If you’re an iOS developer, you’ve probably seen the new warning in App Store Connect: by 2027, all apps must target at least iOS 15. And if you’re like most developers, your first reaction wasn’t gratitude — it was resentment. Because you know exactly what this means.
You’re being turned into Apple’s enforcement arm. And your users are collateral damage.
Let me be clear: Apple doesn’t need to say the iPhone 6s is obsolete. It just makes developers abandon it first. That’s the quiet genius of this policy. And it’s why you should be angry — not at the developers who stop supporting old devices, but at the company that forces them to.
Here’s what’s really happening. Apple’s minimum OS requirement is a coordination mechanism. By compressing the tail of old devices, Apple reduces its own fragmentation and support costs. But the pressure to upgrade? That’s outsourced to you. Every developer now has to tell their users: “Sorry, your phone is too old for our app.” Apple never has to say it directly.
One Reddit comment put it perfectly: “Sometimes it feels like Apple thinks I work for them and have the same priorities as they do — making more money for Apple.” That’s the feeling. You’re not a partner. You’re a free contractor who gets to follow Apple’s roadmap or get left behind.
And sure, iOS 15 will be six years old in 2027. The iPhone 6s came out in 2015. Some people will say: “That’s fair. It’s time to move on.” But that misses the point entirely. The issue isn’t whether iOS 15 is old. The issue is who gets to decide when a device is obsolete. Apple wants that decision to be unilateral — and they want you to be the messenger.
This isn’t about security, and it’s not about user experience. It’s about planned obsolescence by proxy. Apple can’t tell millions of iPhone 6s owners to throw away their perfectly functional phones. But they can make sure the apps stop working. And when the apps stop working, the phone becomes a paperweight. The user blames the developer. The developer blames Apple. But Apple already got what it wanted: a shorter upgrade cycle.
So what can you do? If you’re a developer, you can choose to keep supporting older OS versions until Apple literally blocks you. But that’s a losing battle. If you’re a user holding onto an older iPhone, start planning your upgrade — not because your phone is broken, but because Apple’s policies will break it for you.
And remember this the next time you see a press release about “improving the user experience” or “enhancing security.” Behind every platform policy is a choice about who pays the cost of keeping things running. Right now, that cost is being transferred from Apple to developers — and from developers to the users who can’t afford a new phone every three years.
FAQ
Q: Isn't iOS 15 really old? Why should Apple support it?
A: iOS 15 is old, but that's not the point. The question is who decides when a device is obsolete. Apple is using developers to enforce that decision, stripping away user and developer autonomy. If developers want to support older versions, they should be allowed to.
Q: What does this mean for someone using an iPhone 6s in 2027?
A: Your phone will still work, but apps will gradually stop updating. Eventually, critical apps will require iOS 16 or later, leaving you with a functional but increasingly useless device. The upgrade pressure is real, and it's by design.
Q: Isn't Apple right to push for modern OS versions for security?
A: Security is a convenient excuse, but the real motive is reducing fragmentation and forcing hardware upgrades. Apple could offer security patches for older OS versions, but that would undermine their business model. This policy is about profit, not protection.