Apple Faces User Backlash After Dropping Support for iPhone 7 From iOS 16

[eyeseeyou]

This is why people still jail break their iPhone.

I remember when multi tasking was enabled on older iPhones that were supposedly incapable of multitasking through jailbreaking.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This is why people still jail break their iPhone.

I remember when multi tasking was enabled on older iPhones that were supposedly incapable of multitasking through jailbreaking.

Apple working so hard to kill off Jailbreaking ends up hurting themselves

Many folks don’t realize how many current iOS features came from the jailbreak world.

Now they have to come up with their own ideas and we get things like “emoji dictation” and “the clock can be partially behind the subject in your Lock Screen photo!”

The oohs and ahhs can be heard a mile away

 

[lartola]

My issue is not that Apple still isn't better as far as providing OS updates longer but rather that it may not be as good as some expected. Apple is vague (doesn't put anything in writing) about how many years of iOS updates there will be and this can potentially create a backlash like the one being seen now. If a customer expected 7 years but is only getting 6, that can be a disappointment. It doesn't matter that Android may only be 3 or 4 years as they didn't buy an Android. To put it another way, if a customer felt Apple is "A" level and Android is "C" level but they only received "B" level from Apple, it doesn’t matter that "B" is better than "C" as it's still worse than the "A" they were expecting for the money.

And who wouldn’t expect the A level from Apple with the amounts of money Apple charges for its devices? 😂

 

[MajorFubar]

no one cares to read a signature except the person who wrote it, this isn't 2007 and AIM isn't in vogue anymore. time to catch up.

Nope, you just failed to read properly, and made incorrect assumptions by focussing on a few words which made you add 2 and 2 to make five. Don't go blaming me for the fact you're too bone idle to read properly.

 

[MNGR]

And I'm concerned about yours. It doesn't sound to me like you know much of what you're talking about. I've been developing since the 90s in areas from games, to plugins for 3D animation software, to business applications.



Clearly.

I’ve been in IT since the early 60’s. Back then, you had to know the innards of the hw to have any chance.
Unless you have knowledge of all the Apple sw internals you are just guessing

 

[jav6454]

Give me one example of Apple adding something to the lock screen or home screen that was available on newer devices but not older ones.
[...]

I mentioned features not a specific thing. Also, need more evidence? Just look around old MR articles on iOS releases and what features make it per device. Several times has Apple segmented features based on hardware ability.

 

[rui no onna]

Interesting backlash, more so given that the issue is most likely RAM requirements. So often overlooked when the processor/gpu are touted so much more these days.

Unlikely that it’s RAM. The iPhone 8 has 2GB RAM same as iPhone 7.

It’s most likely chipset. They seem to have dropped support for all phones without neural engine.

 

[rui no onna]

It's related to the disparity and the rather paltry iPad devices with nearly the exact same specs as 6s/7 models ..... that are getting iPadOS 16

Many would like to get iOS 16 if possible and have them simply disable/omit anything that's too taxing, which is fair.
Software is great at being that flexible -- one of its many advantages.

I just installed the iPadOS 16 Beta on my iPad 7th gen. There’s the new weather app but otherwise, honestly it feels like nothing’s changed from iPadOS 15.

 

[rui no onna]

I'm astonished everyone seems to be ignoring Apple's true intentions here. This is not about performance or specifications - as that has been disproven in this article. You have to put yourself in the position of the normal, average user. Apple's playing a psychosocial game.

The average iPhone user uses iMessage. Whenever they realize they can't edit messages or take advantage of the new features added to iMessage on iOS 16 (which their devices could easily support if Apple's intentions were any different), they'll get socially pushed to upgrade to a new phone.

Additionally, the lock screen is the first thing you see on a phone. Whenever users with a 6s or 7 see that they can't edit their lock screen, they'll be impulsed to buy a new phone.

This is what Apple wants. They are very smart.

They've also done this before - with emojis.

I don’t think it matters much. The fact that someone’s still using the 6s and 7 instead of a newer model indicates to me that they’re not really prone to giving in to peer pressure.

 

[sdfox7]

What company supplies a OS update guarantee? I don't recall ever seeing any company make promises on how long they furnish FW or software updates. The assumption is they will do it for awhile. Some of Apple products like Mac Laptops have been supported for multiple years, but with all the trade in, get free iPhones with new contract from wireless providers its more likely that most would have exchanged a iPhone before some app stops working because your iPhone has been cut from the next major release in the Fall.

Microsoft comes to mind. You always know ahead of time how long the OS is going to be supported.

Windows XP got almost 15 years of support which was very generous. Windows 7 got 10 years (and extended paid support is ongoing). Windows 8 and 10 will also get approximately 10 years of support.

"All desktop operating system products, whether used for personal or business purposes, receive a minimum of 10 years of support under the Fixed Policy. This includes 5 years of Mainstream Support and up to 5 years of Extended Support on the latest service pack or update. Microsoft does not differentiate support between consumer and business versions of desktop operating system products."

Lifecycle FAQ - Fixed Policy

Answers to frequently asked questions about about Fixed Policy.

docs.microsoft.com

Here's the hardware policy:

Lifecycle FAQ - Hardware and devices

Answers to frequently asked questions about Microsoft hardware and devices.

docs.microsoft.com

Search Product and Services Lifecycle Information - Microsoft Lifecycle

Note Export lifecycle information from the Lifecycle Export page. Microsoft Lifecycle provides consistent and predictable guidelines for support throughout the life of a product, helping customers manage their IT investments and environments while strategically planning for the future. Search...

docs.microsoft.com

 

[NT1440]

Unlikely that it’s RAM. The iPhone 8 has 2GB RAM same as iPhone 7.

