Does your Apple gadget support iOS 7? Check here

By Salvador Rodriguez

Sept. 17, 2013 3:08 PM PT

Apple is getting ready to roll out iOS 7, but not all iPhones, iPads and iPod touches will be able to be upgraded with the new mobile operating system.

IOS 7, which will be available to download for free on Wednesday, represents the most drastic redesign since the software rolled out with the iPhone in 2007.

Besides a colorful new look, iOS 7 also comes with a batch of new useful features, including a nifty Control Center that users can access by swiping up from the bottom of their screen.

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But what devices are being supported? These are the mobile gadgets Apple says users can update to iOS 7:

iPhone

IOS 7 will support the iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and the new iPhones coming out Friday. This is the first time iPhone 3GS is not supported by an operating system update.

iPad

The iPad 2, the third- and fourth-generation iPad with Retina display and the iPad mini can be updated to iOS 7. The original iPad that rolled out in 2010 can not be updated.

iPod touch

Only the latest version of the iPod touch -- the fifth-generation models that rolled out last year -- can be updated to iOS 7.

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Fortunately for older devices, Apple is now reportedly letting those gadgets download the last version of apps that worked with whatever version of iOS they are running.

That is useful because over time as developers update their apps, they stop supporting previous versions of Apple’s mobile software.

So if you have an iPhone running iOS 5 and you download an app such as Twitter, for example, Apple will offer “the last compatible version” of that app.

That doesn’t mean older devices will be able to run apps forever -- sometimes other factors come into play that make older versions of apps unusable -- but it is a helpful new feature that should extend the life of Apple gadgets.

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