Why Your iPhone 5 and 5C and iPad 4 Won't Work With iOS 11
When Apple updates it’s mobile operating system in the autumn of 2017 to
iOS 11, owners of an iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and iPad 4 will find they have been
left behind in the update.
This is a result of Apple’s policy to cease support of 32-bit Apps and
devices. Since 2013, with the introduction of the Apple A7 processor, Apple’s
mobile devices have been using 64-bit processors. The A7 processor was
introduced on the iPhone 5S and then used in the iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and iPad
Mini 3. So all these devices will be able to update to iOS 11. But if your
device has a 32-bit processor, essentially A6X and earlier processors, your
device will effectively be consigned to history.
This means your old device will remain forever stuck at iOS 10.3.2, with
no new security updates. If you still have an iPhone 4 owner, you will know
that it refuses to update beyond iOS 7.1.2. Owners of an iPhone 5, iPhone 5C
and iPad 4 will have the same experience, although they will be stuck at iOS
10.3.2.
Moreover, older apps that only run in 32-bit will no longer work. Nor
will they appear in your Purchased tab when you head over to the App Store. Presumably
if you want to keep using these older 32-bit apps you will have to avoid the
software update and make sure you back-up your apps.
Since the summer of 2015 all new apps and app updates have had to be
64-bit, you you should be OK with your recent downloads from the App Store.
From Apple’s perspective the move is sensible. The older 32-bit
processors cannot handle as much data as their newer 64-bit cousins, so will be slower. Furthermore,
by forcing users to keep upgrading their devices Apple keeps making more money.
However, if you are happy with the functionality of your iPhone 5, do you
really need a 5S or higher? Probably not. Your decision to upgrade will perhaps have more to do with whether you want to be seen with an older model or
you really do need the features you can only get on an iPhone 6 etc.
When it comes to making videos, yes you can do it successfully on older iPhone and iPads. The iPhone 4 is capable of shooting HD 720p and the iPad 4 will shoot HD 1080p. The problem is that your video making apps, like Filmic Pro won't work on the iPhone 4 (you are stuck with Filmic Classic) and Filmic Pro 6 struggles on an iPad 4. So the release of iOS 11 maybe the spur you need to better quality video equipment.
I have just upgraded from both of these devices to an iPhone SE. It has the same video capability of an iPhone 6S but in an iPhone 5 case. I only use my iPhone for making videos so the iPhone SE works well for me. Not only do I get the same video spec as the iPhone 6S but I get it at a cheaper price. That means I can shoot at higher frame rates (upto 120fps at 1080p and 240fps at 720p), plus shoot at upto 4K on the rear camera and upto HD 720p on the facetime camera. The added bonus is that most of my filming-making accessories remain compatible.
For a good example of a professional video made using Filmic Pro take a look at this 2014 item from the Irish broadcaster RTE, shot on an iPhone 5S.
The King of Coffee from Philip Bromwell on Vimeo.
