For a long time, Apple has provided software support for their devices. The iPhone XR, launched in 2018, runs iOS 17.5 and is rumored to get iOS 18 as well. Despite this, Apple has not provided a date on when iPhones will receive software updates.
From the first date of supply, Apple will provide a minimum of five years of security updates as part of the UK’s PSTI regulation. Here, the supply date refers to the device’s first sale date. As a result, Apple iPhone 15 series devices will be supported until September 2028.
It wasn’t that long ago that five years of software support would have been considered industry standard. Apple’s software policy falls short when compared to Google’s and Samsung’s recent promises to support flagship phones for seven years. In other words, Apple’s reputation as a provider of the best software support is no longer valid.
In the documents, Apple promises five years of software support, but some devices have received updates longer than that. Previously, Apple supported some models for more than six years. As for iPhone security updates, Apple does not differentiate between flagship and mid-range models.
As for mid-range Android devices, the story is completely different. The Android flagships from Google and Samsung software support for seven years.
