Apple once again puts Android to shame – it just updated the 12-year-old iPhone 5S to set a new record

The iPhone 5S (Image credit: Future)

Apple has rolled out a new update to the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6
Dubbed iOS 12.5.8, this will keep core apps working for longer
In the case of the iPhone 5S, this is an update to a phone that's over 12 years old

Apple has always been good about keeping its phones updated, and in recent years, a lot of Android brands have as well, but the latest software update Apple has just rolled out might come as a surprise even to those familiar with the company’s devices.

No, we’re not talking about iOS 26.2.1 or the beta version of iOS 26.3, both of which have also landed recently – we’re talking about iOS 12.5.8.

This new version of a very old iOS release is now available for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6, which came out in September 2013 and September 2014, respectively – so the iPhone 5S is over 12 years old. That makes this a record-breaking update that's well beyond the 6-ish years of support you usually get with iPhones, and 4-7 years with most recent Androids.

The iPhone 6 — There probably aren't many people still using an iPhone 6 (Image credit: Future)

No new features

You will, of course, not be getting any Apple Intelligence features here, or any of the new goodies available in recent versions of iOS – this is still a version of iOS 12 after all. But what this record-breaking update does do is extend the certificate required for FaceTime, iMessage, and device activation to work beyond January 2027.

So yes, even this time next year you’ll still be able to use those core software features on the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.

We wouldn’t necessarily recommend using these phones still if you have another option – most third-party apps probably won’t work on them, and despite this surprise update, they’re unlikely to be as secure as Apple’s regularly updated phones. But it’s nice that it’s still an option, for those who can’t afford a new handset or want to keep an ancient one as a spare, and just to help reduce e-waste.

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