These iOS 15 Features Aren't Available on the iPhone X or Older
Apple released iOS 15 today following over three months of beta testing, but not all of the new features are available on older iPhones.
According to the iOS 15 features page on Apple's website, the following features require an iPhone with an A12 Bionic chip or newer, which means the features listed below aren't available on the iPhone X or any older models.
You'll need an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, or newer for these iOS 15 features:
- Portrait mode in FaceTime, which blurs your background and puts the focus on you.
- Spatial audio in FaceTime, which makes voices sound like they're coming from the direction in which the people are positioned on the call.
- Voice Isolation mode in FaceTime, which uses machine learning to block out ambient noises like a leaf blower outside or a dog barking in the next room during calls.
- Wide Spectrum mode in FaceTime, which amplifies ambient noises during calls.
- An interactive 3D globe of Earth in the Maps app.
- Immersive walking directions with step-by-step directions shown in augmented reality in the Maps app.
- More detailed maps in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and London in the Maps app.
- Live Text for copying and pasting, looking up, or translating text within photos.
- On-device speech processing of Siri requests.
- The ability to make Siri requests offline without an internet connection for timers, alarms, phone calls, messaging, sharing, launching apps, controlling audio playback, and opening settings.
- The ability to swipe up or down while taking a QuickTake video to zoom in or out.
- The ability to add home, hotel, and car keys to the Wallet app.
- On-device keyboard dictation that performs all processing completely offline.
- Continuous keyboard dictation, rather than a limit of 60 seconds per instance.
- New animated backgrounds in the Weather app that more accurately represent the sun position, clouds, and precipitation.
Apple does not indicate why these features require an iPhone with an A12 Bionic chip or newer, but at least some of the limitations likely relate to the need for Apple's second-generation Neural Engine or newer for optimal performance.
iOS 15 is compatible with all devices that can run iOS 14, including older devices like the original iPhone SE and the iPhone 6s.
Popular Stories
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors.
Rumors
Faster Wi-Fi Support
The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Latest Rumors
These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026.
Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report.
Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain.
Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia.
The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options.
According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...
