iPhone 13 Pro iPhone Charging... To leave on at night or not?

[FeliApple]

Yes it does. New versions are subject to more concurrency, which is harder on older hardware, imo.

Screen on time is heavily dependent on usage and environmental factors. Using your phone in the hot sun with screen at maximum brightness for example, will kill the battery.

No they don't obliterate battery life as the above is implied in a criticism. New versions of ios provide for more features and functions which causes more concurrency and is harder on older hardware and batteries.

That's my point. It's not an exact science since there is no way to measure battery life. But all batteries do degrade with age. B/T batteries may last longer than cell phone batteries as they are not subject, presumably, to the same environmental issues.

Holding a charge is not the same as holding a useful charge. ios 10 (or whatever version) does less work than ios 16 and it will use less battery. Of course you give up a myriad of third party app updates, ios updates and security updates. Do less with an older battery and it will last longer for a charge than if more is done.

-You know I’ve always blamed iOS updates, by this point I mean that heavy usage (say, LTE, high brightness and camera use), will cause relatively poor battery life on any device running any version of iOS. It will be better on older iOS versions, but it doesn’t mean it will be good. I can get 16 hours of screen-on time on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12. If I use it extremely heavily, I can probably shorten that by 50%. Which brings me to point 3: I meant screen-on time with the same usage. I can get 7-7.5 hours of screen-on time with light use on my 63% health iPhone 6s. I tested my older 6s (running iOS 13 after Apple forced it out of iOS 9 due to the A9 activation bug on iOS 9), and I struggled to get 4 hours. Same usage, far better battery health.

-Absolutely, it’s my whole point: new iOS versions introduce a higher power requirement (through features and increased functionality, concurrency, like you said) which causes older hardware to struggle... which causes irreversibly worse battery life regardless of battery health. We are saying the same thing, I don’t know why you are saying they don’t obliterate battery life.

-Yes, the measurement I carried out on my Bluetooth speaker probably wasn’t perfect, far from it. I agree that batteries degrade with age, but for reasons that we both stated previously, it’s impact is muted on original iOS versions. Which brings me to your last point, and you’re completely correct: like I said on different threads, it is a simple sale: when you update, you sell performance and battery life in exchange for temporarily optimal compatibility and features. How much of that performance and battery life is sellable depends entirely on the user.

 

[SumYoungGai]

I’ve been primarily using MagSafe to charge my iPhone 14 Pro Max and it’s maintained at above 100% (hovering around 101-102%) since I got it. Plugged in the lightning cable maybe a couple dozen of times. Just a data point.

Also in terms of battery health worsening with future iOS versions/beta versions - IIRC the battery calibration algorithm runs with each iOS update

 

[I7guy]

-You know I’ve always blamed iOS updates, by this point I mean that heavy usage (say, LTE, high brightness and camera use), will cause relatively poor battery life on any device running any version of iOS. It will be better on older iOS versions, but it doesn’t mean it will be good. I can get 16 hours of screen-on time on my iPhone Xʀ running iOS 12. If I use it extremely heavily, I can probably shorten that by 50%. Which brings me to point 3: I meant screen-on time with the same usage. I can get 7-7.5 hours of screen-on time with light use on my 63% health iPhone 6s. I tested my older 6s (running iOS 13 after Apple forced it out of iOS 9 due to the A9 activation bug on iOS 9), and I struggled to get 4 hours. Same usage, far better battery health.

We had an XR and 16 hours of screen time on the xr was a pipe dream -- even after we bought it. To you battery life is the holy grail, to me functionality, security and updates. I can always carry a small battery pack if needed. I would like to know what you do on the phone to get 16 hours of battery life. 16 hours of facetime?

-Absolutely, it’s my phone point: new iOS versions introduce a higher power requirement (through features and increased functionality, concurrency, like you said) which causes older hardware to struggle... which causes irreversibly worse battery life regardless of battery health. We are saying the same thing, I don’t know why you are saying they don’t obliterate battery life.

We may be saying the same thing but may be implying different root causes. One possible root cause of poor battery life for later ios versions is bad coding and errata and inefficiencies that affect battery life. Another possible root cause is more concurrent work due to additional functionalities.

