Apple Launches COVID-19 Website and App With Screening Tool and Resources

[PlasmStudios]

Why on earth would they even bother to test things against iOS 9? It's 2020.

I interned at Apple last summer, working on apple.com. I **** you not they test on literally every device. From the SE to even an android running Kitkat.

 

[ericwn]

I interned at Apple last summer, working on apple.com. I **** you not they test on literally every device. From the SE to even an android running Kitkat.

I don’t buy into the upgrade theory that some raised for a second. This might just be lack of testing due to working from home and not having a dozen platforms to test on or some other simple form of human error.

 

[cmaier]

I interned at Apple last summer, working on apple.com. I **** you not they test on literally every device. From the SE to even an android running Kitkat.

Every device and every possible OS version, though?

 

[Nerfsqueezer]

So if you put in nothing except a sore-throat it tells you to isolate yourself in a bedroom and your own bathroom. They should know virtually everyone in Central California has a sore throat as it is allergy season.

 

[cmaier]

So if you put in nothing except a sore-throat it tells you to isolate yourself in a bedroom and your own bathroom. They should know virtually everyone in Central California has a sore throat as it is allergy season.

Would be nice if we can get tested, instead of having to assume that anyone with a symptom might have it.

 

[is1234]

Well how far back do you think they should go? I actually think going back to iOS 10 is really good, given that devices as old as the 5s (2013 launch) or iPad mini 2 can run iOS 12. Do they need to make this work with the original iPhone? As another poster said, do they need to hand out iOS devices to people who don’t have them?

For any other situation/apps I would agree that going back to 10 (on an annual iOS release schedule) is great as well.

For this particular situation (world emergency, where the poor are those that are potentially more vulnerable), I would say that they go back as far as they possibly can. I'm not a developer, but I would think that it would be very easy for Apple to push this out for iOS 9, or at least a version for it. If it is not technically possible, then fine.

And I know it's hyperbolic, but handing out iPhones vs making a simple app for an older OS are two very different things. One would take a few developers days to put out. The more people we can help the better.

Again, this isn't me trying to get into some sort of silly argument. I just feel strongly that in times like this, we can't assume that upgrading/updating is always a reasonable ability for everyone. And that we need to try to help inform as many people as possible, within reasonable means.

 

[cmaier]

For any other situation/apps I would agree that going back to 10 (on an annual iOS release schedule) is great as well.

For this particular situation (world emergency, where the poor are those that are potentially more vulnerable), I would say that they go back as far as they possibly can. I'm not a developer, but I would think that it would be very easy for Apple to push this out for iOS 9, or at least a version for it. If it is not technically possible, then fine.

And I know it's hyperbolic, but handing out iPhones vs making a simple app for an older OS are two very different things. One would take a few developers days to put out. The more people we can help the better.

Again, this isn't me trying to get into some sort of silly argument. I just feel strongly that in times like this, we can't assume that upgrading/updating is always a reasonable ability for everyone. And that we need to try to help inform as many people as possible, within reasonable means.

All of this information is available elsewhere. There is really no need for apple to go overboard here.

 

[Bandaman]

Maybe it’s a bad time for people to be spending money on luxury devices, and not all phones can have their is updated to a more current version.

I'm not suggesting they buy one right now ... but they've had at least 6 years to update their phone. Complaining that their ancient phone doesn't meet current web standards is silly at best.

 

[PlasmStudios]

I don’t buy into the upgrade theory that some raised for a second. This might just be lack of testing due to working from home and not having a dozen platforms to test on or some other simple form of human error.

Yeah I'm not entirely sure what the testing situation is like with WFH. Last I recalled, the QA team had access to hundreds of devices they tested on. Doubt they took all of them home.
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Every device and every possible OS version, though?

Ok, well, not quite literally. Most smartphones OSes I would say. The reason I know is because a fellow intern was on the QA team, and one of the web pages I worked on, I got a video back from the QA team using a freaking Windows Phone (one of the sliders we had wasn't working). Other than that, cross browser testing takes care of most, if not all, compatibility concerns.

 

[I7guy]

You are too cynical. You are implying that Apple created this web site just to push the owners of old iPhone models to upgrade. In this case they might upgrade to Android phone: cheaper and Google created web site would not do such a thing.

The op isn’t cynical at all. It wasn’t the op you replied to, it was the poster the op replied to that is cynical.

 

[JosephAW]

Apple's COVID-19 app requires iOS 13, come on, you can compile apps in Xcode to support older iOS versions.

What next? Web sites that require macOS 10.15 or higher?

 

[cmaier]

Apple's COVID-19 app requires iOS 13, come on, you can compile apps in Xcode to support older iOS versions.

What next? Web sites that require macOS 10.15 or higher?

May be due to security/privacy issues, if unpatched vulnerabilities in ios 12.x. Don’t want to screw around given health privacy laws in various jurisdictions.