Although iPhone 8 and iPhone X are also supported, at least an iPhone XS is required for certain features.
Apple is usually generous for a long time when it comes to supporting older devices with new operating systems. With iOS 16, however, this is defined a little more narrowly: Support for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7 and SE 1 is no longer available, you can only play with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X devices released in 2017 and newer models.
In addition, despite basic iOS 16 compatibility, not all of the smartphones considered for the update will also receive all of the fresh features of the new operating system. This applies in particular to the five-year-old devices.
It has to be an XS
The list is relatively long. All functions have in common that they require at least one SoC of the A12 Bionic series. Apple introduced this 64-bit system in 2018 together with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, and it is also used in the iPhone XR. It should ensure that new AI functions are executed sufficiently quickly, which, in Apple’s opinion at least, are no longer available with A11 devices such as the iPhone X.
In the future, only iPhone XS and higher will be able to convert text components in videos into text that can be copied (“live text in the video”). New languages ​​such as Korean, Japanese and Ukrainian are also missing. Apple is also leaving out the new Quick Actions for Live Text. The language assistant Siri deletes the new “Discover” functions, in which users are informed which features an app or device can master. The improved dictation function is also only available from the A12 Bionic. The improved image search in other apps and the automatic cutting out of people or animals from images are also not available here.
Distinction from the iPhone 11 and iPhone 13
But there are also functional limitations among the devices with A12 Bionic and higher. Automatic subtitling for the hearing impaired requires at least an iPhone 11 with A13 Bionic SoC. Some features are only reserved for the current iPhone 13. This affects new camera modes such as an improved depth of field as well as a more accurate one AI-assisted cinematic mode with depth of field when recording videos.
It can also be expected that certain iOS 16 functions will be reserved for the upcoming “iPhone 14”, which should be released in September. Exactly what those are has not yet been revealed.
