Apple Releases iOS 4.2.1 Golden Master to Developers

[tshort]

You make your point, but I just don't see Apple having a hard requirement to ship 4.2 prior to 4.2.1.

One could almost consider 4.2 to be 4.2.0. Oh no! A .0 release! No one wants that! So put out a 4.2.1, and it's no longer a .0 release. 🙂 I worked for a company that never put out a .0 version of software. It was always something like 2.0.1. Makes it sound as though things have been fixed.

But seriously, there's no reason they have to release 4.2 when 4.2.1 is about to be released.

There's nothing magical about a continuous sequence!

 

[synagence]

Apple don't patch... They can't really release 4.2 and then immediately 4.2.1

Again, probably 95% of users just will see in iTunes an update available and couldn't care if it missed 4.2 out for 4.2.1

 

[Jamie0003]

Why are people complaining about it being a 0.0.1 release? Does it really matter? I'd rather have one with fixed bugs than a buggy OS....gives apple a bad name.

 

[kycophpd]

Considering you also have emails out from devs saying "don't install iOS 4.2", I could see them skipping 4.2 and going straight to 4.2.1 with a fix for the VoIP issue. Some people don't read forums but read an email saying"don't install4.2" but when they see 4.2.1 on their update, they may go ahead and install.

 

[Artmuzz]

Me thinks that Apple are doing this because of Cydia and the jailbreakers.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134 Safari/6533.18.5)

This doesn't take away anything with AirPrint from the first GM right?

 

[Mattsasa]

Me thinks that Apple are doing this because of Cydia and the jailbreakers.

but apple likes cydia and the jailbreakers

 

[Bosunsfate]

Apple don't patch... They can't really release 4.2 and then immediately 4.2.1

Again, probably 95% of users just will see in iTunes an update available and couldn't care if it missed 4.2 out for 4.2.1

Try 99.9999% of the users will upgrade this way.

Figured 15,000,000 iPads, and 40,000,000 iPhones, less the few thousand developers who install beta releases..

 

[MacMan86]

True, but the developers could test the firmware for bugs, and it can also be used for devs to test airplay in their apps since it doesn't support it fully yet.

Apple simply doesn't release development firmware for devices that other parties don't develop for, they have their own (mostly) meticulous QA (testing) team. Take the non-Touch iPods for example, Apple have never released an early build of a forthcoming iPod Nano firmware update.

Developers don't need to be testing AirPlay for their apps as it is an OS level feature. Developers get the function for free, Apple is responsible for making sure it works.

 

[Peterg2]

Why is this a problem? Better to get the bugs worked out with dev releases before putting it in the hands of the consumers.

I agree with your comments. I have run the original 4.2 GM several times over the last couple of weeks. I say several times because I have run it for a couple of days at a time and found some odd behaviour with a few applications. I would then go back to 4.1 for a few days until I decided to reinstall 4.2 again, thinking that I might as well get used to it as this most probablyt would be what is released.

 

[goobot]

Me thinks that Apple are doing this because of Cydia and the jailbreakers.

And they would gain what? They wouldn't release the jb till 4.2.1 then and 4.2 would be buggy.

 

[Willis]

An apple rep told me 4.2 would be released November 31st

shut up... hard when theres only 30 days.

23rd for a release. Watch this space

 

[Jamie0003]

shut up... hard when theres only 30 days.

23rd for a release. Watch this space

I don't think apple would release it on a sunday...and NOTHING is confirmed yet, they just said november.

 

[Jamie0003]

Apple simply doesn't release development firmware for devices that other parties don't develop for, they have their own (mostly) meticulous QA (testing) team. Take the non-Touch iPods for example, Apple have never released an early build of a forthcoming iPod Nano firmware update.

Developers don't need to be testing AirPlay for their apps as it is an OS level feature. Developers get the function for free, Apple is responsible for making sure it works.

Fair point, plus at the moment the Apple TV doesn't have nearly as many things to test as iOS on other devices yet.

 

[jsh]

I don't think apple would release it on a sunday...and NOTHING is confirmed yet, they just said november.

The 23rd is a Tuesday.

 

[Jamie0003]

The 23rd is a Tuesday.

oops lol

 

[aristotle]

The build of 4.2 which was last released to developers will work for the majority of users. There is a bug that which affects VOIP apps but if you don't use those apps, then you are not affected.

Of course Apple could release 4.2.1 and skip 4.2 but that would mean breaking their promise to release in November. If it works for most apps, 4.2 will be released in this month and 4.2.1 will be released in December.

Notice that Apple posted that developers do not need to re-certify their apps for 4.2.1 and can consider 4.2 as the target for the features. 4.2.1 will only fix bugs in the 4.2 release and not add features.

The VOIP bugs is not a show stopper for me as I do not use VOIP apps on my iPad.

 

[cvaldes]

Only a fool would want Apple to rush out this software.

Take your time, Apple. Get it right.

 

[S.B.G]

Take your time, Apple. Get it right.

Hear, hear!

 

[bizill]

Trust me, they don't know. Unless you spoke to an Apple Rep from the iOS team (and they would be hung for committing to a date)

I think you're missing the joke here. November 31st isn't a real date. November ends on the 30th...

 

[ntrigue]

I'm getting sick of this waiting! If I can't put Angry Birds HD and Angry Birds Halloween HD in a folder named "Angry Birds Games" by this evening I'm going to flip the hell out!!!

I think you mean... "Angry Bir..." folder.

 

[longterm]

Hey hey hey Apple, isn't a master supposed to be _the_ final release?

Uh no, the FINAL RELEASE is the final release. The Gold Master is the same thing as a release candidate, and the reason for its being disseminated is to make sure that it's ready for relase.

Otherwise, why release this before releasing it to the world?

 

[Surf Monkey]

Good lord. Get a grip people. Another dev release means another week before a public release. The addition of a .01 is completely irrelevant. Stop getting fixated on utterly insignificant issues. You'll sleep better.

 

[Daveoc64]

Some of the people on this thread need to chill.

Apple will release this OS update when it's ready. Hopefully, that will be November. But if it's not, is it really such a big deal? Really?

I've been working with the beta builds - and some of the bugs encountered have been crippling. The wi-fi bug meant that my iPad was unusable as an Internet device. But I expect those types of probs when running a beta on a test device.

I wouldn't expect that as a normal user - and you wouldn't/shouldn't either.

Quit the whining and wait for a stable OS release, rather than hope Apple release something half-baked.

I and many others have been experiencing cripping issues on iOS 4.1 (and lower). Those updates were "half-baked".

4.2 GM was a breath of fresh air for me, we'll have to see if 4.2.1 keeps that going.

 

[Jamie0003]

I and many others have been experiencing cripping issues on iOS 4.1 (and lower). Those updates were "half-baked".

4.2 GM was a breath of fresh air for me, we'll have to see if 4.2.1 keeps that going.

What issues? I had none on my 3GS....but on 4.2 I have had lots of lag. Not sure about 4.2.1 yet.