General iOS 9 feature compatibility on devices.

[George Waseem]

From what I've read and tried, I can say that it's not the perfect iOS for an iPad Air, iPad mini 1st gen actually feels better with iOS 9 than an iPad Air, forget all features apple packed with iOS 9 and stick with iOS 8 or 7.

 

[picree]

Proactive Assistant is listed as not compatible with iPhone 4s. What about context-sensitive reminders created with "Siri Remind me of this"? I have a 4s and can't get that feature to work. All it says is "sorry I can't remind you about the "x" app". I have tried Safari, Mail, Messages, etc. None of them work.

 

[George Waseem]

iPhone 4S has an A5 chip which has a limited compatibility in iOS 9, it doesn't get many features including Proactivity and Asking Siri "Remind me of this"

 

[RepentHarlequin]

fwiw: Check individual app settings if you are seeing unusual battery drain.

Upon loading new iOS, I set my app details to minimize “phone-home” & check with every search, etc.
iOS 9.0.2 - the second update to release of iOS 9 overwrote those settings turned off in my case & really ate into battery usage.

 

[RepentHarlequin]

Sorry, if that's a wrong thread (and perhaps you can direct me in the right direction): will iOS9 slow my iPad Air and I will hate the experience? Or should I try it out?

Thank you guys!

Not using an Air with it, however:
OS size has been optimized, or at least reduced quite a bit in 9.0.2.

I can’t say that I have found a lot of remarkable differences in 9.0.2 yet on a smaller format device (phone-size).
A few of the features are ok additions, but not substantially impactful in my case. Swiping to change open apps is sometimes less annoying.

 

[Bart15]

I own the first ipad that came with retina display, currently on ios 9.0.2. In my experience, the last two iOS updates I did to my Ipad have been horrible, and seem to be getting progressively worse. Most of my fellow mac using friends think Apple is doing this on purpose so you're forced to buy a new Ipad eventually, planned obsolescence. The last update I did, 9.0.2, is so buggy. My ipad types on its own sometimes, and the touch screen is all messed up. It doesn't do that all the time, but enough to be really annoying. It worked fine a few updates ago.

There is no way I am updating to the newest one or any further iOS updates Mac dishes out. I love it how you cannot go back to an earlier iOS, like 8 or 7, once you actually go through with the update. BTW a friend even tried resetting his Ipad to factory settings, thinking it would revert back to the original IOS when he bought it, like IOS 7, But it doesn't, it will reset itself, but stays at the last IOS you updated to.

I've been a total Mac guy since the early 90's and have always loved Mac products, and talked them up to others, but lately I've been getting really disenchanted with their products and their failure to listen to their faithful consumers. Like when I-movie went backwards in features and effects a few years ago after updating.

Make sure you read all the reviews about this update before you install it, and if you're not on a brand new, top of the line ipad, I'd think twice before upgrading at all.

 

[Jean-F.]

Hello. I tend to agree with M. Waseem about OS 9.1 performance on Ipad 2.

In my experience, OS 8 started to 'kill' performance and OS 9 did not add to the performance deterioration.
I did not perform tests with absolute rigour but here is some of my findings.
Performance with the following apps....:
- CNN : no noticeable gain or loss
- mail : seems slighty faster when displaying the content of a selected mail
- Candy crush : a noticeable gain
- Netflix : no noticeable gain or loss

General apps loading... as painfull as it was. Not worse.
Apps crashing : much much better ! Beware, the sensation that apps are crashing may still stay, because for a reason I ignore, all apps, suddenly, jump in the background.

So, in my opinion, if you still run OS 7 - stay with it as long as you can.
If you are running OS 8 or 9.0x then I cannot see any reasons you would not install 9.1 since in each version from 8 to 9 you will catch up a little bit of performance and more stability.

Sadly, we will never, I think, had the feeling we had with OS 7.

 

[George Waseem]

Hello. I tend to agree with M. Waseem about OS 9.1 performance on Ipad 2.

In my experience, OS 8 started to 'kill' performance and OS 9 did not add to the performance deterioration.
I did not perform tests with absolute rigour but here is some of my findings.
Performance with the following apps....:
- CNN : no noticeable gain or loss
- mail : seems slighty faster when displaying the content of a selected mail
- Candy crush : a noticeable gain
- Netflix : no noticeable gain or loss

General apps loading... as painfull as it was. Not worse.
Apps crashing : much much better ! Beware, the sensation that apps are crashing may still stay, because for a reason I ignore, all apps, suddenly, jump in the background.

