Seriously, except for the Maps, turn by turn, and few other things, nearly all of the features could have been painlessly added in an 5.2 update.
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This should have just been called iOS 5.2
- Thread starter Nikomanz
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Well, I earn my living as an application developer, and agree with the OP. From what I've read, it's just not on par with the other major iOS releases.
That's true, but their major version numbering scheme is seemingly based mostly on a date cycle, so they'd presumably do a full version number increment regardless of how large of a release it is. As a fellow app developer, I've definitely seen many version numbering schemes, which are more often dictated by marketing/business groups than any rational sensibilities about the amount of change in the software....
Show me a past x.1 iOS update that has had as many new features and changes as iOS 6 does.
This complaint is made every year with every major update. It was made about 2.0.
It doesn't have to be. All the major stuff is there. It's easy to say "I don't see a lot of differences" but the reality is in version 6.0 iOS is pretty mature so the more succinct question would be "what's missing in iOS 6.0" and frankly few on here have listed detailed features that iOS 6.0 are missing.
Plus as a developer you know that writing against frameworks means you need a stable foundation. If Apple adds thousands of new API that you write against and they only call it iOS 5.2 :
What's that going to do to your app?
How is that going to ease your support
As a developer you get an email and your customer tells you their running iOS 5 ...they're not going to know if it's 5.1 or 5.2. They may not know if they're running 5 at all.
So would you really leverage a bunch of new frameworks of the mythical 5.2 knowing that said features would be unavailable in 5.1? Probably not.
Excellent, excellent point.
I disagree with the OP. There are some pretty significant new features for developers, several new features for users, and an updated UI (some subtle elements, some more noticable). I have never seen a minor release for iOS or Mac OS that add significant visible changes for the user. Regardless, what difference does it make? The update is free.
Users turn one missing item from their wish list into "there's nothing new". Maps was a huge undertaking, Passbook could have a considerable impact, and deep Facebook integration is going to be nice for those that use Facebook.
Has nobody had an argument with a parent, spouse, or child that generalized something down to a "you never ...!". I seriously hope Apple's OS developers have thick skin.
For those complaining: what do you think Apple has been doing for the past year? Have the engineers been on vacation since iOS5? If you don't think the update is worth a version bump, assume you're missing something.
Face it. People feel that iOS6 is a disappointment.
Nikomanz, you're not alone. Check out my poll on this.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1383671/
Im in the consumer market. So yes my knowledge is limited about app development.
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Good point, but the title of my post was just to illustrate the low key update which is iOS 6.0. and the clear lack of innovation and change.
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I mean you guys put a lot of interesting opinions and thoughts here.
But one point that people seem to be missing is that developers are a very small share of the consumer market, seriously.
On a strictly consumer oriented view, which like 90% of people are going to have with iOS 6.0. It will be of an incredible subpar update. Which yes while free, discourages the purchase of future apple products as it shows a clear lack of innovation and commitment to their products and operating systems. Literally every feature could have been added in iOS 5 last october. Theres nothing here (in iOS6 ) that will have people say "wow! thats definitely years ahead of our time!"
Clear evidence like this indicates apple is hoarding low key features just so they can keep a yearly update and keep calling it revolutionary every year. You might fool a couple of people, but theres an obvious reason why android, and samsung are taking a clear cut of apples marketshare. Who would have ever thought that in 2007 the iPhone would have had a competitor?! But clear laziness in apples part has caused competition to arisen and take a serious stab at apple.
The title is just to indicate that all of the features could have been added in october of last year.
Developer wise yes probably an update is neccesarry every year to keep tabs with development and customers, but consumer oriented way iOS 6 is a major disappointment that will probably have people shift to different mobile OS and devices.
Also iOS 4 - iOS 5 was a HUGE jump in my part. Notification center, iMessage, etc wow, fantastic update.
You're forgetting this is a hardware year. New MBPS, Retina iPad, presumably a new design on the iPhone. The WOW factor is about hardware this year. Next year software will WOW us. And I really suspect Passbook will play a huge role in that in iOS 7.
Developers are what make the iPhone so great, not just Apple. Apple added tons of new APIs to this version of iOS for developers. It would be a NIGHTMARE if it wasn't a full version upgrade, as others had pointed out.
I didn't realize that attempting to map the whole planet in 3D was laziness. And, in 2007, I knew the iPhone would have competition, because that's how it works. If you ever thought the iPhone would never have competition, then you don't understand economics. The competition is what drives businesses to keep improving their products.
So they could have done all the work they did for Maps in a few days? Seriously, just how high are your standards?
People complain every year because no announcement can match the surprise and delight of the first one.
It's diminishing returns and the complainers are going from disappointment slowly to bitterness because they know it'll never be as good as the first time again. Time for people to grow up eh?
It's diminishing returns and the complainers are going from disappointment slowly to bitterness because they know it'll never be as good as the first time again. Time for people to grow up eh?
Maps, dont work internationally, siri doesnt work well either.
I did "most" of the features btw. Maps was obviously excluded.
How about the 3D map of Sydney? Turn-by-turn doesn't work internationally, but that doesn't mean all of Maps doesn't.
How does Siri not work well? It's not perfect, but it does a pretty good job in my book. It's also still beta. Something like Siri is an enormous undertaking. Can you do a better job?
Well, the US is Apple's primary audience. So it would make sense that they would focus on development there first.
I see what you did there.
Have you used iOS 6 beta yet? I have (and am) and I think it's easily on par with the rest of the major iOS updates.
Rewritten apps
Maps
iTunes Store/App Store
Music
Big added features
Do Not Disturb
Passbook
Facebook integration
A lot of Safari changes
A lot of Mail changes
A massive list of new public API's and changes
The iOS 6 All the Little Things thread is 38 pages so far. iOS point releases never see this many changes.
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While still the most efficient mobile operating system, iOS is losing it's luster and getting stale.
What would restore its luster? What would make it fresh?
These are questions that some of us have asked and basically in return we've gotten.
"I want widgets" "I want bluetooth/wifi toggles"
At this point there is really one major feature that I can think of that is not in iOS. This is the ability to exchange files with other applications in a nice smooth way that doesn't create a bunch of duplicate files.
What you said is the truth! As a developer myself everything you said is 100% correct!
Too many people just expect Apple to make something "so revolutionary" all the time.
1) More votes for "not a disappointment"
2) Everyone holds such high expectations for every OS release. People were disappointed with iOS 5. People where disappointed with iOS 4. People were even disappointed with iOS 3 and 2, even the original first version of iOS.
If you hold no expectations (or little ones) then when the OS comes you become pleasantly surprised and you become able to enjoy what you have than to constantly whine about the all the problems.
I love iOS, I have no intention of ever defecting to Android, but even this massive Apple fan is left feeling somewhat "Meh" from iOS 6.
I mean, still no access to major settings toggles from NC? I use NC Settings on my JB iPhone 4 and it's exactly how you could see Apple applying it, unlike the (imo) tacky SB Settings.
I mean, still no access to major settings toggles from NC? I use NC Settings on my JB iPhone 4 and it's exactly how you could see Apple applying it, unlike the (imo) tacky SB Settings.