your iPhone even support iOS 18? Even if it does, will it support any of the new Apple Intelligence features? Don't miss: Apple Event Live Blog: Apple Watch Series 10 Official, iPhone 16, AirPods Expected With iOS 18, your iPhone will get a host of new features, including the ability to fully customize your home screen and control center, lock and hide apps, access the overhauled Photos app and take advantage of Apple Intelligence -- Apple's new AI system for the iPhone and other devices. Here's everything you need to know. For iOS 18, you'll be happy to know that every iPhone model that currently supports iOS 17 will also support iOS 18. If you're currently running iOS 17, you'll definitely be able to upgrade to iOS 18. Here's the full list of the iPhone models that will support iOS 18: Apple Intelligence, Apple's generative AI system for your iPhone, is one important aspect of iOS 18. Apple Intelligence will be released next month with iOS 18.1, as a beta, for the general public. It's currently available on the iOS 18.1 developer beta. You can use Apple Intelligence to quickly summarize text in Safari, create personalized images in Messages and ask Siri to perform more complex tasks than ever before -- but Apple Intelligence isn't coming to every iPhone. Only a few select iPhone models will support Apple Intelligence: Apple Intelligence will also be available on iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1. It will only work on iPad and Mac models with M1 and later. The two iPhone 15 Pro models are the only older models that support Apple Intelligence, because they both have the A17 Pro processor. The iPad's newest operating system update -- iPadOS 18 -- offers many of the same new features as iOS 18, including Smart Script, the new Calculator app and Math Notes with Apple Pencil. It also features an updated Document Browser and a redesigned tab bar for your apps. The following iPad models are compatible with iPadOS 18:

Major iOS 18 Update Coming This Month But These iPhones Will Miss Out

With the next major update to iOS 18 coming in October, Apple will roll out its initial set of Apple Intelligence features. However, these new AI enhancements will not work on older iPhone models, even if they do appear on Apple's device compatibility list for iOS 18. Not all Apple Intelligence features are going to launch at once, and some aren't coming until later in 2024 or in 2025. However, Apple is already testing iOS 18.1, with developers, so we have a pretty good idea of what's going to be available first. Among the first wave of Apple Intelligence features are improved writing tools. These will include advanced proofreading capabilities for spelling, grammar, and word choice, as well as options to rewrite text in different tones such as friendly or professional. Users will also be able to summarize selected text into various formats like paragraphs, key points, or tables. In the Mail app, users can expect smart replies and automatic summarization of incoming emails. The Messages app will similarly offer contextual smart reply suggestions based on the content of incoming texts. It's worth noting that these features will not be available on all devices that are compatible with iOS 18, as they require significant processing power. Apple has revealed that Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 model to work. Users with older iPhone models may need to consider upgrading if they want to access these new AI capabilities. That said, iOS 18.1 will be compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17. In other words, expect the following iPhone models to run iOS 18.1, but lack support for Apple Intelligence features: iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 will share many of the same AI features, but it's important to note that Macs and iPads will need at least an M1 chip to power the on-device AI capabilities. In other words, Apple silicon Macs are the requirement for Apple Intelligence in macOS 15, which rules out Intel Macs. Likewise, anything older than the fifth-generation iPad Pro will not support AI features in iPadOS 18.1. It's worth noting that (non-supported) standard iPhone 15 models have 6GB of RAM, while the supported Pro models have 8GB of RAM. Similarly, all Apple Silicon iPads and Macs come with a minimum of 8GB. Even when scaled back for narrow use cases, AI features require a lot of working memory due to the sheer number of parameters involved, so it looks like this is where Apple is coming up against the hardware limitations of its own devices.