What should I do if my iPhone SE does not receive iOS 13?

Apple's WWDC event is imminent and it's the best way to kick off the festivities (to which we have not been invited, as always), and then to contemplate all the fun features you may not be able to use. on your old iPhone.

Apple has been shown decent enough to extend support for new iterations of iOS to older devices. Take iOS 12, for example: You can play with fun features such as Group FaceTime, Screen Time and the updated Photos app on devices as old as the iPhone 5S – from 2013. This is ridiculous support for a device that should not work very well now, especially if it's your main transport device for five and a half years. (Your weak battery.)

This brings us to this week's question for Tech 911, sent by Lifehacker Reader. Robert:

"I propose a hypothetical situation:

I have a 3 year iPhone SE that I only use to send occasional emails and surf the web in sleep mode, as if I were sitting in a waiting room for doctors. I always have 100% battery life. The majority of my reads / emails are from my iMac.

Suppose the next iOS update could exclude my iPhone SE as well as other older models. I realize that there will be no more updates for iOS 12, specifically for security patches.

Given my rather light usage, would it be advantageous for me to keep the SE / iOS 12 or upgrade to indicate the Xr that would have iOS 13?

I like all this "hypothetical" talk. It gives me the impression that we are about to develop a super-secret plan that no one else will know, except for the thousands of people who read this column. Joking aside, I think it's fair to assume that your iPhone SE could to be on the cut block for this latest iOS update.

What makes me think it is safe is that the iPhone SE is still a newer device – launched in March 2016. It is possible that Apple removes the iPhone 5, the oldest device currently supported iOS 12, or even the iPhone. 5, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (using respectively A7 and A8 chips).

I'm not entirely convinced that Apple will be attacking the "A9" devices – iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and your iPhone SE mentioned above – especially if the company is making every effort to improve performance and performance. fix the bugs in iOS 13, like the iOS 12. Unless Apple wants to launch a planned obsolescence, it makes sense to think that a chip A9 (two steps above the most processor slow supporting iOS 12) –should work with iOS 13.

I'm just speculating, of course. As I said, Apple has always made sure that the latest versions of iOS are compatible with a long list of older iPhones, but it is possible that they cover a wide range of their older products. I doubt that it will happen. I would be a little worried if I was sitting at the very bottom of the list (sorry, the owners of iPhone 5s), but I think the iPhone SE will survive this trick.

At least, I hope it makes sense that Apple continues the support of iOS until the presumed launch of the iPhone SE II in 2020. (I would merge it with the nomenclature of the iPhone X and would call iPhone Xse to give Elon Musk a thrill, but that's just me.)

As for your question, I will keep the iPhone SE at least until next week, where you will surely hear the last word on Apple's iOS 13 compatibility. Even if your device does not reach iOS 13, I will not upgrade your situation. It seems that you only use your iPhone sporadically. And even if it's important that the latest and most powerful security updates are used on your smartphone, it seems to me that this would be a chance for you to get hacked when you perform simpler operations , such as checking your emails or browsing the Internet. Web.

If you're stuck with iOS 12, you can always get away from Safari (or Chrome, or whatever) for a browser focused on privacy and security, like Courageous. Tor is also a decent alternative, if lower speeds do not bother you. You do not really need an antivirus or antimalware application on iOS, so do not worry about them. And, as always, a powerful password manager is worth integrating into your digital life, no matter the circumstances. These tips are not a perfect cure for potential future problems, but they will help you stay as safe as you can.