Is iOS 16 for iPhone 8?

These are the iPhone models that can get iOS 16: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus. iPhone X. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max

When the iOS 16 compatibility list was announced, it was a cause of celebration. Sure, the iPhone 7 and earlier were out of the running, but that still meant the iPhone 8 was in line for the new update. The five-year-old iPhone is now the oldest iPhone to be updated to the newest, shiniest version of iOS, and since that’s the iPhone I own, that has to be a cause for celebration. Right?

My fears stem from the anecdotes we’ve all heard: “I downloaded a new update, and now my battery life is terrible,” “My phone is now really slow,” or even, “It’s broken my phone.” Operating system updates add new features, but there’s a strong feeling amongst many that they can also slow your phone and reduce its battery life. This conspiratorial thinking often leans toward companies using planned obsolescence, intentional sabotage that hastens the purchase of a new device by slowing down or otherwise reducing the usability of your current device.

These conspiracy theories actually bore fruit in 2017 when it was revealed Apple was slowing down older iPhones with new software updates. The company claimed it was doing so to stop unexpected shutdowns stemming from aging batteries. But regardless of the truth of the matter, people were enraged. Much of the anger seemed to come from this practice being hidden from consumers at large. After all, a slow smartphone is infuriating, and while Apple started an extended free battery replacement service on the back of this outrage, the damage was done.

Thankfully, this was largely an isolated incident, and there’s precious little other evidence of manufacturers intentionally slowing down other smartphones. After the impact on Apple’s reputation, it’s also unlikely it would consider doing anything like this again. But these rumors come from somewhere, and it’s likely you have noticed a beloved device slowing down after a large update.

In reality, any slowdown is likely to be a combination of aging hardware struggling to run more demanding software, as well as a touch of simple confirmation bias. You can help stave some of this off by replacing key components, like the battery, but you eventually have to accept your device will slow down over time.