-Yes, the measurement I carried out on my Bluetooth speaker probably wasn’t perfect, far from it. I agree that batteries degrade with age, but for reasons that we both stated previously, it’s impact is muted on original iOS versions. Which brings me to your last point, and you’re completely correct: like I said on different threads, it is a simple sale: when you update, you sell performance and battery life in exchange for temporarily optimal compatibility and features. How much of that performance and battery life is sellable depends entirely on the user.

I don't worry about the sale price of my phones as I trade them in. I don't really care about battery life unless it's severely degraded. Maintaining an old phone in like sale condition seems like an avocation - I don't need another avocation...but that's me. To each their own but I see more downside than upside. The resale value is meaningless unless it's an antique.

 

[FeliApple]

We had an XR and 16 hours of screen time on the xr was a pipe dream -- even after we bought it. To you battery life is the holy grail, to me functionality, security and updates. I can always carry a small battery pack if needed. I would like to know what you do on the phone to get 16 hours of battery life. 16 hours of facetime?

We may be saying the same thing but may be implying different root causes. One possible root cause of poor battery life for later ios versions is bad coding and errata and inefficiencies that affect battery life. Another possible root cause is more concurrent work due to additional functionalities.

I don't worry about the sale price of my phones as I trade them in. I don't really care about battery life unless it's severely degraded. Maintaining an old phone in like sale condition seems like an avocation - I don't need another avocation...but that's me. To each their own but I see more downside than upside. The resale value is meaningless unless it's an antique.

-To get 16 hours, you need near-ideal usage patterns, settings, and conditions. That means light use, like web browsing and texting, and other light apps that aren’t too light (iBooks barely uses battery, and I’d get far more than 16 hours on it), low brightness. LTE and high brightness? You aren’t getting 16 hours regardless of what you do. This has always been the case. I got 6-7 hours on a 5s on iOS 8 with light use. That dropped to 3 hours with moderate use, LTE, and outdoor brightness. It’s not that it is the holy grail, it’s that I’m a light user. Why would I update to get essentially nothing? I don’t care about features, app compatibility is okay for me. All I’d be getting is... worse performance and battery life. All drawbacks, no benefits.

-I’d reckon it’s a little bit of both: lack of full optimisation and increased requirements, but I’m not really interested in the why. The only thing that matters is the end result: far worse battery life, worse performance. It’s like I said: I don’t care whether Apple could do more to improve battery life. The end result is bad regardless of intent.

-I don’t care about resale value either! I’ve never sold an iOS device, nor do I plan to. I have every single device I’ve purchased. I use them for a long time, and I like to have them work correctly. My 3.5-year-old iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12 works perfectly, why would I deliberately degrade the experience by updating?

 

[I7guy]

-To get 16 hours, you need near-ideal usage patterns, settings, and conditions. That means light use, like web browsing and texting, and other light apps that aren’t too light (iBooks barely uses battery, and I’d get far more than 16 hours on it), low brightness. LTE and high brightness? You aren’t getting 16 hours regardless of what you do. This has always been the case. I got 6-7 hours on a 5s on iOS 8 with light use. That dropped to 3 hours with moderate use, LTE, and outdoor brightness. It’s not that it is the holy grail, it’s that I’m a light user. Why would I update to get essentially nothing? I don’t care about features, app compatibility is okay for me. All I’d be getting is... worse performance and battery life. All drawbacks, no benefits.

I don't call staying safe on the internet with the patches that come with the current releases nothing. But to each their own.

-I’d reckon it’s a little bit of both: lack of full optimisation and increased requirements, but I’m not really interested in the why. The only thing that matters is the end result: far worse battery life, worse performance. It’s like I said: I don’t care whether Apple could do more to improve battery life. The end result is bad regardless of intent.

To me it's very important. For the former you are getting nothing and losing something. For the latter you are getting a lot and losing less.

-I don’t care about resale value either! I’ve never sold an iOS device, nor do I plan to. I have every single device I’ve purchased. I use them for a long time, and I like to have them work correctly. My 3.5-year-old iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12 works perfectly, why would I deliberately degrade the experience by updating?

