My 16 year old (non-verbal) is autistic and really wants an iPhone with an older update. Our local AT@T store has an iPhone 11 that has an older update on it but its a display model and they will not sell it to us. Not sure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
iPhone XS Max, iOS 18
By "older update" I assume you mean an older version of iOS.
Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Supported
and (further down the same page) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Unsupported_(64-bit_CPU,_2013_to_2017_models)
It groups the different models by latest iOS they support. Now, my wife wanted a small smartphone, not some giant glass slab, and she did not need a ton of features, so she bought a refurbed iPhone SE (1st gen) from BestBuy. The latest iOS it can support is iOS 15.8.3, so it's never going to end up with anything newer. She's perfectly happy with it.
My point is that if you know which iOS your son wants, you can look it up and see which models have that as it's most recent version it can support. Then, whatever iOS the phone currently has when you buy it, Apple cannot force it to update to any more recent version. Also, for any given model, you cannot arbitrarily choose to downgrade it to an older version, even if it's the version it originally shipped with.
I recently decided to migrate from an Android phone to an iPhone. I chose an iPhone SE 2nd generation (also relatively compact), which shipped with iOS 13.4, but it updated to the most recent iOS 17.6.1, and (reportedly) is supposed to support iOS 18 when it comes out, and I believe it was the oldest/cheapest/smallest model that will do that. It's my Goldilocks phone. Actually, it's the second "renewed" one I got from Amazon. The first one turned out to have a defective digitizer, which resulted in a dead 7mm strip down the right side that would not respond to touch, so Amazon authorized a full refund on return. The second one seems fine so far, although I though I had "bricked" it with the update to 17.6.1. It got better on the 6th attempt to restore it.
By "older update" I assume you mean an older version of iOS.
Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Supported
and (further down the same page) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Unsupported_(64-bit_CPU,_2013_to_2017_models)
It groups the different models by latest iOS they support. Now, my wife wanted a small smartphone, not some giant glass slab, and she did not need a ton of features, so she bought a refurbed iPhone SE (1st gen) from BestBuy. The latest iOS it can support is iOS 15.8.3, so it's never going to end up with anything newer. She's perfectly happy with it.
My point is that if you know which iOS your son wants, you can look it up and see which models have that as it's most recent version it can support. Then, whatever iOS the phone currently has when you buy it, Apple cannot force it to update to any more recent version. Also, for any given model, you cannot arbitrarily choose to downgrade it to an older version, even if it's the version it originally shipped with.
I recently decided to migrate from an Android phone to an iPhone. I chose an iPhone SE 2nd generation (also relatively compact), which shipped with iOS 13.4, but it updated to the most recent iOS 17.6.1, and (reportedly) is supposed to support iOS 18 when it comes out, and I believe it was the oldest/cheapest/smallest model that will do that. It's my Goldilocks phone. Actually, it's the second "renewed" one I got from Amazon. The first one turned out to have a defective digitizer, which resulted in a dead 7mm strip down the right side that would not respond to touch, so Amazon authorized a full refund on return. The second one seems fine so far, although I though I had "bricked" it with the update to 17.6.1. It got better on the 6th attempt to restore it.
By "older update" I assume you mean an older version of iOS.
Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Supported
and (further down the same page) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPhone_models#Unsupported_(64-bit_CPU,_2013_to_2017_models)
It groups the different models by latest iOS they support. Now, my wife wanted a small smartphone, not some giant glass slab, and she did not need a ton of features, so she bought a refurbed iPhone SE (1st gen) from BestBuy. The latest iOS it can support is iOS 15.8.3, so it's never going to end up with anything newer. She's perfectly happy with it.
My point is that if you know which iOS your son wants, you can look it up and see which models have that as it's most recent version it can support. Then, whatever iOS the phone currently has when you buy it, Apple cannot force it to update to any more recent version. Also, for any given model, you cannot arbitrarily choose to downgrade it to an older version, even if it's the version it originally shipped with.
I recently decided to migrate from an Android phone to an iPhone. I chose an iPhone SE 2nd generation (also relatively compact), which shipped with iOS 13.4, but it updated to the most recent iOS 17.6.1, and (reportedly) is supposed to support iOS 18 when it comes out, and I believe it was the oldest/cheapest/smallest model that will do that. It's my Goldilocks phone. Actually, it's the second "renewed" one I got from Amazon. The first one turned out to have a defective digitizer, which resulted in a dead 7mm strip down the right side that would not respond to touch, so Amazon authorized a full refund on return. The second one seems fine so far, although I though I had "bricked" it with the update to 17.6.1. It got better on the 6th attempt to restore it.
My point with that ramble was to not be afraid to buy a refurbed older model as long as it's from a reputable vendor.
[edit] Oh. I see the problem now. The iPhone 11 shipped with iOS 13, and I'm assuming that's the iOS he wants. There doesn't seem to be any models whose most recent iOS will be higher than 12.5.7 and lower than 15.8.3. The only solution I can see is to decide which version(s) of iOS outside of that gap he would find acceptable, and then get an iPhone that maxes out at that version.
AutismDaddy wrote:
... He wants the old scrubber bar. Where you can put your finger anywhere on the video and move the video back and forth.
The older apple updates had the scrubber bar the way he liked it.
Oh. I just checked with a random youtube video just now in the Safari app (for iOS 17.6.1) on my iPhone SE 2 and I was able to scrub back and forth, whether in the full-screen or the normal inline viewer. It wasn't that smooth in reverse, but it worked. Does he use Safari or the "Youtube: Watch, Listen, Stream" app from the app store?
What was there about the older version of the scrubber bar that he prefers?
There might be some 3rd-party viewer available that has the same characteristics.
Display models are limited by design and would be useless to him. You’ll have to check with different online marketplaces for someone selling one that fits your needs. However, be careful. Read The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying … - Apple Community
It's not about the phone itself that's important to him. It's about the update. He wants the older update specifically because of the way it works with YouTube. Let me try to explain what he wants.
He likes to watch YouTube videos. He enjoys scrolling through them over and over again. The bar that allows you to advance the video forwards and backwards is called a scrubber bar. He wants the old scrubber bar. Where you can put your finger anywhere on the video and move the video back and forth.
The older apple updates had the scrubber bar the way he liked it.
Sorry I didn't this response until after I sent mine. But yes you somewhat get the idea of what he wants.
Hunter already has 7 different iPhones right now, as well as 3 tablets. All he does is sit at the table all day long and watches YouTube videos. But he hasn't found the one with his old scrubber bar.
AutismDaddy Said:
"Autistic son wants older update: My 16 year old (non-verbal) is autistic and really wants an iPhone with an older update. Our local AT@T store has an iPhone 11 that has an older update on it but it's a display model and they will not sell it to us. Not sure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated."
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Getting an Older iPhone:
No one here has any call in what others sell. These are just user-to-user forums. So, I'd blow it off, and purchase the lasts available model, as of this reply. IMPORTANT: What it comes to purchasing expensive Apple product, I recommend purchasing them from Apple, and none other, as a way to avoid scams and such.
Autistic son wants older update
