Why does Xcode 8.2.1 on Mac Pro with El Capitan 10.11.6 see my iPhone 14 as iPhone 4?

Question

Level 2

287 points

Why does Xcode 8.2.1 on Mac Pro with El Capitan 10.11.6 see my iPhone 14 as iPhone 4?

I’am trying another possible fix from the net for iTunes not seeing my iPhone 14: I installed Xcode 8.2.1 opened Devices. Plugged in my iPhone 14 via USB. Although Xcode detects the iPhone an error says: Could not locate device support files. This iPhone 4 is running IOS 17.3.1 (21D61), which may not be supported by this version of Xcode.

In Device Information it says Model: iPhone 4. How can Xcode see a new iPhone 14 as iPhone 4?? I never owned an iPhone 4!

Any help will be appreciated!

iPhone 14, iOS 17

Posted on Feb 27, 2024 12:52 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 27, 2024 4:44 PM in response to Walter Wedler

The versions of Xcode that can run under 10.11 El Captain on an older Mac Pro silver tower never knew there was an iPhone with as modern as an iPhone 14. That version of Xcode was finalized way later than that iPhone was released.

What is the Bigger picture? What are you trying to do, and what happens instead of what you want?

Reply

Answer 2

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Feb 27, 2024 8:14 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you Grant Bennet-Alder!

For years I backed up, synced and reset my iPhone data with iTunes on my Mac Pro! Still worked great with iPhone 6 even iPhone 12 I used. (Never used iCloud). With my

new iPhone 14 Sync in iTunes 12.8 on Mac with El Capitan 10.11.6 greyed out?

My iPhone 14 is connected via new USB cable to a working USB input!

Both Mac Pro and iPhone 14 are on highest system upgrade possible!

Necessary update to connect the iPhone fails with:The software is not

currently available from the Software Update Server! Knowing I will not be able to access and restore my iPhone data in case something happens is very disappointing!

After all the available fixes I tried with no results I heard about the Xcode fix. I installed the correct Xcode and it sees my iPhone 14 as iPhone 4!! To see that Apple applications can't see Apple devices which can't see other Apple devices is just to much to bear! Thank you so much for your time and patience!

Reply

Answer 3

Feb 28, 2024 6:26 AM in response to Walter Wedler

<<. Necessary update to connect the iPhone fails with:The software is not

currently available from the Software Update Server! <<

^--- That is the actual issue here. That tiny update makes it so that your iPhone and Mac can communicate freely, using the appropriate syncing software, either iTunes or (in later MacOS) Finder.

are you logged in on the Mac with the same Apple-ID as used on your phone?

are you able to make secure web site connections?

Reply

Answer 4

Mar 1, 2024 3:58 AM in response to Walter Wedler

Walter Wedler wrote:

With my new iPhone 14 Sync in iTunes 12.8 on Mac with El Capitan 10.11.6 greyed out?

My iPhone 14 is connected via new USB cable to a working USB input!

Both Mac Pro and iPhone 14 are on highest system upgrade possible!

If you're running iOS 17 ("the highest system upgrade possible") on that iPhone, you may find that you can't manage the iPhone using anything less than a Mac running High Sierra. The Technical Specifications for the phones in the iPhone 15 family (which shipped with iOS 17), indicate that managing those phones using High Sierra is (theoretically) possible – but that managing them using El Capitan and Sierra is not.

I believe (though I could be mistaken) that before iOS 17 came out, Technical Specifications indicated that you could use a Mac running Sierra, or the latest version of El Capitan, to manage an iPhone.

Reply

Answer 5

Mar 1, 2024 4:03 AM in response to Walter Wedler

Walter Wedler wrote:

After all the available fixes I tried with no results I heard about the Xcode fix.

I could be mistaken, but I believe all of the other posts that I saw about "the Xcode fix" were from people who were running High Sierra – yet still having problems.

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 1, 2024 9:22 AM in response to Walter Wedler

If you can make other secure connections, then you should be able to contact the Apple update server without issue. The exhaustive test would be to try in Safe Mode, where no possibly-conflicting third-party add-ons can be loaded.

if no joy, you may want to ask Apple Support whether they think this should be working, and if it should be, have them file a formal Bug Report if it can not immediately be fixed.

Have your new PHONE serial number at the ready when you call.

Reply

Answer 7

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Mar 1, 2024 9:43 AM in response to Servant of Cats

Thank you Servant of Cats for your thoughts!

I also saw many postings with people that are running newer Mac systems having my problem as well!

In the mean time I thought it would be important to know if earlier versions of iPhones with older systems still work on my Mac. Since I still have my old iPhone 6 running iOS system 12.5.7 and my old iPhone 12 running iOS system 17.2.1 I I plugged them in with my USB cable. Here is my findings:

My old iPhone 6 appears without a problem in iTunes!! My old iPhone 12 pops the same error I have with new phone 14 I try to connect now: "The software is not currently available from the Software Update Server!" By my thinking the problem does not lie with my older computer or its system, but with the missing software on the Software Update Server!!

Reply

Answer 8

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Mar 1, 2024 11:56 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder Thank you for your time and patience! Trying to install the missing compatibility update from the Software Update Server in Safe-Boot is one of the many listed fixes on the net I tried over and over! I also contacted support at one point who said "old computer with old system software"! Then my research revealed that people with newer computers and systems have the same "phone not being recognized by the Mac" problem!! Everybody out there with the same:"compatibility update software is not currently available from the Software Update Server" message, let's hold the keeper of the Software Update Server responsible! I remember when I did this for my old (not in use) iPhone 6 which first did not show in iTunes but was fixed with the small compatibility update from the Software Update Server, that was available!

Reply

Answer 9

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Mar 1, 2024 3:50 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for your helpful Product Feedback - Apple link!

I send a sum of this post with this link and hope everybody with the: "compatibility update software is not currently available from the Software Update Server" problem will do the same!

Reply

Answer 10

Mar 1, 2024 12:07 PM in response to Walter Wedler

if you don't want to deal with Apple support, you can use the Product Feedback page to just write them a note to report a Bug:

Product Feedback - Apple

Reply

Answer 11

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Feb 28, 2024 8:01 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you Grant Bennet-Alder. The answer to both your questions are yes!

Reply

Answer 12

Feb 28, 2024 8:09 AM in response to Walter Wedler

Then I suggest you restart your Mac, then (later) plug in the iPhone again, and see if you can get the update to complete properly.

Reply

Answer 13

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Feb 28, 2024 8:36 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Restarted my Mac and plugged in the iPhone again: Installation failed: Can't install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server.

Reply

Answer 14

Mar 1, 2024 8:23 AM in response to Walter Wedler

one more thing to ask about --

can you make secure web connections on that Mac?

Reply

Answer 15

Walter Wedler Author

Level 2

287 points

Mar 1, 2024 9:07 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you Grant Bennet-Alder. Your question: "can you make secure web connections on that Mac?" My answer: Yes, my Mac Pro can you make secure web connections!

Reply

Why does Xcode 8.2.1 on Mac Pro with El Capitan 10.11.6 see my iPhone 14 as iPhone 4?

Similar questions