Mobile OSs iOS Fragmentation gets larger with iOS7

[Assault]

Well, looks like Apple is fragmenting even further with iOS7, not because it has to happen, but because they want it to. Forces people to keep buying a new iPhone or iPad to get the latest features. Remember Siri? Apple claimed the 4 couldn't handle it, but that was pure crap.

Now we have iOS7 and here is what you will and won't get if you don't have the latest and greatest I device:

This doesn't even show older iDevices, which were abandoned on iOS4. Here is what you can expect with this latest fragmentation:

Quote from Redmondpie.com
"The new AirDrop, which makes its way over to iOS having proved a hit on the Mac, is a treat reserved for those in ownership of a brand new iOS device. So the iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad mini and 5th-gen iPod touch. Do we think the iPhone 4S could cope with this new feature? Without a shadow of a doubt; and while Apple will claim the slightly older brother of the iPhone 5 will not be able to offer the kind of AirDrop experience intended, we can see through the bull.
iri is only available to the aforementioned devices along with the iPhone 4S and iPad 3, while Panorama will only work on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and the very latest iPod touch.

Filters in the Camera app, which essentially brings Instagram to iOS devices, will only be compatible with the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5G, but filters for photos (i.e., after shot filter application) will extend to the iPhone 4 / 4S and the iPad 3/4.

Overall, I think some will be left feeling a bit short changed, but so is the culture we live in. Whether you or I like it or not, devices have a shelf life of one year, and after that, you’ll quickly find support begins to dwindle as companies look to push consumers into purchasing new devices. Ching!"

 

[jsw]

Indeed, leaving out AirDrop support is highly reminiscent of the iPhone 4 Siri debacle.

 

[Jessica Lares]

I can do AirDrop with InstaShare.

 

[Beeplance]

You can't possibly expect Apple to push all the features of iOS 7 to all of its current devices like the iPhone 4.

Features being left out of major software updates for older devices has always occurred since iPhone OS 2, not only iOS 7. In other words, this isn't unusual.

 

[jsw]

You can't possibly expect Apple to push all the features of iOS 7 to all of its current devices like the iPhone 4.

Features being left out of major software updates for older devices has always occurred since iPhone OS 2, not only iOS 7. In other words, this isn't unusual.

The point isn't that they're leaving things out - obviously older devices can't do everything - it's that they're leaving out things the older devices can easily do, like Siri two years ago and AirDrop now.

 

[blackhand1001]

You can't possibly expect Apple to push all the features of iOS 7 to all of its current devices like the iPhone 4.

Features being left out of major software updates for older devices has always occurred since iPhone OS 2, not only iOS 7. In other words, this isn't unusual.

The old nexus s got all the features of Jellybean including google now. It even got the full benefits of project butter.

 

[Afbar1114]

I remember reading somewhere that airdrop as to do with the processors or the wifi card. that in the newer devices they had a different dual band and that is why they can do airdrop and the others can't...

 

[AppleCruncher]

Why in the world would the iPad2 not be able to do camera filters?

 

[Assault]

The point isn't that they're leaving things out - obviously older devices can't do everything - it's that they're leaving out things the older devices can easily do, like Siri two years ago and AirDrop now.

Bingo. This exactly!

And please note, before this gets brought up, no one is debating that Android is more fragmented. That is an undisputed fact, due to sheer volume of devices from various manufacturers. What is pure b.s. is Apple purposefully handicapping software features on iDevices to force people to upgrade. Like Siri. This was another reason I left iOS and went to an OS that is not beholden to any manufacturer or carrier.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Why can't I use the S Memo app on my Samsung phone that isn't a S4?

Why didn't I get S Voice on my Samsung device that isn't a S3?

 

[Assault]

Why can't I use the S Memo app on my Samsung phone that isn't a S4?

Why didn't I get S Voice on my Samsung device that isn't a S3?

This is like saying, "Why can't I load iOS apps on my Macbook?" Oh yeah, because they are designed for different segments. Completely different hardware and software. Whereas an iPhone uses the same OS, with similar hardware and designed for 1 segment of the market.

By the way, S voice and memo is a Galaxy feature, not specific to just the SIII, but is specific to that series. Your argument is weak, and that's putting it nicely.

 

[Jessica Lares]

This is like saying, "Why can't I load iOS apps on my Macbook?" Oh yeah, because they are designed for different segments. Completely different hardware and software. Whereas an iPhone uses the same OS, with similar hardware and designed for 1 segment of the market.

By the way, S voice and memo is a Galaxy feature, not specific to just the SIII, but is specific to that series. Your argument is weak, and that's putting it nicely.

And my Galaxy phone didn't get it? You can use your finger on S Memo, so it's not like it wouldn't work. And don't tell me the screen isn't big enough.

 

[PollyK]

Why can't I use the S Memo app on my Samsung phone that isn't a S4?

Why didn't I get S Voice on my Samsung device that isn't a S3?

