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Drich290195

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 2, 2011
467
6
Is it worth upgradlng the iPod touch 5th Gen too iOS 8 or is it too laggy
 

Yebubbleman

macrumors 603
May 20, 2010
5,751
2,337
Los Angeles, CA
I have four fifth generation iPod touches, here's how they break down:

1. 64GB White and Blue - Still running iOS 6.1.3

2. 16GB Black and Silver - Still running iOS 7.1.2

3. 64GB Black and Slate - Running iOS 8.0.2

4. 16GB Black and Silver - Running iOS 8.0.2


Obviously, the iPod touch running 6.1.3 runs the smoothest, but 7.1.2 on the second one isn't really that bad either, but it's still not what it was when it was new. 8.0.2 on the other hand really isn't great, performance-wise. You can still use it to play music, but I wouldn't rely heavily on performance-heavy apps, at all. It's definitely sluggish and starting to not be fun to use. :(

Such is the way of iOS device hardware that ages.
 

mangomind

macrumors 6502a
Mar 15, 2012
542
5
I have four fifth generation iPod touches, here's how they break down:

1. 64GB White and Blue - Still running iOS 6.1.3

2. 16GB Black and Silver - Still running iOS 7.1.2

3. 64GB Black and Slate - Running iOS 8.0.2

4. 16GB Black and Silver - Running iOS 8.0.2


Obviously, the iPod touch running 6.1.3 runs the smoothest, but 7.1.2 on the second one isn't really that bad either, but it's still not what it was when it was new. 8.0.2 on the other hand really isn't great, performance-wise. You can still use it to play music, but I wouldn't rely heavily on performance-heavy apps, at all. It's definitely sluggish and starting to not be fun to use. :(

Such is the way of iOS device hardware that ages.

That's why I don't update to the newest yearly iOS unless it actually increases performance. My recommendation continues to be that people keep devices on the first iOS it comes with. Of course, many people don't notice the performance degradation; updating is fine for those people.

Why do you own four fifth gens?
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,019
8,383
New Hampshire, USA
I have four fifth generation iPod touches, here's how they break down:

1. 64GB White and Blue - Still running iOS 6.1.3

2. 16GB Black and Silver - Still running iOS 7.1.2

3. 64GB Black and Slate - Running iOS 8.0.2

4. 16GB Black and Silver - Running iOS 8.0.2


Obviously, the iPod touch running 6.1.3 runs the smoothest, but 7.1.2 on the second one isn't really that bad either, but it's still not what it was when it was new. 8.0.2 on the other hand really isn't great, performance-wise. You can still use it to play music, but I wouldn't rely heavily on performance-heavy apps, at all. It's definitely sluggish and starting to not be fun to use. :(

Such is the way of iOS device hardware that ages.

Do the ones on 8.0.2 now run ok with 8.1 (I assumed you upgraded) ?
 

Outrun1986

macrumors 6502
Jun 27, 2010
299
3
Some apps won't run without the latest iOS, which is the reason most people update plus for major features like the fact that iOS 7 is basically a whole redesign of iOS . If you update through a computer and restore as new then restore from backup you should be fine.
 

Ffosse

macrumors 68000
Nov 5, 2012
1,827
652
I updated my iPhone 5 to iOS8.1. It is slower than 6 or 7 but still sort of acceptable.

This will be the last update I'll ever put on it, though, as I can't imagine it running newer iOS versions well at all.
 

Yebubbleman

macrumors 603
May 20, 2010
5,751
2,337
Los Angeles, CA
That's why I don't update to the newest yearly iOS unless it actually increases performance. My recommendation continues to be that people keep devices on the first iOS it comes with. Of course, many people don't notice the performance degradation; updating is fine for those people.

Why do you own four fifth gens?

The one with 6.1.3 has all of my music and some apps that are still compatible. It's also there if I need anything that runs best on 6.1.3 and earlier.

The one with 7.1.2 is kept there for similar purposes, also to be a back-up should 8.x.x become unusable.

The 64GB with 8 is there for me to run iPhone apps with the latest OS (as most of them will soon require and/or be optimized for iOS 8.

I'm using the 16GB with 8 to teach myself about MDM.

As for avoiding iOS updates that don't increase performance...given that 7.1 was the first one that did anything there in years, odds are that you'd be avoiding a lot. And given Apple's trend to incentivize developers to update their apps for (and to require) the latest version of iOS, your iOS device suddenly is much less useful on an older OS. For the iPod touch, yes, the thing will still function as an MP3 player and the stock apps will still work fine. But it's a losing battle.

Do the ones on 8.0.2 now run ok with 8.1 (I assumed you upgraded) ?

One of them is in the process of being AppleCared. I'm waiting to update the other one when I get my Profile Manager Server set up, again for MDM related purposes.
 

iLLUMI

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2012
567
281
Good question!
What I did was visit the Apple store and have a play with their iPod Touches.
It isn't too bad. A little laggy in its screen transitions (effects wise) but actually not too bad.

The iPT 5 is way behind in processor and RAM specs and could really do with an update to make it run nice and smooth.

It is just so frustrating that there is no news of an iPod Touch 6th gen.
 
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