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Razeus

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jul 11, 2008
5,363
2,070
Why are they fragmenting the OS for different devices?
 
Because iPad has features that the iPhone/iPod touch doesn't have...meaning that they need two different versions.

I agree, they could have called it iPhone OS 3.1, but made it just for the iPad, but that might confuse people.
 
Because the iPad is not the same as an iPhone / iPod Touch maybe?
And they are aimed at different people.

There also is Mac OS X Client and Mac OS X Server, as they aim at different clientele, even though the hardware can be the same.
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?


Btw, been enjoying my ipad over the last 48 hours. :cool:
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?

Who knows? It probably has to do with the devices being different, the fact that the iPhone is a lot more mature of a device than the iPad, people would grumble if a new OS was released right after they got the device, etc.
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?


Btw, been enjoying my ipad over the last 48 hours. :cool:

I would imagine the testing involved will take longer. Also, rolling out a new OS to 2 million ipads plus the gazillion iPhones at the same time may not be the best idea. :apple:
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?


Btw, been enjoying my ipad over the last 48 hours. :cool:

Where did you hear that iPhone OS 4 is coming tomorrow??

iPad will get it in the fall because Apple is probably still testing features on the software update...iPhone and iPad are very different and need different tests
 
The iPhone OS 4 team and the iPad team didn't have any contact before launch. They are now working on the upgrade. It won't be out till later in the year though, probably as iPhone OS 4.1

I don't think we'll be seeing 4.0 tomorrow though. Probably just a recap of the features and a release date.
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?


Btw, been enjoying my ipad over the last 48 hours. :cool:


yeah, not sure where you get that 4.0 is being released tomorrow.

it will likely be talked about again tomorrow and be released on the same day as or a few days before the actual iphone launch.

and i would highly doubt a same day announce and launch of the iphone. history says it will be a few weeks after announcement.

if he even announces the iphone tomorrow. I could see jobs giving everyone a big F you and not announcing it. i mean he like control and this he obviously is not controlling the who knows what and when. soooo... I could see him saying "you know what, they all are so sure I am announcing the next iphone today. well i was, but just cause they think they are so smart, F**K em. I'll really throw them off the trail and say nothing"
 
What hasn't been pointed out here is that the current iPhone and iPad use different hardware internally so this means they can't just port the OS from one to another, and Apple being such perfectionists want the OS to take advantage of the hardware of each device as much as possible.
 
What hasn't been pointed out here is that the current iPhone and iPad use different hardware internally so this means they can't just port the OS from one to another, and Apple being such perfectionists want the OS to take advantage of the hardware of each device as much as possible.

Lol. The hardware is not that much different. They can wait until both devices are ready then launch when it is.
 
Lol. The hardware is not that much different. They can wait until both devices are ready then launch when it is.

You are assuming the iPhone and iPad will have the same features. Chances are the iPad will have iPad-specific features in 4.0, hence the delay. What those are, who knows. Perhaps a Dashboard-like feature, for one.
 
Because iPad has features that the iPhone/iPod touch doesn't have...meaning that they need two different versions.

I agree, they could have called it iPhone OS 3.1, but made it just for the iPad, but that might confuse people.

3.1 was already out for iPhone. That's why the first one for iPad is (and now currently) 3.2. It's different because there's new API, and because it was presumably developed on a separate (secret) branch.

They're working on getting 4.0 out for iPhone, then probably 4.1 for iPad in the fall. Again, separate branches, to avoid upsetting the schedule. 4.1 might also be compatible with iPhone; or they could do a unifying 4.2, or wait until 5.0.

In that case, there will technically never be a "4.0" for iPad, but rather the first "OS 4" for iPad will be 4.1. Note that Apple introduced 3.x as "OS 3.0" but has used "OS 4" for 4.x.
 
Yes, but OS 4 for iPhone is due tomorrow, but iPad gets it in the fall. Why the need for such a spread on the versions each device receives?


Btw, been enjoying my ipad over the last 48 hours. :cool:

They'll put them back together, don't worry.

iPad has a whole raft of changes from 3.1.2 when you stop to think about it: pixel doubling, wallpapers, different screen resolution, different homepage layout, portrait mode for homepage, different versions of all the built-in apps and so on. They had to bring out 3.2 to run the device which is basically a hacked up version just for iPad as, thanks to the internal security, the OS 4 team couldn't get to work on the iPad soon enough to incorporate it into the main release.

We'll see the iPad get it in the fall, probably along with any additional bug fixes or usability tweaks as a result of the first few months of feedback, then most likely they'll work to roll everything back in to a single release for OS 5 or earlier.
 
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