The new iPhone 4 is displayed at the 2010 Apple World Wide Developers conference June 7, 2010 in San Francisco, California.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
The newest version of Apple’s mobile operating system is reportedly being optimized to run well on devices as old as the iPhone 4S and iPad Mini, company insiders told 9to5Mac.
Rather than saddle older, underpowered phones with increasingly powerful features, Apple has reportedly built a stripped-down “core” version of its new mobile operating system for older devices. Meanwhile, newer phones, like the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, will get access to iOS 9’s more powerful, processor-intensive new features.
The move may surprise Apple users who have seen performance steadily decline on outdated devices, raising theories that Apple was deliberately pushing users to buy the latest model.
Apple is expected to unveil the latest version of iOS 9 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
See the World Await and Celebrate Apple's iPhone 6
People pass time as they wait outside an Apple store for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in London on Sept. 17, 2014. Lefteris Pitarakis—APPeople wait in line in front of the Apple Store in Tokyo on Sept. 18, 2014.Yuya Shino—ReutersA man sleeps in a tent in the queue outside an Apple store in London on Sept. 18, 2014.Justin Tallis—AFP/Getty ImagesA man wearing a replica of an iPhone 6 Plus model on his head yawns while waiting in front of an Apple Store in Tokyo on Sept. 19, 2014.Yuya Shino—ReutersA woman sleeps in a chair as she waits in queue outside the Apple store in London on Sept. 18, 2014. Justin Tallis—AFP/Getty ImagesA staff member removes a display poster of iPhone 5S at an Apple store in Tokyo on Sept. 18, 2014,.Yuya Shino—ReutersCustomers queue outside an Apple store in Hong Kong on Sept. 19, 2014. Xaume Ollerose—AFP/Getty ImagesKen Miyauchi Vice President of Softbank, Japanese mobile phone company and actress Sayaka Kanda, in a pink dress, react during a ceremony to mark the first day of sales of the latest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at a store in Tokyo on Sept. 19, 2014.Shizuo Kambayashi—APAfter being first in line for 19 days, Moon Ray, from Jackson, Miss. runs the gauntlet of Apple store workers as she enters the Fifth Avenue Apple store in New York on Sept. 19, 2014.Peter Foley—EPAApple store staff high five customers as they enter an store in Tokyo on Sept. 19, 2014.Chris McGrath—Getty ImagesA man wearing a mask depicting Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs holds up a cardboard cut-out of Apple's new iPhone 6, as he walks into an Apple Store in Tokyo on Sept. 18, 2014.Yuya Shino—ReutersAndreas Gibson celebrates as he exits an Apple store in New York after being the first to purchase an iPhone 6 Plus on Sept. 19, 2014. Julie Jacobson—APJamael Ahmed jumps in the air as he leaves the store after being the first to purchase the iPhone 6 at Apple Covent Gardens in London on Sept. 19, 2014.Ben A. Pruchnie—Getty Images