So, in my opinion, if you still run OS 7 - stay with it as long as you can.
If you are running OS 8 or 9.0x then I cannot see any reasons you would not install 9.1 since in each version from 8 to 9 you will catch up a little bit of performance and more stability.

Sadly, we will never, I think, had the feeling we had with OS 7.

iOS 8 was bad on older devices and great on newer devices. iOS 9 is designed for the latest devices and the older devices which leaves the middle aged devices 2012 and 2013 devices in an average or in some cases terrible. People think that their devices perform terrible because of the older chip but it's actually it's the software that is coded in a bad way. Hope that Apple fixes iOS 9 bugs in 9.3 or 9.4.

 

[wbrat]

iOS 8 was bad on older devices and great on newer devices. iOS 9 is designed for the latest devices and the older devices which leaves the middle aged devices 2012 and 2013 devices in an average or in some cases terrible. People think that their devices perform terrible because of the older chip but it's actually it's the software that is coded in a bad way. Hope that Apple fixes iOS 9 bugs in 9.3 or 9.4.

My iPhone 4s runs much better with iOS 9.2beta than it was with any iOS 8 version

 

[George Waseem]

iOS 9.2 and iOS 9.3 new features including Night Shift, New Health are added with the device support.

Information has been updated to the final features and performance updates we have on our devices today after many iOS 9 updates during the past few months.

New iOS 9.3 option in the poll.

 

[CagdasCizer]

I own the first ipad that came with retina display, currently on ios 9.0.2. In my experience, the last two iOS updates I did to my Ipad have been horrible, and seem to be getting progressively worse. Most of my fellow mac using friends think Apple is doing this on purpose so you're forced to buy a new Ipad eventually, planned obsolescence. The last update I did, 9.0.2, is so buggy. My ipad types on its own sometimes, and the touch screen is all messed up. It doesn't do that all the time, but enough to be really annoying. It worked fine a few updates ago.

There is no way I am updating to the newest one or any further iOS updates Mac dishes out. I love it how you cannot go back to an earlier iOS, like 8 or 7, once you actually go through with the update. BTW a friend even tried resetting his Ipad to factory settings, thinking it would revert back to the original IOS when he bought it, like IOS 7, But it doesn't, it will reset itself, but stays at the last IOS you updated to.

I've been a total Mac guy since the early 90's and have always loved Mac products, and talked them up to others, but lately I've been getting really disenchanted with their products and their failure to listen to their faithful consumers. Like when I-movie went backwards in features and effects a few years ago after updating.

Make sure you read all the reviews about this update before you install it, and if you're not on a brand new, top of the line ipad, I'd think twice before upgrading at all.

This post was viable.... In 2011...

 

[Jean-F.]

Performance and stability issues concern all IPAD users and you will find many advices in forums regarding the OS stability on a specific model. As for my own experience, I have an IPAD 2 that was almost made unfunctionnal when I switched to OS 8. So, I had nothing to lose and made all the updates available. I found 9.0.2 better than 8... But still not the best. With 9.2 the overall performance and stability are much better. So, if it is working for an older IPAD than yours, maybe it will work well with your model.

 

[pustota]

iPad Air here and I am still on OS 8 and very hesitant to proceed with the update.

Maybe I will wait for last OS 9 update and then dodge the bullet, I don't want to slow my iPad, currently it´s as fast, as it was when I bought it two years ago.

 

[Donia330i]

Is it me or do not all the force touch options work? Like for weather..

 

[Yokara Karaoke]

iOS 9.2 and iOS 9.3 new features including Night Shift, New Health are added with the device support.

Information has been updated to the final features and performance updates we have on our devices today after many iOS 9 updates during the past few months.

New iOS 9.3 option in the poll.

