iPadOS 17 Again Rumored to Drop Support for These iPads

Apple in iPadOS 17 will drop support for the first-generation 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro as well as the fifth-generation iPad, according to French tech website iPhoneSoft.

iOS 17 Icon Mock Feature Feature
This is the second time we have heard claims regarding iPad device compatibility for the next operating system Apple is developing. Early last month, a source with a proven track record for upcoming software updates said the same three models will not be supported.

iPhoneSoft's information is said to come from an internal Apple source. If accurate, that means the following devices will be compatible with iPadOS 17 when it's released in the fall.

  • iPad Pro (2017 and later)
  • iPad Air (third generation and later)
  • iPad (sixth generation and later)
  • iPad mini (fifth generation and later)

It's worth noting that just because an iPad makes Apple's compatibility list doesn't necessarily mean it will fully support everything the software has to offer. For example, iOS 15 is compatible with all devices that can run iOS 14, but some features are not available on older iPhones.

As for which iPhones will run iOS 17, we've heard conflicting reports. The same source that first revealed which iPad models would be dropped from iPadOS 17 also claimed that iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

However, this was immediately disputed by another leaker who has shared accurate information in the past. According to a post on the MacRumors forum by the anonymous tipster, all iPhones that support iOS 16 will support iOS 17, including all devices powered by A11 chipsets (i.e. the iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus).

Last year, iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 dropped support for quite a few devices, including the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, original iPhone SE, final iPod touch, second-generation iPad Air, and fourth-generation iPad mini.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 during its WWDC keynote on June 5.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Apple's Rumored MacBook Pro Redesign: 6 New Features Anticipated

Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:26 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4: Here Are 5 New Features to Expect on Your iPhone

Tuesday September 16, 2025 11:17 am PDT by
iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon. iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...

Top Rated Comments

ersan191 Avatar
32 months ago

So, the 6th and 7th gen iPads are also getting dropped?
Noticed that too, doubt Apple is wiping out 3 generations in one update. Especially when the rumors are that this version will be very minor in scope. This report is probably bogus.

EDIT: They edited the post, it used to say 8th gen iPad - now says 6th which makes more sense.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
canadianspeculator Avatar
32 months ago
Taking away updates from a tablet people bought in early 2018 seems bad. I have a late 2018 iPad that is perfectly fine for my uses, and I don't plan on upgrading any time soon, even if iPadOS 18 drops support. I always felt like the iPad was supposed to outlast the phone's cycle.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
32 months ago
Why? Does it take too much power to handle static widgets on a new wallpaper layout? ?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bearinthetown Avatar
32 months ago
Anyone believes that these devices are actually too weak to support the iPadOS? No, they are not. This is meant to make your device obsolete to make you buy a new one. And all that from sooo eco-concerned Apple.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bodhitree Avatar
32 months ago
I have a first-gen ipad pro 12.9” from 2015 which still runs fine and have no intentions of replacing it even if ipados drops support. In fact, I’ve found that my ipad use is just a few use cases - email, browsing on mainly forums, some youtube - and I’ll likely keep doing that until the apps drop support and that is likely to take a while.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
32 months ago

So, the 6th and 7th gen iPads are also getting dropped?
Not according to this article


Attachment Image
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)