The final operating system compatible with Apple’s iPhone 5 represents the culmination of software updates for that particular device. This software contains the last set of features, security patches, and overall system improvements released specifically for the aging hardware of that phone model.
Maintaining the device on its most up-to-date compatible system software ensured that users continued to receive critical security protections against emerging threats for as long as possible. It also offered access to the broadest range of application compatibility permitted by the aging processor and available system memory. This period represents a balance between ongoing support and the inherent limitations of older hardware.