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iPhone Q&A

Update Published April 8, 2015

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Which iPhone models fully support iOS 8? For models that "partially" support iOS 8, which features are and are not supported?

Please note that iOS 15 is the current version of the iOS. However, the below Q&A has been updated subsequently and is quite useful for anyone who is running or who wants to run iOS 8 on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.

On June 2, 2014, Apple announced iOS 8.

The company provided full compatibility details on September 9, 2014, and formally launched the operating system into the world on September 17, 2014.

New iOS 8 Features

With the slogan, "the biggest iOS release ever" -- at least partially alluding to the larger displays on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus -- Apple's pre-launch press release boasted:

iOS 8 delivers a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apples QuickType keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive, so you can store files and access them from anywhere. With more than 4,000 new APIs, iOS 8 allows developers to further customize the user experience with major extensibility features and robust frameworks such as HealthKit and HomeKit.

Another major new addition is the collection of "Continuity" features which Apple explains accordingly:

Continuity features in iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite bring your Mac and iOS devices together like never before. When your iPhone or iPad is near your Mac, Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to the other. Instant Hotspot makes using your iPhones hotspot as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Now the SMS and MMS messages that previously only appeared on your iPhone appear in Messages on all your devices. You can even send SMS or MMS messages directly from your Mac and make or receive iPhone calls using your Mac as a speakerphone.

iOS 8 Supported Devices

Apple notes that all devices that support iOS 7 also support iOS 8, except for the iPhone 4 (GSM) and iPhone 4 (CDMA/Verizon/Sprint), which can be identified by model numbers A1332 and A1349, respectively.

However, specific feature support varies among the devices that are supported, too.

iPhones Running iOS 8
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPhone 5s Running iOS 8)

Identification Help

If you are not certain which iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad you have, these models can be identified externally by Model Number precisely enough to determine whether or not it is supported by iOS 8. The model number is printed in small type on the back of each device toward the bottom.

Specifically, these devices fully or partially support iOS 8:

Apple Device

Model (External)

iPad 2 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1395

iPad 2 (Wi-Fi/GSM)

A1396

iPad 2 (Wi-Fi/CDMA)

A1397

iPad 2 (Wi-Fi Only, iPad2,4)

A1395

iPad 3rd Gen (Wi-Fi Only)

A1416

iPad 3rd Gen (Wi-Fi/Cellular AT&T)

A1430

iPad 3rd Gen (Wi-Fi/Cellular Verizon)

A1403

iPad 4th Gen (Wi-Fi Only)

A1458

iPad 4th Gen (Wi-Fi/AT&T)

A1459

iPad 4th Gen (Wi-Fi/Verizon & Sprint)

A1460

iPad Air (Wi-Fi Only)

A1474

iPad Air (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1475

iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1566

iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1567

iPad mini (Wi-Fi Only)

A1432

iPad mini (Wi-Fi/AT&T)

A1454

iPad mini (Wi-Fi/Verizon & Sprint)

A1455

iPad mini 2 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1489

iPad mini 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1490

iPad mini 2 (China)

A1491

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1599

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1600

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi/Cellular, China)

A1601

iPhone 4S/4s

A1387

iPhone 4S/4s (GSM China/WAPI)

A1431

iPhone 5 (GSM)

A1428

iPhone 5 (CDMA)

A1429

iPhone 5 (GSM/Intl)

A1429

iPhone 5 (CDMA China)

A1442

iPhone 5 (GSM/AWS)

A1428

iPhone 5c (GSM)

A1532

iPhone 5c (CDMA/Verizon)

A1532

iPhone 5c (CDMA/China Telecom)

A1532

iPhone 5c (CDMA/US/Japan)

A1456

iPhone 5c (UK/Europe)

A1507

iPhone 5c (China Unicom)

A1526

iPhone 5c (Asia Pacific)

A1529

iPhone 5c (China Mobile)

A1516

iPhone 5s (GSM)

A1533

iPhone 5s (CDMA/Verizon)

A1533

iPhone 5s (CDMA/China Telecom)

A1533

iPhone 5s (CDMA/US/Japan)

A1453

iPhone 5s (UK/Europe)

A1457

iPhone 5s (China Unicom)

