New iOS 6 Beta to Drop Support for iPad 1?

With the announcement for Apple’s next-generation mobile OS confirmed for an unveiling at this year’s WWDC developer conference with banners proudly displaying the version number in San Francisco, California, it appears that Apple may in fact be dropping support for the first-generation iPad with iOS 6. According to leaked build of the iOS 6 beta software, it appears that Apple may be ending support for the third-generation iPod Touch as well as the iPad 1.

The list of supported iOS hardware for iOS 6 include: the iPad 2, the third-generation iPad, the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, fourth-generation iPod Touch, second-generation Apple TV, and third-generation Apple TV.

Surprisingly, the aging iPhone 3GS is still supported with iOS 6. Likely, as with iOS releases in the past, Apple may reserve some keen features of its newest iOS software for use on the latest generation hardware only as a compelling reason to upgrade to new hardware. For instance, when Siri debuted, Apple had reserved that for the iPhone 4S only and users who wanted Siri on an iPhone 4 would have a reason to get the new iPhone 4S. It’s unclear what features of iOS 6 at this time would be reserved for the next-generation iPhone release, which could be dubbed the iPhone 5. It’s unlikely that Apple will announce the iPhone 5 at WWDC this week–the hardware is expected to arrive later this fall.

It’s rumored that the iPhone 3GS will still be sold by Apple after the iPhone 5 arrives.

iOS 6 will likely be available soon for developers to download in beta. The public release of iOS 6 isn’t expected to happen until this fall and speculations have placed the launch of iOS 6 as early as September.

As reported by AppleInsider, details of the new software came from the iOS 6 build 10A5316K.