ForeFlight says its app continues to run on older iPads but its annual upgrades take advantage of new features in Apple’s latest operating system updates. The company also says the actual app will not employ artificial intelligence in the device. As we reported last week, ForeFlight is issuing an update next month that can only be downloaded by iPads that run at least iOS 18 or the later iOS 26. That means some devices that were built as late as 2018 will not be able to run the newest version of ForeFlight. They will, however, continue to operate on the ForeFlight version they currently use. “Customers are able to continue to use older hardware and the highest compatible version of our software even after our newer releases become incompatible with them,” James Decker, ForeFlight’s VP of Marketing, told AvBrief. He noted ForeFlight still runs on devices that even Apple doesn’t support.
He said keeping up with Apple’s latest operating systems allows ForeFlight to use features like synthetic vision, Pencil for annotations, and better graphics. The next update needs a minimum of iOS 18, which is when Apple Intelligence was introduced, but Decker said the next update will not directly use artificial intelligence in the app downloaded to the device. “Our app does not run any AI or machine learning on your device, nor does it use Apple Intelligence,” Decker said. “We do use machine learning models on our servers to power certain features (such as summarizing pilot feedback) but all of that processing happens in the cloud. The app simply displays the results. There is no on-device AI component.”
“I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that”
…. Hal 9000
I still don’t quite understand. Will I still be able to download the current charts etal; with my older Ipad that I carry along for backup to a newer Ipad? The advanced features aren’t necessary for 99% of my flying.
Yes. That was covered in the original press release.
““Customers are able to continue to use older hardware and the highest compatible version of our software even after our newer releases become incompatible with them,””
I read that statement as yes, you will continue to be able to use an older ipad and get chart updates using that older ipad and app, for now.
Thank you for this clarification.
“There is no on-device AI component.” – Yet.
Back in the mid-60’s I cut my teeth on the IBM1620 computer. One of the more popular demo routines was to place an AM radio (tuned off-station) on the console and run the MUSIC demo program, developed at Bell Labs to demonstrate their speech synthesis research. One day, Arthur C. Clark was visiting the Labs and heard its version of “Daisy”. Six years later it became film history.
Once a technology exists it will be used, for good and for ill.