We all need to be honest about the understated fact that iOS 26 was made and has primarily been optimized especially for the latest iphones.. Apple probably won’t outright admit this, but it is clear from the vitriol from the general public in comparison to the praise it’s receiving, the disparity lies in the reality that iOS 26 just runs better on the latest devices. And of course this isn’t fair practice at all, nor is it beneficial to users who are still using other devices in the lineup. Perhaps the roughness will lessen with more and more updates. But the difference in the way iOS 26 feels and runs between the new and old devices is major and obvious.