Apple likely to axe 2017-2019 iPads from iPadOS 18 compatibility list

WWDC 2024 is still more than three months away, while the new operating systems set to be unveiled at that event won’t arrive on our devices until the fall. But we’re already hearing plenty of rumors about Apple’s announcements.

While iOS 18 is expected to support all of the same phones as iOS 17, the latest report indicates iPadOS 18, the big upcoming software update for the iPad, will drop support for iPads that run Apple’s A10X Fusion chip. That means such devices–namely the 2017 iPad Pro models just before the big redesign–won’t be able to install the new operating system and will be stuck forevermore on point updates of iPadOS 17 or earlier.

The information comes from a private account on Twitter/X which MacRumors credits with “a proven track record of sharing build numbers for upcoming iOS and iPadOS updates.” The post has since been deleted, which might sound bad, but is most likely simply a way for the account to avoid the spotlight. As MacRumors observes, the account has in the past deleted leaks which turned out to be accurate.

The following iPads are certified as compatible with iPadOS 17:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (6th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)

If we remove the models with an A10X processor, it looks like this:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (6th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)

But we shouldn’t stop there. As MacRumors notes, there are two devices on the iPadOS 17 list (the 6th- and 7th-gen iPads from 2018 and 2019 respectively) that don’t have A10X chips, but have the slower A10 instead. If the A10X isn’t up to the job, the A10 surely won’t be either. So here’s our final compatibility list:

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (8th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)
• Whatever iPads are released between now and the fall

Of course, this isn’t concrete information just yet, but it makes sense: last year Apple dropped support for three A9 iPads from 2015-2017, so we can’t be surprised to see some 2017 and 2018 models disappear this time around. For all the latest information about Apple’s summer event this year, check out our WWDC 2024 superguide.