Apple is giving some older iPhones another year of life.
The company announced iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote Monday, previewing a major software update that includes the new Siri AI, smarter photo-editing tools, expanded child safety features, updates to Apple's Liquid Glass design and more. The update is expected to arrive this fall.
Despite rumors that Apple would drop support for several older models this year, as the company usually does, iOS 27 will work on every iPhone that can currently run iOS 26. That includes the iPhone 11 lineup, which was released in 2019, and the second-generation iPhone SE, which arrived in 2020.
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Apple says iOS 27 will be compatible with the following models:
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17E
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16E
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Mini
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
- iPhone SE (second generation and later)
Apple is expected to unveil new iPhone models later this year, and those devices would almost certainly ship with iOS 27.
Not every compatible iPhone will get every iOS 27 feature, though.
A preview of the revamped Siri AI on iOS 27.
Apple/Screenshot by CNETThe centerpiece of the update is Siri AI, Apple's redesigned assistant, which the company says will be able to hold more natural conversations, answer questions using personal context and take actions across apps. However, Siri AI requires an Apple Intelligence-capable device. On the iPhone, that currently means the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and every version of iPhone 16 or later.
Apple says the feature will initially be available in English as a beta later this year.
Older devices should still benefit from improvements with iOS 27. Apple says apps will launch up to 30% faster, photos will load up to 70% faster and AirDrop transfers will be up to 80% faster, although performance will vary depending on the device and how it is used.
iOS 27 will launch apps up to 30% faster, but that depends on your phone.
Apple/Screenshot by CNETApple has not announced an exact public release date for iOS 27, only that it will be released this fall. The update usually rolls out after the company announces the next line of iPhones, following several months of developer and public beta testing.