If you call more functionality, patches, ability to be on the latest apps degrading, we DO have different definitions of the word. Phone usage SOT is the easiest thing to resolve. Of course you balance out using your phone daintily and sparingly for more battery, vs using the phone as it was intended.

 

[FeliApple]

I don't call staying safe on the internet with the patches that come with the current releases nothing. But to each their own.

To me it's very important. For the former you are getting nothing and losing something. For the latter you are getting a lot and losing less.

If you call more functionality, patches, ability to be on the latest apps degrading, we DO have different definitions of the word. Phone usage SOT is the easiest thing to resolve. Of course you balance out using your phone daintily and sparingly for more battery, vs using the phone as it was intended.

I see what you mean by your second point, and it is true! The fact that updating has benefits is undeniable, app support and compatibility is the central point of pressure for those of us who stay behind. I have seen hundreds hold out on older versions of iOS until they want to download apps and they are forced to update. It is too common.

I have no reason to update. iOS 12 lacks nothing that I need, and in my case, it would only bring drawbacks. I’m not sure what you mean by using the phone as it was intended, as every single person has different expectations, requirements, and usage patterns. Screen-on time is impossible to resolve: updating brings about a permanent and unfixable degradation of battery life. Replacing the battery does not bring that screen-on time back, at most it improves it a little (and temporarily) when compared to the same iOS version with a degraded battery.

 

[adrianlondon]

I always charge my phone overnight. The optimise charging thing doesn't work, because I turn my phone off the moment it's connected to the slow 5W charger. Battery seems fine.

 

[I7guy]

I see what you mean by your second point, and it is true! The fact that updating has benefits is undeniable, app support and compatibility is the central point of pressure for those of us who stay behind. I have seen hundreds hold out on older versions of iOS until they want to download apps and they are forced to update. It is too common.

I have no reason to update. iOS 12 lacks nothing that I need, and in my case, it would only bring drawbacks. I’m not sure what you mean by using the phone as it was intended, as every single person has different expectations, requirements, and usage patterns. Screen-on time is impossible to resolve: updating brings about a permanent and unfixable degradation of battery life. Replacing the battery does not bring that screen-on time back, at most it improves it a little (and temporarily) when compared to the same iOS version with a degraded battery.

The issue with IOS 12 is it's a 4 year old operating system. In windows terms, most sane people (excluding those who pay for said support) wouldn't try to run their business from windows xp.

Battery life is easy conquer as there are many battery packs that could easily provide enough juice to be off the grid for a week. Getting your phone hacked due to vulnerabilities in old operating systems could erase any "positive" about using older software. At least to me, I'd rather carry some type of portable charger than to risk getting hacked when I surf the web. To each their own.

 

[FeliApple]

The issue with IOS 12 is it's a 4 year old operating system. In windows terms, most sane people (excluding those who pay for said support) wouldn't try to run their business from windows xp.

Battery life is easy conquer as there are many battery packs that could easily provide enough juice to be off the grid for a week. Getting your phone hacked due to vulnerabilities in old operating systems could erase any "positive" about using older software. At least to me, I'd rather carry some type of portable charger than to risk getting hacked when I surf the web. To each their own.

There is no good reason for me to sacrifice 50% of battery life and optimal performance for essentially nothing. The security risk is moot: eventually the device will be unsupported, I’d rather have a perfectly working device.

 

[I7guy]

There is no good reason for me to sacrifice 50% of battery life and optimal performance for essentially nothing. The security risk is moot: eventually the device will be unsupported, I’d rather have a perfectly working device.

Getting hacked seems to me like a good reason to sacrifice battery life.

 

[ignatius345]

I swear there's a thread like this every few weeks. Just charge it when it's convenient. The phone knows when to stop.

Unless you want to pick up a lame hobby of micromanaging your battery.

 

[FeliApple]

Getting hacked seems to me like a good reason to sacrifice battery life.

Like I said, the security argument is moot. I’ve seen people here recommend that everyone throw away every iPhone 6s in existence because it cannot run iOS 16. The mere suggestion is completely ridiculous. This isn’t what you said, but it’s an example. You can’t play catch up forever, and the device is impacted too much by iOS updates.