Night Shift is the best feature of ios 9.3

 

[1997AAPL]

iOS 9 will support
iPhone 4S
iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 +
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S +
iPod touch 5
iPod touch 6
iPad 2
iPad 3
iPad mini
iPad 4 (Retina)
iPad mini 2 (Retina)
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro

IOS 9 will have a lot of new features including :

1. New news app (Replaces Newsstand) - supported on all devices
2. Multitasking for iPad -
A. Slide over - iPad Air / Air 2 / Mini 4 / Mini 3 / Mini 2 / Pro
B. Split view - iPad Air 2 / Mini 4 / Pro
C. Picture in Picture (PIP) - iPad Air / Air 2 / Mini 4 / Mini 3 / Mini 2 / Pro

3. Proactive Assistant
iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6+
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S+
iPad 4 (Retina)
iPad mini 2 (Retina)
iPad mini 3
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPod touch 6
( A5 devices like iPhone 4S, iPod touch 5, iPad mini, iPad 2, iPad 3 are not supported)

4. 6 digit passcodes - supported on all devices

5. Low battery mode - iPhones only (no iPads and iPods are supported)

6. San Francisco font - all devices

7. Notes app improvements - all devices, Sketch :

iPad 4 and later
iPad mini 2 and later
iPhone 5 and later
iPod touch 6

8. Handoff apps would be displayed in the app switcher
Handoff and Continuity are supported on :

iPhone 5
iPhone 5C.
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 +
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S +
iPad mini
iPad 4
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPod touch 5
iPod touch 6

9. CarPlay now pairs with Bluetooth and USB
CarPlay is supported on :
iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 +
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S +
iPod touch 6

10. iPad keyboard shortcuts - iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and later.

11. iPad folders new 4x4 interface - iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and later.

12. Siri new interface
Siri is supported on :

iPhone 4S
iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 +
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S +
iPad mini
iPad 3
iPad 4 (Retina)
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPod touch 5
iPod touch 6

13. Improved performance On :
iPad 2
iPad 3
iPad 4
iPad Air (iOS 9.3)
iPad mini
iPad mini 2 (iOS 9.3)


14. Photos -
A. Added preview scrubber bar to photo viewer.
Supported on all devices
Except : iPod touch 5 which is getting it in next betas
B. New Selfies folder in Photos
C. New folder for screenshots in Photos.

15. Safari Content blocker
Needs 64 but architecture to work
Supported only on :
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6+
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S+
iPad mini 2
iPad Air 1
iPad mini 3
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPod touch 6

16. Maps - New Transit
Supported only on :
iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
iPhone 6
iPhone 6+
iPhone 6S
iPhone 6S +
iPad 4
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPod touch 6

17. Size of update minimized
Apple says that the update size would be minimized from 4.5 GB (iOS 8) to 1.3 GB (iOS 9), but the size would vary from device to device.

Actual update size :
1.1 GB - iPad Air 2 / iPhone 6 / 6+
1.0 GB - iPad Air / iPhone 5S / iPod touch 6
980 MB - iPad mini 2
950 to 1 GB - iPad 4 / iPhone 5 / 5C
800 MB - iPad mini / iPad 3 / iPhone 4S
700 MB to 800 MB - iPad 2

18. Night shift (iOS 9.3) New!
Supported only on :
iPad Air
iPad Air 2
iPad mini 2
iPad mini 3
iPad mini 4
iPad Pro
iPhone 5s
iPhone 6
iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s Plus
iPod touch 6

19. Notes - Protection and security. (iOS 9.3)
Passcode : supported on all devices.
Touch ID : supported on iPhone 5s and later, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro, iPad mini 3 and later.

20. New Health up (updated look & content) : available on all iPhones and iPods.

21. Improved Quick Actions for 3D Touch for iPhone 6S/6S+ including a set of new options when force touching AppStore, iTunes Store, compass, clock, settings and weather. (iOS 9.3)

22. Siri - new languages.
Arabic - iOS 9.2
Finnish (Finland), Malay (Malaysia) - iOS 9.3

23. Improvents to Wallet
Lower brightness and option to open an app that's linked to a pass or credit card. (iOS 9.3)


24. Watch, pair with more than one Apple Watch (iOS 9.3)

25. Education "iPad" (iOS 9.3) includes shared iPads features for students, a new Classroom app, also improved Apple ID management features.

26. New News (iOS 9.3)
More personalised content based upon person's interest. New trending topics in For You section. A new landscape mode for iPhone has been also added. It's also said to be faster in loading topics for faster and improved usability and personal experience.

27. New Health (iOS 9.3)
Links to apps users can download to display health data on the dashboard. Activity features from Apple Watch are now displayed on the dashboard too.

28. CarPlay improvements (iOS 9.3), support for 2016/2017 car models and the US and some other countries, improvements to Apple Music, Improved maps with suggested places or Nearby.

29. Improvements to App switcher when using 3D Touch for iPhone 6S/6S+ (iOS 9.3) Includes peeking into the app switcher when less force is applied and popping into the switcher when applying more force on the touch screen.

