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iPhone Q&A
Update Published October 3, 2018
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Which iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models support iOS 10? Do some models "partially" support iOS 10? Which ones?
Please note that iOS 10 was discontinued long ago. However, the below Q&A has been updated subsequently and is quite useful for anyone who is running or who wants to run iOS 10 on a compatible iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
On June 13, 2016, Apple previewed iOS 10. It was released as a "public beta" on July 7, 2016, and the final version was released on September 13, 2016.
Apple specified general compatibility in its WWDC 2016 keynote address as well as within the press release and elsewhere on the company website and released final compatibility details just prior to release of the final version.
There also has been quite a bit of confusion surrounding device compatibility as Apple initially provided inaccurate information on its site that gave many false hope that Apple A5 processor-equipped devices -- like the iPad 2, original iPad mini, and iPod touch 5th Gen -- would be supported. This was incorrect, though, and only Apple A6 processor or newer devices were compatible with iOS 10.
New iOS 10 Features
For iOS 10, Apple boasts that the operating system is "the biggest release ever" and provides:
A huge update to Messages that delivers more expressive and animated ways to message friends and family, like stickers and full-screen effects. iOS 10 introduces the ability for Siri to do more by working with apps, beautifully redesigned Maps, Photos, Apple Music and News apps, and the Home app, delivering a simple and secure way to manage home automation products in one place.
Although many, if not all, additions to Messages are copied shamelessly from rival apps like WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat, and Snapchat -- and many other updates appear to be an effort to catch up with Android -- improving and opening Siri, Maps, Phone, and Messages to third-party developers holds significant promise. The Home app definitely will make home automation much more convenient, too.
Unlike iOS 9 before it -- which supported the same devices as iOS 8 -- iOS 10 drops support entirely for devices with Apple A5 processors. Consequently, the iPhone 4s, iPad 2, iPad 3rd Gen, original iPad mini, and iPod touch 5th Gen are not supported.
Based on messages received from readers, most were expecting the relatively ancient iPhone 4s and iPad 2 to no longer be supported by the current version of the iOS (after all, the iPhone 4s is much slower running iOS 8 or iOS 9 than iOS 7), but some were upset that the original iPad mini and iPod touch 5th Gen had support axed so soon as both of these models were sold as new less than a year ago. Caveat emptor.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 6s Running iOS 10)
Then newer devices -- the iPhone 5 and later, iPad 4th Gen, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2 and later, 9.7" and 12.9" iPad Pro, and iPod touch 6th Gen are supported, but final feature support is a bit more limited for earlier models.
Identification Help
If you are not certain which iPhone, iPad, or iPad touch you have, these models can be identified externally by Model Number precisely enough to determine whether or not it is supported by iOS 10. The model number is listed in small type on the back of each device toward the bottom.
Specifically, these devices supported iOS 10 at the time the operating system was released:
Apple Device |
Model No |
Although the numbers above are sufficient for determining compatibility with iOS 10, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad models also can be identified in software by Order Number, should the externally listed model numbers be difficult to read. The order number is referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About.
For example, in the United States, this "Model" within the iOS looks like MKQH2LL/A, which specifically refers to an iPhone 6s (AT&T/SIM Free/A1633) in Rose Gold with 128 GB of storage.
Everyi.com's Ultimate iLookup feature can identify these devices by the model numbers above, order numbers from around the world, and by device Serial Numbers, too.
iOS 10 Feature Support
Feature support is more uniform for iOS 10 compared to iOS 9, which had significant feature differences between models. In fact, there only are three notable feature differences:
| Raise to Wake | Rich Notifications | Ride-Booking | |
| iPad 4th Gen | No | No | No |
| iPad Air | No | Yes | No |
| iPad Air 2 | No | Yes | No |
| iPad mini 2 | No | Yes | No |
| iPad mini 3 | No | Yes | No |
| iPad mini 4 | No | Yes | No |
| iPad Pro | No | Yes | No |
| iPhone 5 | No | No | Yes |
| iPhone 5c | No | No | Yes |
| iPhone 5s | No | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 6 | No | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 6s | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 7 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone SE | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPod touch 6 | No | No | No |
Ride-booking refers to ride-booking extensions for third-parties within the Maps app. These features are minor enough that those with unsupported devices are unlikely to shed too many tears.
iOS 10 Compatibility Summary
Although many of the new features added were minor, the app improvements generally were worthwhile and iOS 10 was a worthy improvement compared to its predecessor for those with supported devices. iOS 10 performance was quite similar to iOS 9, too.
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