Have Apple guarantee one of two things (or both!) and I’d update everything immediately:

-Flawless performance and battery life throughout the entire lifespan of the device (while updating).

-The ability to freely downgrade to any version, anytime, forever.

There is no other circumstance in which I’ll willingly update.

 

[JerseyDoug]

Like I said, the security argument is moot. I’ve seen people here recommend that everyone throw away every iPhone 6s in existence because it cannot run iOS 16. The mere suggestion is completely ridiculous. This isn’t what you said, but it’s an example. You can’t play catch up forever, and the device is impacted too much by iOS updates.

Have Apple guarantee one of two things (or both!) and I’d update everything immediately:

-Flawless performance and battery life throughout the entire lifespan of the device (while updating).

-The ability to freely downgrade to any version, anytime, forever.

There is no other circumstance in which I’ll willingly update.

Why is the security argument moot? By what objective standard is it moot? I’m just trying to understand. Not trying to be argumentative.

 

[I7guy]

Like I said, the security argument is moot. I’ve seen people here recommend that everyone throw away every iPhone 6s in existence because it cannot run iOS 16. The mere suggestion is completely ridiculous. This isn’t what you said, but it’s an example. You can’t play catch up forever, and the device is impacted too much by iOS updates.

Have Apple guarantee one of two things (or both!) and I’d update everything immediately:

-Flawless performance and battery life throughout the entire lifespan of the device (while updating).

-The ability to freely downgrade to any version, anytime, forever.

There is no other circumstance in which I’ll willingly update.

You know and I know the above will never happen. You're running an 8 year old iphone with an operating system 4 years older than it needs to be. Top priority is battery life and that gap has been bridged for a while. There are even these nifty little devices: https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Cha...ocphy=200501&hvtargid=pla-1679634864188&psc=1

At least with ios 14 you get a more recent ios version with many more apps compatible. But that's me.

 

[FeliApple]

You know and I know the above will never happen. You're running an 8 year old iphone with an operating system 4 years older than it needs to be. Top priority is battery life and that gap has been bridged for a while. There are even these nifty little devices: https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Cha...ocphy=200501&hvtargid=pla-1679634864188&psc=1

At least with ios 14 you get a more recent ios version with many more apps compatible. But that's me.

Power banks do mitigate the issue, at the cost of being massively annoying. Why should I carry a power bank when the device’s battery life should be enough for a full day? Especially for Plus users, the 6s Plus for instance. It was a two-day phone for moderate users, why should they need to carry a power bank just to get through one now? Why should they tolerate reduced performance and keyboard lag? It’s not a good trade-off.

You do get temporary compatibility and that’s the only good thing updating brings, even if only for a little while. For some, it might be a necessary trade-off if it’s their only device, but it doesn’t mean it’s good.

 

[FeliApple]

Why is the security argument moot? By what objective standard is it moot? I’m just trying to understand. Not trying to be argumentative.

Because security updates eventually stop. And then? If I were to update for security, I would obliterate battery life and performance forever, for essentially nothing. At least by staying behind the device actually works as intended.

 

[I7guy]

Power banks do mitigate the issue, at the cost of being massively annoying. Why should I carry a power bank when the device’s battery life should be enough for a full day?

Unless your primary usage is such that you never have to worry about plugging it in, a full day is never guaranteed. Especially if one uses a cell phone as intended , which is a small communication device.

Especially for Plus users, the 6s Plus for instance. It was a two-day phone for moderate users, why should they need to carry a power bank just to get through one now? Why should they tolerate reduced performance and keyboard lag? It’s not a good trade-off.

I don’t call 10 hours a full two days. Yeah, if you only check your phone intermittently even now and then and don’t use any capabilities.

You do get temporary compatibility and that’s the only good thing updating brings, even if only for a little while. For some, it might be a necessary trade-off if it’s their only device, but it doesn’t mean it’s good.

We are all temporary on this earth. I’d rather be efficient and not waste time.

 

[FeliApple]

Unless your primary usage is such that you never have to worry about plugging it in, a full day is never guaranteed. Especially if one uses a cell phone as intended , which is a small communication device.

