Apple gives over 12-year-old iPhone 5s an iOS update
Owners of a 2013 iPhone 5s are about to be surprised: Apple is releasing another iOS update more than 12 years after the fact. This is not the new iOS 26 with the updated Liquid Glass interface, but a security update to iOS 12. This will allow the device to continue using iMessage and FaceTime.
Apple announced the update on its support page. At issue is iOS version 12.5.8, currently the latest version for iPhones such as the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Apple said the update is necessary to continue using iMessage and FaceTime.
.In fact, iOS 12.5.8 installs new certificates. These are required for your iPhone to communicate securely with Apple's servers. If you do not install the update, these services will not work after January 2027.
Special: another software update after more than 12 years
It is usually not common for cell phones more than 10 years old to still receive software support. The closest it comes is the Fairphone 6 which gets 8 years of software updates. The fact that Apple also provides long-term support for older models is nice. It only adds to the longevity and it ensures that secondhand iPhones fetch relatively high prices.
Apple released the iPhone 5s in the fall of 2013 and continued to release new iOS versions for the device until 2018. This was followed by some security updates, but the iOS version stuck at 12 from then on. The 5s was the last iPhone with a small 4-inch screen. Starting with the iPhone 6, Apple switched to at least 4.7 inches.
