News: iOS 5 May Not Run on iPhone 3GS

Although it is currently a rumor, it looks like the iPhone 3GS, still currently being sold by Apple and AT&T, is going to be left out of the iOS 5 game. It seems that this has been a bit expected, especially with the poor track record iOS 4 had on the iPhone 3G. Perhaps Apple is being a bit gunshy about this, or it could be that the company is focusing on supporting at least an A4 processor.

The information was just posted via a tweet, so it really does not have much official backing. According to AppleInsider:

The claims stem from a Twitter post from Mobile-Review.com editor Eldar Murtazin, which was first discovered by MacStories. If true, it would mean that those who take advantage of the current $49 U.S. price of the iPhone 3GS could be out of luck with iOS 5 launches.

“Just one comment,” Murtazin wrote. “Apple iPhone 3Gs wont be upgradable to iOS 5.x. iPhone 4 will.”

That would be a change from last year, when iOS 4 was ported to the iPhone 3G, a device that first became available in 2008. While iPhone 3G users were able to upgrade to iOS 4, the software still had missing features due to the slower hardware, like multitasking and background wallpaper.

Murtazin is the sam guy who said the iPad 2 would have a USB port…looks like we’ll have to wait and see. We suspect the third-generation iPod touch would also be left off. Would you be upset if the 3GS is left at 4.3.x?