- Performance
1. iPad
~ iPad 2 doesn't get any of the special features, it gets general features that exist when updating to any new version of iOS and some good performance enhancements for more usability. ***
~ iPad 3 got some enhancements to the performance, and design tweaks to Siri *
~ iPad mini got Performance enhancements but still didn't reach how it was with iOS 7. *
~ iPad 4 got animation & performance enhancements in addition to new proactive assistant and transit features, performance improved with iOS 9.2 *
~ iPad Air got slide over multitasking and the performance has improved with iOS 9.3*
~ iPad Air 2 got the multitasking split view features, performance is the same with some bugs that are fixed with iOS 9.2 and 9.3*
~ iPad mini 2 got some enhancements to performance and animations and the new slide over. *
~ iPad mini 3 got new multitasking features, performance is same as iPad mini 2.*

2. iPhone
~ iPhone 4S got the general new features that come with every iOS update. ***
~ iPhone 5 got some animation improvements, the new Bluetooth CarPlay toggle in settings, the new proactive assistant and the low power mode. *
~ iPhone 5C got enhancements to performance and new proactive assistant and rest of the features that are there with iPhone 5 iOS 9 update. *
~ iPhone 5S got a new secure 6 digit passcode to protect the data on iPhone and performance enhancements with iOS 9.3 **
~ iPhone 6 and 6 Plus got the same features that are given to the iPhone 5S with the iOS 9 update with new wallet app for making Apple Pay purchases. *

3. iPod
~ iPod touch 5 - got performance enhancements, some bugs are still found.
~ iPod touch 6 - newer improvements after upgrading, performance enhancements

* Features above could not only exist in one iDevice but many other iDevices.
** iPhone 5S new passcode features are present in all iOS 9 devices.
*** General system tweaks means that there small updates that come with every iOS 9 device.

- Performance on a scale

Scale :

1-3 Bad
4-6 OK
7 Good
8-9 Very Good
10 Perfect

1. iPhone
A. iPhone 4S (6/10)
B. iPhone 5 (8/10)
C. iPhone 5C (8/10)
D. iPhone 5S (9/10)
E. iPhone 6/6+ (9/10)
F. iPhone 6S/6S+ (10/10)

2. iPad
A. iPad 2 (7/10)
B. iPad 3 (7/10)
C. iPad mini (7/10)
D. iPad mini 2 (8/10)
E. iPad 4 (8/10)
F. iPad Air (8/10)
G. iPad mini 3 (8/10)
H. iPad Air 2 (9/10)
I. iPad Pro (10/10)

3. iPod touch
A. iPod touch 5 (7/10)
B. iPod touch 6 (9/10)
_______________________________________________________________________________

Advice : if you have an iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 / iPhone 5C, sign up for the public beta to try new updates to iOS 9 first before upgrading, as some users experience slow performance on iPhone 4S and minor animation bugs on iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C.

If you have an iPhone 5S, think well and watch iOS 9 reviews on YouTube before you upgrade. You can also try it your self by signing up for the public beta.

If you have an iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad mini, you should upgrade as soon as it's live in September as it enhances the performance and will improve preformance up to an acceptable level.

If you have an iPad 4, the update will totally improve the animations and will minimise lag and stutter, it's is good to update especially if you are on iOS 8.


If you have an iPad Air, iPad mini 2, sign up for the public beta to try them first before upgrading, as some users experience lagging and bad animations on those devices.

If you have an iPod touch 5, the performance will stay the same after upgrading to iOS 9 and most of the features do not support iPod, so it's good to watch reviews before update to know if you are going to upgrade as well cause there maybe little bugs.

If you have an iPod touch 6, the performance will improve, newer features that iOS 9 offers would be added.

Before you upgrade to iOS 9, think about its Pros and Cons and also think about the Pros and Cons of the system version you are on (iOS 8, iOS 7, iOS 6)

If you like Newsstand, stick with iOS 8 or earlier as its replaced by the new News app, which could be annoying for some users who used Newsstand for many years.

Information is subject to change.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask any questions in the comment bar

iOS 9.3 and 9.2 additional features updated.

George Waseem
Apple Developer

[doublepost=1464117861][/doublepost]Does anyone know if it is possible to move notes from iOS 5.1.1 to iPad air2 iOS 9.3.2 or to my mac 10.11.3 El Capitan?