Gadronics Samsung is preparing to end SmartThings app updates for older iPhones, and if you’re still holding onto an iPhone X, iPhone 8, or anything earlier, you’re about to feel the effects.
A new in-app notice confirms that SmartThings will stop receiving updates on iPhones running iOS 16 or below starting December 23, 2025. The app will continue working on those devices for now, but there’s a catch. If you ever delete it, you won’t be able to reinstall it unless your phone can update to iOS 17 or higher.
The iPhone X and iPhone 8 families can’t upgrade past iOS 16, meaning they’ll be permanently stuck on the “no new updates” list. SmartThings will keep running in its current state, but new features, improved device integrations, and bug fixes will all be out of reach going forward.
Newer models, including the iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd gen), and anything released after, can upgrade to iOS 17 and continue receiving SmartThings updates normally.
Samsung doesn’t frame this as a shutdown – users on older iPhones can continue to control lights, sensors, hubs and other connected devices just as they do today. But the platform is going to continue to evolve, and over time some newer features might begin not to work correctly on outdated app versions. And the inability to reinstall the app makes things fragile: one accidental deletion or factory reset could mean losing SmartThings access entirely unless you upgrade your phone.
The change arrives shortly after SmartThings for iPhone and Apple Watch gained new features, which makes this cutoff especially noticeable for users of older hardware.
If you’re still using a pre-XR iPhone as your smart home controller, the takeaway is simple: SmartThings will keep working, but the clock is officially ticking.
