Do you think iOS 6 will be out for iPhone 3GS?

[Ishmumrhmn]

Right now, I am posting this from my iPhone 3GS, and iOS 5 runs as good on my 3GS like my dad's iPhone 4.
iOS 4 had about 50 mb ram free before, but iOS 5 seems to have about 80 mb free.
Do you think iOS 6 should or will be out for the 3GS?
The reason why I didn't buy the 4S and got the 3GS is Because I have to be the carrier's customer for at least 1 year to unlock, plus the 3GS has a better feel in my opinion.

Jailbroken and Unlocked Too, this phone's awesome!!!

 

[Database]

No....

 

[Ishmumrhmn]

No....

Why?

 

[Comeagain?]

Why?

At some point the hardware can't keep up with the software. I wouldn't have even thought it would last this long.

 

[Tander]

I tend to agree with the above. Eventually the software will pass old hardware capabilities.

If Apple are to support older devices - they would be holding back. I am surprised iOS 5 is supported. However I think it is the last major update for legacy devices.

 

[Chundles]

Nope. The 3G should never have been given iOS 4, unless they work out some minor miracle of programming I don't think the 3GS will be up to coping with iOS 6.

All depends on when it comes out, if iOS 6 is released before the 3GS is discontinued then it'll get it but it'll probably be like the 3G where it was cut off after 4.2.1 - the 3GS might get iOS 6.0.X but stop at 6.X.

Who knows eh?

 

[uaecasher]

Probably not

 

[nepalisherpa]

I agree that it probably will not be released for 3GS because of hardware limitation. If it does happen, it will be very stripped out.

I would also like to say that iPhone 4 will be the iPhone 3GS by the time iOS 6 comes out. By this, I mean that iPhone 4 will be offered for free or $0.99.

 

[OneMike]

I doubt it'll be released for the 3GS. Not so much hardware, but due to it being an old device. I'd bet the 4 will get it though and at that point it'll either be free with contract or really inexpensive.

 

[gibbz]

No. Apple has always stated that iPhones are only guaranteed the software they ship with, plus the next major release. They have generally extended it one more release, with several features removed. For instance, the original iPhone shipped with 1.x, had access to 2.x, and 3.x with certain hardware-dependent features stripped.

The 3GS shipped with 3.x, supported 4.x, and now 5.x. iOS 6 will not happen. The 3GS is dead to them beyond 5.

 

[LostSoul80]

As new hardware becomes available, new operating systems become more powerful and resource demanding.

It's unlikely Apple will write a "light" version of iOS. I'd tend to say older hardware quickly becomes ancient given the money spent in R&D.
Don't expect iOS 6 to be enjoyable, if even available, on the 3GS.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I dunno. I'll be slightly more optimistic than everyone else. Lets take a look at the history of iPhones being sold vs iOS being supported

Original iPhone
1.x Indroduced
2.x Not sold
3.x Not sold
4.x NOT SUPPORTED

iPhone 3G
2.x introduced
3.x price reduced
4.x Not sold (limited capabilities)
5.x NOT SUPPORTED

iPhone 3GS
3.x introduced
4.x price reduced
5.x price reduced
6.x ?????

The purpose of this excercise was to show two things. Each iPhone has been supported through 2 major iOS updates (to include 3 iOS versions). But also that each iPhone has been supported at least one major update past it's last year it was available. Since the 3GS is still being sold I think there is at least a 50/50 chance of getting 6.x, although there may be some limited capabilities.

 

[acfusion29]

Why?

i personally don't want to see people bitching every day about

- how their iPhone is slow
- why didn't they get such and such feature
- why didn't they get 6.x update
- how the battery life sucks

.. you get the idea

but we will have to put up with

"WHY DIDN'T WE GET iOS6 ON 3GS???? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU APPLE"

and also because there's people who would rather have Apple drop support for older hardware so it doesn't become a burden on the operating system. supporting older hardware can limit you from innovating.

 

[google]

I believe the way apple does it accounting, the software is written down for 2 yrs of support so 5.x will be the last one on 3gs.

 

[Daveoc64]

The purpose of this excercise was to show two things. Each iPhone has been supported through 2 major iOS updates (to include 3 iOS versions). But also that each iPhone has been supported at least one major update past it's last year it was available. Since the 3GS is still being sold I think there is at least a 50/50 chance of getting 6.x, although there may be some limited capabilities.

I agree with that.

Let's assume that the next iPhone and iOS release is in July 2012.

Up until then, you could buy an iPhone 3GS on a 24 month contract and the very next day it would have all support dropped for it.

Security flaws? Serious bugs? Nothing you can do for 2 years.

That doesn't seem like a great position for consumers to be in.

One possibility is that Apple could continue to release small iOS 5.x.x releases to deal with security issues and important bugs ONLY for the iPhone 3GS (a bit like the iPad's iOS 3.2.x updates before it got iOS 4.2).

 

[SuprUsrStan]

I see iOS6 is probably going to be tailored to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 as both are going to be fairly similar in terms of performance. Just like how the iPhone 4 and 3GS didn't see that big of a bump in speeds.

EDIT: Not saying that it wont come out for iPhone 4, or even the 3GS. Just the iPhone 4S and 5 are going to probably have extra features and what not.

 

[applephanatic]

I would have to say yes it will, to an extent, an iPhone 3GS user will have a very very limited experience on iOS 6 however you would still have iOS 6. Now for how long iOS 6 supports the 3GS is a different question to which none of us have an answer to.

The reason I say it will support it is mainly; Apple is still selling the iPhone 3GS so it would seem that they have some sort of plan on supporting it, however like I said, it will be limited. It will be like the iPhone 3G on iOS 4, the 3G users got iOS 4 however, they lost "multitasking" and a few other features.

Hope this helped

 

[Xgm541]

I see iOS6 is probably going to be tailored to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 as both are going to be fairly similar in terms of performance. Just like how the iPhone 4 and 3GS didn't see that big of a bump in speeds.

EDIT: Not saying that it wont come out for iPhone 4, or even the 3GS. Just the iPhone 4S and 5 are going to probably have extra features and what not.

the 3gs and 4 had a huge performance gain

 

[yetanotherdave]

As they still sell the 3GS, I'd say yes, but with next to no new features, just security updates.

[edit] - as soon as I posted that, I re-thought it, no, but they'll continue 5.x.x security patches for the 3GS only for a bit.

 

[Ishmumrhmn]

Aww man, but I guess I'll keep my 3GS for some time, maybe I'll buy an iPhone or Android Samsung Galaxy some time later
Nonetheless, you gotta agree iPhone 3GS rocks hard

 

[motorazr]

Agreement with all of those who say no, having owned the iPhone 3G when they allowed it to run iOS 4... it just shouldn't have happened. Not only was it a slightly limited version of 4, but it killed the experience of the 3G at all; always feeling overloaded and such

 

[ValerieDurden]

I think it's highly unlikely the 3GS will see iOS 6.

 

[tommot82]

personally i dont think it should be made available. I LIKE the fact that apple encourages people to move their hardware on to newer (brighter shinnier) things!

 

[white4s]

real question is why still have the 3gs by the time ios6 comes out lol

 

[Ishmumrhmn]

real question is why still have the 3gs by the time ios6 comes out lol

Well, some people like me love the feel of the 3GS more than the 4