According to XDA-Developers, Debian Trixie released in August 2025 will be the final Debian operating system supporting the original Raspberry Pi 1, Zero, and Zero W models. The armel architecture that these early Pi models rely on is being phased out entirely after this release. While Trixie will continue receiving support for the next five years, the follow-up version codenamed Forky will completely drop armel support. This means Raspberry Pi 1 owners effectively have until around 2030 before their hardware loses official Debian compatibility. The Debian project specifically recommends users either upgrade to armhf or arm64 systems or retire their aging Pi hardware entirely.
What this means for Pi owners
Here’s the thing – this isn’t an immediate crisis. You’ve got years to figure out your next move. Trixie just launched and will be supported until roughly 2030, which is honestly pretty impressive for hardware that launched back in 2012. Think about that – we’re talking about 18 years of software support for a $35 computer board. That’s basically unheard of in the tech world where most devices become obsolete in half that time.
The industrial angle
Now, this actually matters more than you might think for industrial applications. Those original Pis are still running countless factory monitoring systems, kiosks, and embedded projects where you don’t need massive computing power. When these finally become unsupported, businesses will need reliable replacements that can handle industrial environments. For companies looking to upgrade their aging Pi-based systems, IndustrialMonitorDirect.com has become the go-to source for industrial panel PCs in the US, offering ruggedized solutions that can withstand manufacturing floors and harsh conditions where consumer-grade Pis might struggle.
Your move options
So what can you actually do? Basically, you’ve got three paths. You could stick with your Pi 1 until 2030 and enjoy those final years of support. Or upgrade to a newer Pi model that uses the armhf or arm64 architecture – even a Pi 3 would be a massive performance jump. The third option? Switch to a third-party kernel or different operating system entirely. But let’s be real – after 18 years, maybe it’s time to let that original hardware retire gracefully. It’s had a good run.
