Apple Says Option to Stay on iOS 14 Was Always Meant to Be Temporary

[MadeTheSwitch]

“Apple today told Ars Technica that the option to stay on iOS 14 and avoid the ‌iOS 15‌ upgrade was always meant to be temporary”

I call BS. Why bother making all that effort for such a small amount of time? How does that benefit Apple? Something changed.

 

[Unique Visuals]

I have a iPhone 12 on ios 14 and I won't be updating. I don't want nor need any of the "Features" added. Im tired of having to relearn how to use a device every time. I think they should have to at least support the last OS for security flaws. Especially as most are in Apples own code.

 

[darcyf]

I updated my iPad mini 4 to ios15. Huge mistake, it’s so clunky now. Really wish apple wouldn’t push iOS updates on models so old they genuinely can’t run them without seriously hindering performance. Hard not to feel like it’s intentional when they obviously know what the outcome will be.

 

[macduke]

Apple, that's not what you said AT ALL.

You can update to the latest version of iOS 15 as soon as it's released for the latest features and most complete set of security updates. Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version.

To me, "until you're ready to upgrade" would mean for the first year. I thought they were keeping around old iOS versions for a year each time. That would be reasonable, it would be environmentally more responsible (so users don't have to throw out functioning devices just because their security is compromised) and it would be a sign of a mature operating system. Apple puts out security updates for older versions of macOS, for instance. I think at least two years of security updates would be reasonable for a company that is worth THREE TRILLION TRUCKING DOLLARS.

Instead we got a month? For real? Updates until October after releasing in September? Come on, Apple!

 

[katbel]

I have a iPhone 12 on ios 14 and I won't be updating. I don't want nor need any of the "Features" added. Im tired of having to relearn how to use a device every time. I think they should have to at least support the last OS for security flaws. Especially as most are in Apples own code.

So tired to re-learn where every setting is and how is called in a new iOS . New features are insignificant , more bugs than features to deal with . Lost enthusiasm I had years ago. More frustration than ever.

 

[sdf]

I've found iOS 15 to be superior.

Except CarPlay is still glitchy. Tap the wrong spot in in Podcasts, for instance, and you're asked for message contents to send to someone you've previously been messaging.

 

[Momof2.1107]

I’ll upgrade to iOS 15 the day before iOS 16 is released.

I don’t plan to upgrade my 12 Pro Max beyond 14.1. I’m not using the next iOS version until my 14 Pro Max is in my hands in September. Until then, I’m going to happily enjoy using iOS 14.1.

 

[JosephAW]

Thinking how Apple will circumvent this in a future. iOS and MacOS updates will go away and it will be like your AirPod updates. You’ll wake up and find the version number will be bumped up and you’ll have no clue what they fixed or changed.
Apple doesn’t normally provide a change log now.

 

[Shirasaki]

Kind of saw this coming, and I remain skeptical the day they announced “you can upgrade when you are ready” thing. Very typical Apple, ignoring customer as usual and “we know the best, middle &(#’+/)/=*( all of you customers &(#)&(&*”.

Oh, Apple. What is so wrong with people wanting to not upgrade to iOS 15 except for your numbers?

Because in Apple’s mind, it’s wrong to not stay current. Anyone who is against the idea is just wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and must be punished to the full extent of the law.

Of course it was meant to be temporary - no one thinks Apple was going to keep iOS 14 available forever.

The confusion comes from the fact that they used user-centric language like "until you're ready to upgrade," but now they've decided they are ready to move on.

Yup. Typical anti-consumer Apple.

Why should Apple worry and patch up holes because people refuse to update? They should put their resources to the current version not one they aren’t on anymore

You never heard about compatibility and stability dont you?

Security updates must be mandatory by law

And apple will be the first in line to lobby against it. I promise.

 

[Shirasaki]

better support experience for everyone.

I am very skeptical on this part.

So what. Install the finished version of iOS once a year. In August. Done.

I have a feeling Apple will copy Microsoft and force software update later on, probably following their decision to not sign previous version of iOS, unless your device is incompatible.