I don’t call 10 hours a full two days. Yeah, if you only check your phone intermittently even now and then and don’t use any capabilities.

We are all temporary on this earth. I’d rather be efficient and not waste time.

-This depends entirely on usage. With my use, the 6s is a full day phone, unless I need to use it heavily.

-The 6s Plus running iOS 9 or 10 lasts for 10 hours of full LTE with moderate use, and 12 hours with light use on Wi-Fi. If the user uses the device for 4 to 5 hours per day, it can be a two-day phone. It all depends on usage. The standard 6s? There I can agree: it’s not a 2-day phone for almost every current user, even on iOS 9 or 10.

-But for me it works just fine! I’m not sacrificing anything by using it like this. It depends on what the user needs it for. I have two iPads: a 9.7-inch iPad Pro on iOS 12 and an iPad Air 5 running iPadOS 15. I use them both for the exact same things. Updating either would be pointless. I don’t need iPadOS 16 for either device. Like I said earlier, updating would only have drawbacks for me.

I have always stated that there are drawbacks to staying behind. For me, they’re irrelevant. For others, they render the device useless. And they should update, though knowing with full certainty that they’ll experience a severe battery life decrease and a light to moderate impact on performance, depending on the device and the iOS version which it runs. For many, you can halve the battery life of a Plus iPhone and they’ll be fine. Should they render the advantages as more useful than the drawbacks, they’d have no reason not to update, as long as they’re able to tolerate those drawbacks.

 

[I7guy]

-This depends entirely on usage. With my use, the 6s is a full day phone, unless I need to use it heavily.

-The 6s Plus running iOS 9 or 10 lasts for 10 hours of full LTE with moderate use, and 12 hours with light use on Wi-Fi. If the user uses the device for 4 to 5 hours per day, it can be a two-day phone. It all depends on usage. The standard 6s? There I can agree: it’s not a 2-day phone for almost every current user, even on iOS 9 or 10.

-But for me it works just fine! I’m not sacrificing anything by using it like this. It depends on what the user needs it for. I have two iPads: a 9.7-inch iPad Pro on iOS 12 and an iPad Air 5 running iPadOS 15. I use them both for the exact same things. Updating either would be pointless. I don’t need iPadOS 16 for either device. Like I said earlier, updating would only have drawbacks for me.

I have always stated that there are drawbacks to staying behind. For me, they’re irrelevant. For others, they render the device useless. And they should update, though knowing with full certainty that they’ll experience a severe battery life decrease and a light to moderate impact on performance, depending on the device and the iOS version which it runs. For many, you can halve the battery life of a Plus iPhone and they’ll be fine. Should they render the advantages as more useful than the drawbacks, they’d have no reason not to update, as long as they’re able to tolerate those drawbacks.

I do use my device as a mobile phone. I suppose I could get a week out of the battery if my usage was a few minutes a day answering some texts. But that’s far from my usage. The phone goes where I go. Sometimes with bad service or in hot sun far away from a charging cord. Phone is used for entertaining and business. A 6s+ would not last either. There is no such thing as a guaranteed one day battery charge. If one uses their smartphone like a flip phone I can understand one day. But if one uses their smartphone as a tool, bye bye battery life.

I typically have a battery pack since I want to use the phone and not baby it. I update to the latest o/s as over the years vulnerabilities in iOS, Bluetooth, WiFi, iMessage, FaceTime and safari have been fixed. My avocation is not battery life and people should worry more about being hacked, imo.

 

[FeliApple]

I do use my device as a mobile phone. I suppose I could get a week out of the battery if my usage was a few minutes a day answering some texts. But that’s far from my usage. The phone goes where I go. Sometimes with bad service or in hot sun far away from a charging cord. Phone is used for entertaining and business. A 6s+ would not last either. There is no such thing as a guaranteed one day battery charge. If one uses their smartphone like a flip phone I can understand one day. But if one uses their smartphone as a tool, bye bye battery life.

