‘RIP iPhone 7’: Users react with memes as Apple says iOS 16 not compatible with older models

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi showcased the new iOS 16 recently. — Reuters

A number of users on Twitter have posted memes in response to Apple announcing that its latest operating system, iOS 16, is only compatible with devices dating from the iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) to the latest iPhone 13 models.

The “iPhone 7” is a trending topic on Twitter today (June 8) as users call for a moment of silence for the older iPhone models that include iPhone SE (1st generation), 6s and 7 Plus as they will not be able to support the latest iOS.

One user also said “RIP to my iPhone 7 32GB” while another user posted a picture showing the door as time for others to retire the older phone models.

Another user claimed Apple is forcing iPhone 6 and 7 holders to upgrade with the new iOS with picture captioned “This is business”.

Last year’s iOS 15 included iPhone SE (1st generation), 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus and even the iPod Touch (7th generation) as compatible devices. The iPhones were released in between 2015 and 2016 while the iPod Touch (7th generation) was first made available in 2019. Apple announced last month that it will no longer be releasing new iPod Touch models.

What features will users of older iPhone models miss out in iOS 16? According to Apple’s website, iOS 16 will allow users to customise Lock Screen with photos, as well as preferred font style and widgets. In Messages, users can edit a Sent message for up to 15 minutes after sending and select Undo to unsend a recent message.

Face ID will also work in landscape on supported iPhone models and users can activate Live Captions or see transcripts generated in real time for videos and FaceTime.

For those with iPhone 13 models, the update brings enhanced camera features such as foreground blur in portrait photos and improved quality when recording in Cinematic mode.

The latest operating system also includes Apple Pay Later, a feature to split Apple Pay purchases into four payments over six weeks with no interest or fees. However, this feature is only available for qualified applicants in the US.

The new iOS features will be available through a software update later this year.