Apple on Monday unveiled iOS 13 at WWDC 2019, alongside the iPadOS version of the operating system that packs several features exclusive for Apple’s iPad. The core functionality will remain the same, and you’ll get the same iOS 13 experience across devices, whether it’s an iPhone, iPad, or the new iPod touch. However, several older devices won’t make the jump to iOS 13 this summer, which means they’re not getting the performance boost, the new Dark Mode, the volume UI update, and all the other goodies Apple created for this release.
The iOS 13 developer preview beta is available right away to install on compatible devices, although the procedure is a lot more complicated than in the past few years for those people who don’t have developer accounts. The first public beta, meanwhile, will drop in July, at which point it’ll be a lot easier to try it out. But the same compatibility restrictions apply, as Apple explained in its announcement.
All iPhones older than iPhone 6s won’t be compatible with iOS 13, which means the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 5s will stop on iOS 12. When it comes to the iPod touch, only the brand new 7th-gen iPod touch will get iOS 13 this fall, but not the 6th-gen.
On the iPad front, you’ll need an iPad Air 2 or later, iPad 5th-gen or later and iPad mini 4 or later to get iOS 13. That means the iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad Air will also remain on iOS 12.
As before, iOS 13 will launch in mid-September, after Apple unveils this year’s iPhone 11 generation of devices. That’s probably also when the final version of iPadOS will be made available.
