While Apple Intelligence dominates the feature list, iOS 19 will also be compatible with older iPhones.
A new claim says that any iPhone that can run iOS 18 will also work with iOS 19, but some older iPad models won’t get iPadOS 19.
French site iPhoneSoftciting anonymous sources within Apple, claims that any iPhone model that can currently run iOS 18 will also be able to run iOS 19 when it arrives at the end of 2025.
This includes the iPhone XR from 2018, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE from 2020 and later. Here is the full list of compatible iPhone models:
- iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone SE (4th generation) (2025)
- iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max (2024)
- iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max (2023)
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, iPhone SE (3rd generation) (2022)
- iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max (2021)
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation) (2020)
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max (2019)
- iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR (2018)
iPad support for iPadOS 19
The update will also work on most iPad models from 2018 onwards. However, the seventh generation iPad from 2019, which uses the A10 Fusion chip – and the second generation iPad Pro from 2017 using the A10X – will not be able to run iPadOS 19, according to the report.
All newer iPads should be able to run iPadOS 19. This includes the following models:
- iPad mini (fifth generation or later)
- iPad (eighth generation or later)
- iPad Air (third generation or later)
- iPad Pro (third generation or later)
Apple typically supports its hardware products with system updates for at least five years, although not all features of a new operating system are supported on all models. In the case of Apple Intelligence features, the company has drawn a clear line in the sand, with only the very latest iPhone models and any iPad with an M-series chip supporting these features.
That said, each new iteration of iOS and iPadOS has also brought new features and changes to existing features, unrelated to Apple Intelligence – and that should be the case for iOS 19 and iPadOS 19. The slow rollout of features of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 suggests that iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 may not benefit from many new features that are not related to Apple Intelligence.
If the technical requirements are correct, the report suggests that an A12 chip will be the minimum chip to support iPadOS 19. This means that the seventh generation iPad from 2019 and the second generation iPad Pro from 2017 will not be able to get the iPadOS 19 update.
Apple is expected to officially announce iOS 19 and iPadOS 19 in June 2025 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Rumors have previously suggested that work on Apple Intelligence features is now taking priority over non-Smart features.