 

[Shirasaki]

Thinking how Apple will circumvent this in a future. iOS and MacOS updates will go away and it will be like your AirPod updates. You’ll wake up and find the version number will be bumped up and you’ll have no clue what they fixed or changed.
Apple doesn’t normally provide a change log now.

Yeah, and they can change whatever they want, and fix whichever bug they want to fix, without informing user. It’s just this bad.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple quietly pulls references to its CSAM detection tech after privacy fears

Apple quietly pulls references to its CSAM detection tech after privacy fears | TechCrunch

The feature, announced earlier this year, was delayed following fears that it could be abused by governments.

techcrunch.com

So what? It just means they will not announce anything in the future regarding the CSAM. doesn’t mean CSAM is going away.

 

[Shirasaki]

they're sending the message that you that you don't own what you own. They do.

I’m kind of surprised they didn’t just outright say all iPhone iPad Mac are Apple’s property, and you are only allowed to use it, but not own it.

 

[trusso]

Apple reminds me of my father, who'd ask us if we preferred A or B, insisting that he was happy with either... and then proceeding to get mad when we chose the option he didn't like.



Grow up, Apple. The bait and switch thing has been old for years now.

 

[jdphoto]

Apple, that's not what you said AT ALL.



To me, "until you're ready to upgrade" would mean for the first year. I thought they were keeping around old iOS versions for a year each time. That would be reasonable, it would be environmentally more responsible (so users don't have to throw out functioning devices just because their security is compromised) and it would be a sign of a mature operating system. Apple puts out security updates for older versions of macOS, for instance. I think at least two years of security updates would be reasonable for a company that is worth THREE TRILLION TRUCKING DOLLARS.

Instead we got a month? For real? Updates until October after releasing in September? Come on, Apple!

My understanding is (and a quick Google search seems to agree) that all devices that could run iOS 14 are allowed to upgrade to iOS 15. So *in this case* there is no situation where someone would have to throw out their phone to get security updates if they were already getting them. There are years where Apple drops supported devices off the list, but it's after many years of the device being out (eg. iPhone 6S can upgrade to iOS 15). Apple does provide security updates for a long time, it's just required moving to the latest iOS version to get them.

As a long time Mac user (and who supported MacOS machines in enterprise for a bit) I have too at times pondered why security updates are give for prior two versions of MacOS and not the same for iOS and I think that mostly comes down to what Apple is currently able to get out of the platforms both in terms of engineering development and revenue, and it somewhat (not fully) ties back to the App Store discussions that are going on.

Apple makes WAY more money (I'm not sure how many multiples, but I'd guess it's a lot) of money on the iOS/iPadOS App Store than the MacOS App Store. Apple wants to ensure its iOS developer community that they can use the latest and greatest iOS APIs in their apps and a lot of user's devices will support them and users will have a good experience (this part is good for everyone: users, developers, Apple). This encourages developers to leverage all these new APIs with new functionality and features that lure users to buy apps/subscriptions/game-expansion-packs/etc. which is good for Apple and Developers (and users if they enjoy these new features). On MacOS though there is a lot less of this going on. The desktop/laptop market is more mature and a because Apple is by and large left out of the MacOS App revenue stream they have less incentive to push that adoption. Also the extra years of MacOS support helps a bit in the business/education environments some Mac machines sit in. Broadly speaking across software in general, back-porting of patches and features to older versions of programs and/or operating systems is generally reserved for enterprise-like solutions and much less so for consumer-user situations (or smaller open source/indie applications where the person-time just isn't there to maintain multiple versions).

 

[MuppetGate]

Apple quietly pulls references to its CSAM detection tech after privacy fears

Apple quietly pulls references to its CSAM detection tech after privacy fears | TechCrunch

The feature, announced earlier this year, was delayed following fears that it could be abused by governments.

techcrunch.com

Apple has delayed the spyware rollout; they have not cancelled it.

