Do you think the iPhone 5 will be phased out when the 6 releases?

[bobright]

Do you guys think Apple will slowly phase it out maybe starting with iOS8 and an iPhone 6 release? It's still a nice device fast enough for normal tasks hope they dont drop the ball on it. I'll be giving mine to my sister since its now out of contract it'll save her some cash she plans to use it a couple years at least was just curious.

 

[maflynn]

Technically they already did. You cannot buy an iPhone from apple any more. You can get the 5C and 5S but no 5. I suspect the 5c will get a refresh and it will be the low end phone, the 5S will disappear and the 6 will be the flagship model.

 

[bobright]

Technically they already did. You cannot buy an iPhone from apple any more. You can get the 5C and 5S but no 5. I suspect the 5c will get a refresh and it will be the low end phone, the 5S will disappear and the 6 will be the flagship model.

Good point as they don't sell it no more you're right. I guess what I'm asking more is you think support would be dropped for perhaps iOS 8 (given it released in the next 1-2 years)? How does that usually work, if the C is kept around you'd think it'd be capable since the guts for the most part are the same. I wonder what they would do for OOW replacements if they are abandoned would we get a 5c?

 

[alphaod]

I wonder what they would do for OOW replacements if they are abandoned would we get a 5c?

It will be a few more years before they stop producing OOW replacements. Up until last year they replaced my original iPhone.

 

[iamMacPerson]

Good point as they don't sell it no more you're right. I guess what I'm asking more is you think support would be dropped for perhaps iOS 8 (given it released in the next 1-2 years)? How does that usually work, if the C is kept around you'd think it'd be capable since the guts for the most part are the same. I wonder what they would do for OOW replacements if they are abandoned would we get a 5c?

I believe Apple still has replacement iPhones for the 1st Gen iPhone, so trust me they won't run out anytime soon of service iPhone 5's.

iOS wise, if Apple continues the tradition of a new iOS for every new iPhone (or once a year), expect the iPhone 5 to receive updates through iOS 9. Nothing is set in stone, but Apple's new approach is to keep customers Up to Date and not force obsolesces. Some of the very early MacBook Pros are able to run Mavericks. The 3GS and iPod touch 4th Gen received an iOS update this week, 6.1.6. The iPhone 4, an almost 4 year old piece of hardware, is running the most current release of iOS.

The iPhone 4s is expected to run iOS 8 as its final iOS release, so it would be stupid for Apple to let iOS 8 run on the 4s and not the 5.

It could also be the new iPhone(s) later this year could ship with something like iOS 7.5 and iOS 8 won't ship until 2015, but that is unlikely.

 

[869639]

Good point as they don't sell it no more you're right. I guess what I'm asking more is you think support would be dropped for perhaps iOS 8 (given it released in the next 1-2 years)? How does that usually work, if the C is kept around you'd think it'd be capable since the guts for the most part are the same. I wonder what they would do for OOW replacements if they are abandoned would we get a 5c?

I think if you just simply look back at apple's track you'll have all the answers to your questions....iPhone 4 is still supported by latest iOS 7 and its 4 years old....

iPhone 5 support will be dropped when iPhone 5C support is dropped and I suspect that will not happen for another 2.5 years at least.