S Memo is in the Play Store. And S Voice is here.

http://hotfile.com/dl/199986593/6b163c0/S-Voice_Android_phone_J.apk.html

 

[MRU]

My only comment is that artificially limiting your software is NOT the same as the fragmentation of hardware and software seen on Android that the opening post and thread title are geared to indicate.

Fundamentally all those devices still run iOS 7 albeit with a feature missing here and there. But any third party application written for iOS 7 will work on any of those devices.

That is VERY different from the FRAGMENTATION of Android Software and Hardware.....

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S Memo is in the Play Store. And S Voice is here.

http://hotfile.com/dl/199986593/6b163c0/S-Voice_Android_phone_J.apk.html

Yes s-voice is there, but NOT Officially. That is the point they were making.

 

[Jessica Lares]

S Memo is in the Play Store. And S Voice is here.

http://hotfile.com/dl/199986593/6b163c0/S-Voice_Android_phone_J.apk.html

S Memo is listed as incompatible. And you have to sideload S Voice yourself.

And yes, it's not like NOT having access to filters will even matter to most. I've been using filter apps on my iPhone since the 2G days before iPhotography was even cool.

 

[Technarchy]

Aren't the API's and development tools the same for all devices running iOS 7?

If that's the case, where is the fragmentation? New features on newer devices is not some great revelation, but I'm willing to wager more Apple devices from 2011 will be running iOS 7 before the end of the year than android devices running Jelly Bean released around the same time.

 

[TacticalDesire]

Airdrop support has to do with the new wifi chip in the iPad mini, iPad 4, iPhone 5 and iPod touch. Pretty sure they even said it in the keynote.

 

[Technarchy]

Airdrop support has to do with the new wifi chip in the iPad mini, iPad 4, iPhone 5 and iPod touch. Pretty sure they even said it in the keynote.

I recall hearing or reading the same thing, and considering only the iPad 2, 4S and 4 affected, all from 2011 or earlier, I am inclined to believe it's in fact hardware related.

 

[MRU]

^ didn't they say the same about Siri but the jail breakers proved the 'chip' thing is all nonsense. After all iPad 2 and Mini are not so different under the hood.

 

[Jessica Lares]

^ didn't they say the same about Siri but the jail breakers proved the 'chip' thing is all nonsense. After all iPad 2 and Mini are not so different under the hood.

But it only worked on wi-fi...

 

[The Robot Cow]

to me that's actually pretty good and for the iPhone 4 being over 2 almost 3 years old even better. But it does make sense for Apple to try to get these people who own an iPhone 4(and older) to a new device.

 

[Fernandez21]

Well, I would rather get an update with missing features than none at all like most android phones, except the nexus.

Also, for me the bigger problem of fragmentation isn't about features of the new os, its the fact that on my htc One and LG OG pro i cant load up nba jam or monopoly because they aren't compatible with my new phone but worked fine on my old One X and Inspire, gta3 works on my one but isn't compatible with my og pro. When i got my one x last year i had to wait a couple of months before hulu plus was compatible. Those are the things that bug me the most.

 

[strausd]

I'd rather be updated to a new OS with only limited new feature support than never get updated to the new OS with no new feature support.

The fact that the iPhone 4, which came out in 2010, is getting iOS 7 is fantastic compared to others. Let's see a 2010 HTC phone get Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

Sure, some people will say Nexus devices are the exception. But the Nexus S, which came out after the iPhone 4, doesn't even officially support last year's Android 4.2!

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Apple claimed the 4 couldn't handle it, but that was pure crap.

https://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/0...hnology-explains-siris-iphone-4s-exclusivity/

 

[Technarchy]

^ didn't they say the same about Siri but the jail breakers proved the 'chip' thing is all nonsense. After all iPad 2 and Mini are not so different under the hood.

I don't think it was an issue of Siri not running, but without the 2nd Gen Audience noise reduction processor embedded directly into 4S A5 Siri is more prone to not being less able to discern the human voice over ambient noise.

Who knows for sure except the people that work for Apple.

Same can be said for Airdrop.

Since I have an iPhone 5 and iPad 4 I won't lose any sleep over it.

And Apple still supports their older devices way better than anything in the android world.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think what people need to realise is, the iPhone 4 is now 3 years old and has had a fairly decent lifespan in terms of support. Most people who bought the iP4 in 2010 or 2011 have either upgraded or passed this device onto a relative. Expecting Apple to design software to support old models like this for many years to come is a little rich IMO. How many 2010 Android devices are getting the full benefits of the latest OS right now? I know my 2011 HTC was good for the first year but fell out of favour once better flagship models had been released in the range. That is life and technology moves on and gets replaced.

With so much criticism of Apple not pushing themselves by releasing bigger screens and better specs, we now have complaints that they are not giving a 3 year old phone the full benefits of iOS 7?!

Like any manufacturer, they want their latest and greatest to sell well. Giving old models the same benefits doesn't exactly seem like good business does it? Why buy a 4S if the 4 did all the same things? The mind boggles here folks.