A 17-year-old developer has created an alternative ChatGPT app that can run on older iPhones, including the iPhone 3GS, which requires iOS 6 or later. The app, called “ChatGPT for Legacy iOS,” uses the OpenAI API and works similarly to the official ChatGPT app. It supports features like contextual memory, chat history, image analysis, and image generation.
The app is compatible with devices from iOS 6 onwards but can only be installed on a jailbroken device due to Apple’s restrictions on distributing apps for older iOS versions through the App Store. Users need to log in using a ChatGPT API key obtained from the OpenAI website. The source code is available on Github, and more information on installation and usage can be found on the developer’s webpage.
This open-source app provides an alternative solution for users who want to access AI-powered chatbot capabilities on older iPhones that were previously unsupported by the official ChatGPT app.
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/10/chatgpt-now-runs-on-iphone-3gs-thanks-to-third-party-developer