A1528

iPhone 5s (Asia Pacific)

A1530

iPhone 5s (China Mobile)

A1518

iPhone 6 (GSM/North America)

A1549

iPhone 6 (CDMA/Verizon)

A1549

iPhone 6 (Global/Sprint)

A1586

iPhone 6 (China Mobile)

A1589

iPhone 6 Plus (GSM/North America)

A1522

iPhone 6 Plus (CDMA/Verizon)

A1522

iPhone 6 Plus (Global/Sprint)

A1524

iPhone 6 Plus (China Mobile)

A1593

iPod touch (5th Gen)

A1421

iPod touch (5th Gen, No iSight, 2013)

A1509

iPod touch (5th Gen, 16 GB, 2014)

A1421

iPod touch (6th Gen, 2015)

A1574

If your device is not listed above, it is not an iOS 8 supported device.

Although the numbers above are sufficient for determining compatibility with iOS 8, 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 US, this "Model" within the iOS looks like ME529LL/A, which specifically refers to an iPhone 5c (GSM/North America).

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 8 Performance & Features Compatibility Chart

The slowest device compatible with iOS 8 is the iPhone 4S (A1387) -- with an 800 MHz Apple A5 processor and 512 MB of RAM -- but based on hands-on evaluation as well as independent test results, it is a bit slower running iOS 8 than iOS 7, but performance still is acceptable and it is compatible with almost all new iOS 8 features.

iOS 8 has two primary new features that have support for some devices and not others -- Health and Continuity -- as well as Apple Pay, which only works with NFC-equipped models like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

However, interestingly, Apple also quietly added Panorama support to some iPad models with iOS 8.0.2 and there are other features that were first introduced with earlier versions of the iOS that still are not supported by some devices running iOS 8. These details are worthwhile to review, too.

iOS 8 feature support varies accordingly:

AirDrop Panorama Siri Health Apple Pay Continuity‡
iPad 2 No No* No* No No No
iPad 3rd Gen No No* Yes No No No
iPad 4th Gen Yes No* Yes No No Yes
iPad Air Yes Yes† Yes No No Yes
iPad Air 2 Yes Yes Yes No Yes♦ Yes
iPad mini Yes No* Yes No No Yes
iPad mini 2 Yes Yes† Yes No No Yes
iPad mini 3 Yes Yes Yes No Yes♦ Yes
iPhone 4s No Yes Yes Yes No No
iPhone 5 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
iPhone 5c Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
iPhone 5s Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
iPhone 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone 6 Plus Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPod touch 5 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
iPod touch 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes


* Siri and Panorama are not supported on these iPad models running any version of the iOS.

† Curiously, Apple quietly added Panorama support to the iPad Air and iPad mini 2, but not any earlier iPad models, with iOS 8.0.2.

♦ The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 models support Apple Pay within apps but not in retail stores.

Continuity Support‡

Support for specific Continuity features -- which work in conjunction with some, but not all, OS X Yosemite compatible Macs -- varies among supported iOS devices:

Handoff Instant
Hotspot
Phone Calls
(from Mac)
SMS
iPad 4th Gen Yes Yes* No No
iPad Air Yes Yes* No No
iPad Air 2 Yes Yes* No No
iPad mini Yes Yes* No No
iPad mini 2 Yes Yes* No No
iPad mini 3 Yes Yes* No No
iPhone 5 Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone 5c Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone 5s Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPhone 6 Plus Yes Yes Yes Yes
iPod touch 5 Yes No No No


* iPad models with cellular connectivity support Instant Hotspot. "Personal Hotspot" service through a cellular company is required to use this feature, too.

iOS 8 Compatibility Summary

Ultimately, with the exception of Apple Pay support, iOS 8 is fully compatible with the iPhone 5 and later models, the iPod touch 5th Gen, and nearly fully compatible with the iPad 4th Gen and later models.

It is largely compatible with the iPhone 4s, iPad 2, and iPad 3rd Gen, as well, and these devices still can benefit a great deal from the improvements to Messages and Photos as well as QuickType and Family Sharing along with third-party enhancements.

At least once all the bugs have been addressed, iOS 8 will be an excellent upgrade, particularly for one also using an OS X Yosemite-powered Mac.


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