Apple scrubs controversial CSAM detection feature from webpage but says plans haven’t changed

The company’s position hasn’t changed since September.

www.theverge.com

So it’ll show up (probably late Spring).

The one good thing to come out of this? I decided I wasn’t going to upgrade any of my devices to 15, so avoided the worst software rollout I’ve ever seen from Apple. I think they were so desperate to get CSAM out they forgot to test everything else.

But CSAM isn‘t the only problem. It’s come to light that Apple doesn’t want to implement RCS as they worried it‘ll make their platform less ‘sticky’.

Apple’s RCS Decision Is Bad News For iMessage Users

Why Apple's refusal to adopt RCS is a risk to your security and privacy...

www.forbes.com

When this kind of thinking takes over a company (putting the walled garden before improving the user experience) then it means the company’s best creative days are behind it.

 

[cbsnbiker]

I'm on 15.2.1, because I received a warranty replacement phone that could not be upgraded to 14.8.1.

I wish I were still on 14.8.1. It was way more stable than 15.x has been.

 

[Janichsan]

Or continue on iOS 14 and still get important security updates until you're ready to upgrade to the next major version.

Apple decides when you are ready.

 

[ian87w]

Wow, such BS. Apple explicitly stated they will keep support for ios 14.

 

[rme]

Until they kill CSAM scanning, I’m not upgrading. Bonus, my Safari isn’t leaking my browsing history. That’s a iOS 15 / Monterey feature.

I upgraded to a Pixel 6 w GrapheneOS

 

[rme]

This ones again proves Apple doesn’t communicate about it’s software and that’s big headache for the user base. They had the change to say this when they announced the feature and they had the chance to put the word out when they pulled iOS 14.8.1. But only when there is massive outrage Apple communicates. That’s pretty bad.

When they announced they were going to start scanning customer devices I got the message loud and clear.
"This is where we're heading. If you want privacy, leave the ecosystem now."
They were never going to offer their customers a good plan b.

 

[rme]

One word that describes Apple lately, proven by Apple to be true on multiple accounts - Hypocrites.

I call them scammers. Last year we learned "Privacy. That's Apple" was a scam. And now we know "Or continue on IOS14 and still get important security updates" was one too.

 

[JustSomebody12]

Seems like a rather tricky situation. But it makes me wonder if having these yearly upgrades is worth all of this hassle. From a marketing perspective, it's Apple's way to build on the brand. On the other hand, from a user's perspective it's becoming quite a headache. There's that classic line from Ferris Beuller's Day Off, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Average users who aren't as into technology as us are just annoyed with all of the updates & upgrades. "Oh, we're on iOS 15 now?" I hear the frustration about the constant updates all of the time.

Yes, but they could update without changing too much the UI.

Keeping two lines forces apple to keep software development on two OSes, which they can afford, but also requires app developers to support the older OS, and one of the biggest advantages of iOS 15 is that it runs on all devices sold since 2017.

Little developers can't afford to support a different OS per year.

Communication was still awful, and I think the longer lifespan of iOS 14 was a late choice.

 

[bluecoast]

I would like Apple to be more transparent about how long they intend to support their devices and software.

Microsoft - for all of its faults - will at least say that various versions of office and windows will be supported until a precise date - usually 3-5 years in the future - and give people/companies years of notice to that fact.

Apple behaves like a company with far less resources who wants to hedge their bets and be vague about this less they have a too high support burden.

Oftentimes, I think that it still hasn't grown up beyond the Jobs 00s era and is simply just a way bigger version of this where (over the top) evasiveness and secrecy etc. are still built into how they operate.

 

[k27]

Intransparency, silence, that's Apple. Much is unclear in many areas at Apple. I hate that. Normally, this is all a no-go for me. But I like Apple operating systems. I don't go along with everything though.
Nobody expected iOS 14 to be supported forever. But already for a certain time, such as a year. And Apple has to communicate that clearly. Apple needs to communicate when support ends and not be silent. That's important (=> security upates) for the users. Not every Apple user is that interested and regularly looks in forums.