It’s most likely chipset. They seem to have dropped support for all phones without neural engine.

If the NE is the exclusion point that actually makes a lot of sense. May not make people happy, but Apple has set a new baseline threshold for certain in-development features that will become apparent in time.

 

[Arctic Moose]

My 3GS still works just fine, although it could use a new battery.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I just installed the iPadOS 16 Beta on my iPad 7th gen. There’s the new weather app but otherwise, honestly it feels like nothing’s changed from iPadOS 15.

Yeah, all of the 16 stuff honestly feels like a fairly minor bump in the grand scheme of things.

 

[duffman9000]

Misguided by who?



That's just not how most normal consumers are -- it's also something general Apple consumers enjoy not normally needing to worry about (getting sold something old and with less life in it...by Apple directly)




It doesn't matter if they marketed it or pushed it on people.

Selling it at all, as a brand new option at a certain price point, infers normal support longevity by virtue of being blessed by Apple as an offering in their stores.

Was Apple supposed to sell these older phones as used?

 

[ChuckBrown_65]

I have zero sympathy for people complaining about 6 year old phone not getting an update. The 5th, 6th, and 7th gen ipad are all newer.

That’s right. Time for a new one.

 

[abowlby]

Yes it’s obvious to the extent that its a caricature of itself, hence the hilarity.

 

[Abazigal]

I'm astonished everyone seems to be ignoring Apple's true intentions here. This is not about performance or specifications - as that has been disproven in this article. You have to put yourself in the position of the normal, average user. Apple's playing a psychosocial game.

The average iPhone user uses iMessage. Whenever they realize they can't edit messages or take advantage of the new features added to iMessage on iOS 16 (which their devices could easily support if Apple's intentions were any different), they'll get socially pushed to upgrade to a new phone.

Additionally, the lock screen is the first thing you see on a phone. Whenever users with a 6s or 7 see that they can't edit their lock screen, they'll be impulsed to buy a new phone.

This is what Apple wants. They are very smart.

They've also done this before - with emojis.

Not having edited / deleted iMessages reflected on your devices sounds like it could be a useful feature to some. I see a market for used iPhone 7s for people who want to keep text receipts of conversations with other people.

 

[russell_314]

That's not necessarily relevant here. People who buy Android phones know going in that OS updates will only be around 2 to 4 years (depending on device) but people buying iPhones have come to expect more and if/when it is less than expected (e.g., iPhone 7 getting a year less OS support than 6s), it's reasonable to express disappointment.

If Ruth's Chris Steak House cut back on their quality or service, customers would have a right to complain as it doesn't really matter if it's still better than Outback. They had a certain (higher) expectation.

I agree that disappointment can be an understandable emotion to express but I don't think the expectation is reasonable. I think most people would rather the OS not be held back due to older hardware limitations. It's not like isn't going to continue getting security updates as well.

I think the Ruth's Chris Steak House vs Outback isn't a good comparison. I mean Ruth's Chris is good but twice Outback? Ruth's Chris Steak House vs Burger King would have been a better choice.

 

[russell_314]

This is why people still jail break their iPhone.

I remember when multi tasking was enabled on older iPhones that were supposedly incapable of multitasking through jailbreaking.

Who are these "people"? I know dozens of people with iPhones and none jailbreak. Even the ones that always did it back in the day don't bother anymore. Maybe a decade ago it was a thing but not now. People that really want more customization go for android.

I'm not saying some people don't jailbreak but it's not common and those who do are mostly tech nerds that do it just to do it. It's not worth the security risks to do on a daily driver.

 

[viktorhun]

Úgy értem, ez nem olyan, mint a régi időkben, amikor a chipek egyáltalán nem tudták kezelni az operációs rendszert (például az iOS 7 iPhone 4-hez és az iOS 9 az iPhone 4s-hez).

Ezen a ponton pusztán megszakítják a támogatást, így új eszközt kell vásárolnia.

Now days still work me Facebook and messenger

 

[Abazigal]

This is why people still jail break their iPhone.

I remember when multi tasking was enabled on older iPhones that were supposedly incapable of multitasking through jailbreaking.

There are well over a billion active iPhones today. Do you have any idea how many people are still actively jailbreaking their phones even? I am sure if I squint hard enough, there will be all these tiny clusters of users doing weird things with their devices just because they can, but they don't represent or speak for the majority of the iPhone user base.

 

[ikramerica]

I’m praying Apple reverses its decision and plans to support the iPhone 7 / 7 Plus. I don’t think it’s that outdated yet.

However, the bottom line is Apple wants you to upgrade.

They should reverse course on the 7+. The 7 has less memory but the 7+ is the same as the iPads with the same chipset.

 

[sdfox7]

I'm waiting for the first lawsuit for someone who bought the Apple Watch Series 3 new, and now won't get updates. It's still being sold new on Apple's website.

 

[iHorseHead]

I can still use iPhone 5 on iOS 10

I’m not sure what point we are both making, though, other than old phones still sort of work on old abandoned software

But I can still use most 3rd party apps, which are up to date, while you really can't.
My point was that people can wait with upgrading and Apple isn't forcing them.

 

[masterin]

I have iPhone 7 Plus and iPad Pro (9.7”, 2016).
Apple should not be drop the support for the iPad Pro 9.7”.
What a shameful iPadOS EVER!

That thing has a better chip than my sill supported iPad 5... Bewildering... I'm guessing they made some agreement with a school districts to support the cheap iPads for x number of years.