Some ForeFlight subscribers will have to buy new iPads to get the next update of ForeFlight Mobile, possibly to allow the use of artificial intelligence in the app. The company says iOS/iPadOS 18 will become the minimum-supported iOS for new versions of ForeFlight starting with an update next month. iOS 18 was introduced in 2024 and has since been superseded by iOS 26. The key difference with those versions is the inclusion of Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI platform. ForeFlight has said it intends to incorporate AI into future versions of its app as part of a modernization program initiated by its new owner Thoma Bravo. The company laid off an unknown number of U.S.-based employees as part of that push last week and a company-wide email cited AI and automation as reasons for the staff reduction, according to the Air Current.
“After the new iOS minimum goes into effect, devices that are not running at least iOS 18 will not be able to install new versions of ForeFlight,” the notice sent to owners of older iPads said. “However, essential features like monthly chart and data downloads, documents, and account data syncing will continue to work for recent app versions.” The change affects the iPad (6th gen), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd gen), which were released from 2017-2018.
Hey, Russ: What about iPad minis?
Its not Russ. The ForeFlight press release doesn’t make it clear what gen iPad Mini is going to be required for updates. The only guidance they give is that it needs to run iOS 18 or above. [shrug]
I am concerned that their iPad Buying Guide brings up Apple Intelligence, though… :-/
Pilots’ guide to picking the perfect iPad
Anything from iPad mini 5 will work; v4 or older will not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad
They said it will affect Gen 6 iPads. That’s what my mini is.
Gen 6 iPad mini can be upgraded to iOS 26, so it should not be affected unless you don’t want to upgrade from an older affected iOS version.
I am not surprised one bit, but there are practical alternatives as many here know.
Although I’ve seen upgraded to a new Samsung tablet, my old Samsung Tab A, originally purchased in 2016, can still run FltPlan Go without issue. Just saying.
I’m a bit confused…I own one the older iPad’s in scope but I am also running the latest IOS 26. What’s the issue? Hardware?
FlyQ claimed to support older iPads; but when I experienced poor performance & hiccups they literally said it was my fault for not buying the latest iPad!
So I switched to ForeFlight; but got tired of the complexity and cost for everyday VFR/IFR flying. Seems like they’re only making that worse!
I’ve been using iFly EFB for a year and I really appreciate how straightforward it is for GA pilots like me. No app is perfect, but it does run well across my various iPhone and iPad models!
May be going back to E6B. AI will drive me into a mountain.
I’m with you, Moe. At what point have we given up flying — for the pleasure or utility of it — and become manipulators of computer equipment or copilots to AI? A dedicated portable GPS gives me current position plus course line heading, distance and time to my chosen destination and maybe tosses in some other data. That takes the stress out of keeping track of where we are and how to point the airplane to where we want to be … enabling more time for enjoying the flight. At what point are we overwhelming our brains with anything beyond that and having to learn how to manipulate the ‘devices’ vs enjoying flying? What … flying isn’t cerebral enough?
Some of the modern cockpit instrument panels I see in magazines are borderline ridiculous if not insane? A panel filled with ‘TV sets’ and graphical radios yet there’s a portable iPad stuck to something. Aside from redundancy, why do people need that … esp. if they’re flying VFR? Wanna see nutty … make sure you check out “Scrappy” if you go to Airventure. That airplane is the very definition of ‘excess.’
And THAT, dear friends, is why I will not buy another iPad, nor another Samsung.
When I installed an Avidyne IFD440 in my Cessna 180, I found that my iPad would not support their remote application which allows me to control the 440 without reaching for the panel. I know, it’s really a long reach… But I bought a new iPad which I now only use for FlyQ
When I needed to install a save driver app on my Samsung phone, I found that I needed a newer version of Android. Oh, well, I’ll just update the OS. Nope, Samsung had placed a limit on the number of upgrades for the S10e. No problem, I’ll just unlock the bootloader and install a one-up version of Android. Nope, all US version of the Samsung phone have locked bootloaders that can not be unlocked.
Amazon had a phone that I liked and offered me $30 trade in for my old phone. I went to the T-Mobile store and looked at the phone that I was interested in. They tried to sell me an iPhone but I told them that I would never again buy an Apple product. So they showed me a Samsung. Same answer. I bought a T-Mobile branded Revvl 8 Pro and they allowed $200 trade in on my old phone.
Shop around, people. Oh, and what’s wrong with a steam gauge panel and paper charts? They worked 50+ years ago and they still do. But I DO like my Avityne…
Microsoft Mania — it spreads!!! Thank Windows 11
Foreflight could be obsolete before you know it. 😂
I bet more pilots are running Ipad Mini than the others, and they don’t even mention them in the notices.
Something wrong here. I’m running a Gen 6 Mini with iOS 18.7.3 … iOS 26 offered but to date, refused until enough user hours are accumulated without fatal AI advice. Price for the mid-grade plan just got raised (no surprise) to $260/year. The cost of replacing a Mini and its mount every ~5 years adds at least another $100/year. It’s getting absurd. What’s next, in-flight pop-up ads?
This has happened every year. No change that I can tell. I think you are reaching and trying to get clicks. Shame.
Here is Foreflight’s table matching installed iOS version to supported ForeFlight software version:
https://support.foreflight.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013861268-Which-version-of-ForeFlight-is-compatible-with-the-iOS-version-installed-on-a-device
They send similar emails every year, so this isn’t related to the layoffs. A quick Google search shows these iPads were released in 2017 and 2018. Does anyone really want to keep flying with nearly decade-old devices that can’t keep up with today’s apps and features anyway? I don’t, and I wouldn’t keep flying if I could afford a new iPad every few years.
I think the “difference” here is that FF’s new owners have specifically mentioned they intend to add “AI” features (whatever that means) into the app, and iOS 26+ is required to take advantage of “Apple Intelligence” (whatever that means – I promptly looked for the options to turn all of that garbage off).
I have a legacy iPad Pro I use for flight planning but not in the cockpit. The device works great and I hate to have to upgrade for no other reason
Just an observation after reading all the comments…I think the idea of “we don’t need to upgrade” is part of the reason there are parts of the FAA equipment that are still using floppy discs…just sayin’…
Well that’s just great ! I’ll be checking to see if your competitors have the same problem that you have dumped on us. My iPad mini which most of us use is just over 1 year old and now you’re telling everyone tough luck. Nice to be treated so well, and it’s hard to believe you don’t have a way around this to accommodate everyone. I’m sure you do but would rather have your customers pay for it than Boeing.
Customer service at its worst!