I typically have a battery pack since I want to use the phone and not baby it. I update to the latest o/s as over the years vulnerabilities in iOS, Bluetooth, WiFi, iMessage, FaceTime and safari have been fixed. My avocation is not battery life and people should worry more about being hacked, imo.

Perhaps a 6s Plus on iOS 10 wouldn’t be enough for you either, and in that case, if you’d need a battery pack anyway and if charging your device twice or more per day doesn’t bother you, and if you require the app support that renders a non-updated device useless, then you should update. I never said there weren’t any benefits, I said that staying behind has irrecoverable advantages should you update. Everyone should weigh those advantages and drawbacks and make a decision based on that. I do have an issue with those who blindly recommend updating regardless of the user’s situation. As long as the user is aware and is able to tolerate the drawbacks while enjoying the temporary advantages (even if you update as far as it can go, eventually the device loses support. That’s partly why I said that the security argument is moot, and the app support that updating brings about extends only temporary longevity), they should update.

In your case, you value and/or require app support, don’t mind carrying a power bank, and you seemingly don’t mind any and all performance issues, so there’s no reason for you not to update. I value perfect battery life and performance, so updating has no advantages. Yes, I have to skirt around some support issues like Safari not rendering websites and losing some app support, but I can do it. Like I said, staying behind has drawbacks, too!

As for security, the risk is merely theoretical, and like I said, it loses security support eventually. The battery life and performance impact is guaranteed and irreversible.

 

[h.gilbert]

Charge when I need to, replace the battery when I need to.

I have never had to replace a battery with this method. In the years it takes to notice a decline in battery life, it's time for a new phone anyway.

I truly do not understand all this hand-wringing over battery life and charging. It's literally just a phone, and an expensive one at that. If you can't afford a battery replacement every 3-5 years, perhaps you should look at less expensive brands with removable batteries. This is like buying a Ferrari and not being able to afford (or complaining about the cost of) routine maintenance. Just drive the car or use the phone and enjoy it, or be realistic and buy one you can afford! Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

Precisely. It's like $70 to replace a battery. Use the battery as normal, charge overnight, use the battery up whatever and in a few years get a brand new battery, or if you're trading in the phone who cares?

 

[I7guy]

Perhaps a 6s Plus on iOS 10 wouldn’t be enough for you either, and in that case, if you’d need battery pack anyway and if charging your device twice or more per day doesn’t bother you, and if you require the app support that renders a non-updated device useless, then you should update. I never said there weren’t any benefits, I said that staying behind has irrecoverable advantages should you update. Everyone should weigh those advantages and drawbacks and make a decision based on that. I do have an issue with those who blindly recommend updating regardless of the user’s situation. As long as the user is aware and is able to tolerate the drawbacks while enjoying the temporary advantages (even if you update as far as it can go, eventually the device loses support. That’s partly why I said that the security argument is moot, and the app support that updating brings about extends only temporary longevity), they should update.

In your case, you value and/or require app support, don’t mind carrying a power bank, and you seemingly don’t mind any and all performance issues, so there’s no reason for you not to update. I value perfect battery life and performance, so updating has no advantages. Yes, I have to skirt around some support issues like Safari not rendering websites and losing some app support, but I can do it. Like I said, staying behind has drawbacks, too!

As for security, the risk is merely theoretical, and like I said, it loses security support eventually. The battery life and performance impact is guaranteed and irreversible.

Security is not theoretical. People in their right mind wouldn’t remove the locks from their doors and proclaim security is theoretical. The temporary advantage of “alleged perfect battery life” pales in comparison to the real disadvantage of being hacked as vulnerabilities in safari, FaceTime, iMessage and iOS have been patched over the years. Of course people have to weigh their priorities and make good choices.

I blindly recommend upgrading and never look back especially when severe vulnerabilities are being patched.

I value perfect phone operation and tight security over battery life but my primary phone can last a day provided I don’t beat the heck out of the battery.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Security is not theoretical. People in their right mind wouldn’t remove the locks from their doors and proclaim security is theoretical. The temporary advantage of “alleged perfect battery life” pales in comparison to the real disadvantage of being hacked as vulnerabilities in safari, FaceTime, iMessage and iOS have been patched over the years. Of course people have to weigh their priorities and make good choices.

