why can’t apple add on the iPhone xs software
akoragye240
User level: Level 1 (4 points)
User level: Level 1 (4 points)Software for iPhone xs
Posted on Sep 17, 2026 1:23 AM
2 replies
Servant of Cats
User level: Level 9 (55,707 points)
User level: Level 9 (55,707 points)Sep 17, 2026 2:09 AM in response to akoragye240
Apple is not here to answer "why" questions.
The iPhone XS ran iOS 12 when Apple released it in September 2018 – about eight years ago. It received six major updates, which is as many as any iPhone had ever received before iOS 27 came out.
It cannot update past iOS 18, and Apple is only in the habit of adding new features to the latest version of iOS. So once iOS 26 came out last year, that marked an end to any realistic likelihood of new features for the iPhone XS.
You can ask "why" as many times as you like, but Apple is not going to bring iOS 26 or 27 to the iPhone XS – and they are also extremely unlikely to bring any new features to it. At this point in the lifecycle of the iPhone XS, the only things that it is likely to receive are bug fixes and security updates.
AnKnoxville
User level: Level 1 (35 points)
User level: Level 1 (35 points)Sep 17, 2026 1:31 AM in response to akoragye240
Because not every new feature is software-based. Some features require newer hardware, and Apple can’t add those capabilities to older iPhones like the XS just through an iOS update.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256358792