When it comes to iPadOS 18, it was nearly a miracle when we learned last Summer that the iPad (7th generation) would be the sole checkm8-vulnerable device to be able to run the latest and greatest firmware for Apple’s tablets. After all, Apple stopped supporting checkm8-vulnerable iPhones starting with iOS 17.
But citing a report shared by French website iPhoneSoft, it seems that the iPad (7th generation) may not be as lucky when it comes to iPadOS 19, which is a firmware update that Apple is expected to announce next Summer at the yet-to-be-scheduled WWDC 2025 event.
What this means is that the palera1n jailbreak isn’t likely to ever support any firmware newer than iPadOS 18, which would make this Apple’s final blow to the unpatchable checkm8 hardware-based bootrom exploit for good.
Of course, checkm8-vulnerable devices would remain jailbreakable for life, but they just won’t be eligible for the latest software updates. Instead, the newest checkm8-vulnerable iPhones, like the iPhone X, will remain capped at iOS 16, while the newest checkm8-vulnerable iPads, like the iPad (6th generation) and iPad (7th generation), would remain capped at iPadOS 17 and iPadOS 18 respectively.
While unfortunate from a jailbreaking perspective, the report goes on to note some positive news – namely the fact that all iOS 18-compatible iPhones are expected to support iOS 19. This would mean that the following iPhones would be iOS 19-compatible, if the report is to be taken as gospel:
- All iPhone 17 series [not yet announced]
- iPhone SE (4th generation) [not yet announced]
- All iPhone 16 series
- All iPhone 15 series
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- All iPhone 14 series
- All iPhone 13 series
- All iPhone 12 series
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- All iPhone 11 series
- iPhone XS & XS Max
- iPhone XR
As far as iPads are concerned, the list that should support iPadOS 19 is even shorter:
- iPad mini (5th generation) and newer
- iPad (8th generation) and newer
- iPad Air (3rd generation) and newer
- iPad Pro (2018 model) and newer
While the report is too early to confirm and we will undoubtedly need to wait for Apple’s official announcements, the website cites internal employees at Apple who have released this information to them, so there’s a possibility that it may hold water.
If this plays out as expected, then the only way we’ll get a jailbreak on iOS or iPadOS 19 is without the help of checkm8, which would be a massive challenge to jailbreak developers given the fact that a public iOS & iPadOS 17 jailbreak doesn’t even exist yet.
What are your thoughts regarding this news? Let us know in the comments section down below.