I blindly recommend upgrading and never look back especially when severe vulnerabilities are being patched.

I value perfect phone operation over battery life but my primary phone can lay a day provided I don’t beat the heck out of the battery.

Security is #1 to me. Browsing the web is a huge vulnerability. Using applications the same. My personal and private information is a huge part of who I am. I have 120+GB of Photos and 60+GB of iCloud data.

Just looking at some of the security vulnerabilities that were patched - devices can be compromised just by visiting websites. As far as I know, law enforcement agencies hope they get people who have out of date iPhones because they're easier to hack with known vulnerabilities, let alone nefarious entities who happen to get their hands on my phone if I lose it or let it out of my sight.

For me, even if you got rid of all the software updates, I'd update for security alone.

I figure I'm fairly educated. I've got a Security+ certificate, I work with people who have cyber security certs out the rear, and I deal with computer security topics on a weekly basis. You couldn't pay me to run any OS/device on an older operating system unless it was a throwaway device that had no access to my personal data.

Which... is why I use Apple. I have access to all my personal data on any device. Knowing Apple keeps on top of security is a huge reason why I use Apple.

 

[FeliApple]

Security is not theoretical. People in their right mind wouldn’t remove the locks from their doors and proclaim security is theoretical. The temporary advantage of “alleged perfect battery life” pales in comparison to the real disadvantage of being hacked as vulnerabilities in safari, FaceTime, iMessage and iOS have been patched over the years. Of course people have to weigh their priorities and make good choices.

I blindly recommend upgrading and never look back especially when severe vulnerabilities are being patched.

I value perfect phone operation and tight security over battery life but my primary phone can last a day provided I don’t beat the heck out of the battery.

And when the device isn’t supported anymore? The iPhone 6s cannot get iOS 16. It may get security updates, but it doesn’t get all of them, like iOS 16 does. It’s a moot point, once the performance and battery life are shattered the device is useless regardless of security. “Look at my temporarily secure iPhone 6s, it’s so cool, I get 3 hours of screen-on time, have to charge it three times a day, the keyboard lags are downright pathetic, but hey, I am “secure” for a week, until the next patch that’s iOS 16-exclusive arrives. And then the 6s isn’t secure anymore“. After that, battery life and performance do not go back to iOS 10 levels, and the device is insecure anyway. So, you have a device that’s both insecure, and pathetic in terms of performance and battery life.

Also, removing locks from homes is both pointless, as it has no benefits, and not theoretical at all, as actual break-ins happen all the time. Not updating has undeniably tangible benefits, and updating has irrecoverable drawbacks. I would love to be able to update! My devices would be temporarily secure, and their app compatibility and usefulness would skyrocket. Should Apple guarantee either downgrading or like-new performance and battery life, I’d update tomorrow. Updates guarantee the exact opposite: far poorer performance, abhorrent battery life. That’s an unforgivable red flag from ground zero.

 

[I7guy]

Security is #1 to me. Browsing the web is a huge vulnerability. Using applications the same. My personal and private information is a huge part of who I am. I have 120+GB of Photos and 60+GB of iCloud data.

Just looking at some of the security vulnerabilities that were patched - devices can be compromised just by visiting websites. As far as I know, law enforcement agencies hope they get people who have out of date iPhones because they're easier to hack with known vulnerabilities, let alone nefarious entities who happen to get their hands on my phone if I lose it or let it out of my sight.

For me, even if you got rid of all the software updates, I'd update for security alone.

I figure I'm fairly educated. I've got a Security+ certificate, I work with people who have cyber security certs out the rear, and I deal with computer security topics on a weekly basis. You couldn't pay me to run any OS/device on an older operating system unless it was a throwaway device that had no access to my personal data.

Which... is why I use Apple. I have access to all my personal data on any device. Knowing Apple keeps on top of security is a huge reason why I use Apple.

The above is especially relevant as iOS 16.3.1 continental critical security fixes. While I understand iOS versions are limited on older hardware apple may update older iOS versions. Intentionally staying on iOS versions earlier than your supported phone to me is folly. Case in point ios 12 has been updated a few times.