No cuts, at least this year
Normally every annual iOS cycle brings the removal of one or more iPhone models from the compatibility list. This year Apple has chosen differently: iOS 27 will be available on all devices currently running iOS 26, meaning even the iPhone 11 — released in September 2019 — will receive the update. TechCrunch reported Apple's claim that iOS 27 will be "available to more users than any iOS release ever."
Intelligence at different speeds
Extended support does not mean uniform features, however. As noted by Republic World, some advanced Apple Intelligence functions remain exclusive to newer models due to hardware requirements. In practice, the older the device, the more limited the AI experience — with the most powerful Siri AI features requiring recent iPhone chips.
The decision not to drop the iPhone 11 is likely tied to commercial strategy: keeping a large installed base favours adoption of the new Siri and related services, including the iCloud+ plan that will monetise heavy use of the assistant.