YouTube has ended support for some older iPhone models with the latest update to its iOS app. With the new decision, the YouTube app will no longer work on devices other than iOS 16 and above. With this change, many users will only be able to watch videos via the mobile browser.
YouTube support for these iPhone models has been discontinued
This new system requirement, which came into effect with the update to version 20.22.1 of the app, particularly affects devices running iOS 15 and below. iPhone users who want to use YouTube now need to use a device with an operating system of iOS 16 or later.
The Apple devices affected by this change include the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone SE first generation, iPod touch seventh generation, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4. These models do not receive software update support from Apple either. Therefore, users will not be able to update the app and will no longer be able to run older versions.
This decision by YouTube leads to a significant change in the user experience as it eliminates direct app-based access. While it is still possible to watch videos via the mobile browser, features such as notification support, picture-in-picture (PiP) mode, and seamless full-screen transitions offered by the app are not available in the browser.
Following the decision, older iPhone owners will either have to switch to a new device or continue watching via the browser with limited functionality. This move by YouTube indicates that the company has come to an end of its policy of providing software support to older hardware.
iPhone models with discontinued YouTube support
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
