I think it's as simple as most people don't care. My iPhone 12 is definitely laggy on iOS 17 (I think because of the 86% battery health) because Apple hasn't optimized it properly. It's annoying, but I can still use it instead of spending money for a new battery or phone when I technically don't need one. If it was something more subtle than obvious lag it would be even easier.
I don’t know really... the #1 upgrade reason I read for those using iPhones and iPads that are a few years old (so not serial upgraders) is that whatever the current iOS version for that device is at the time just destroyed it.
I don’t think that people don’t care, I think they accept it. “I just want to update. If in four years my device is destroyed then it’s destroyed, whatever, I might get a new one, I may not, but I’ll have compatibility”.
And I think there’s a key factor here too: people are misinformed. I’ve read a ridiculous claim several times that I will use as an example because it fits: Somebody was running iOS 15 on a pretty recent iPhone or iPad when that version was the latest. They were considering keeping it there due to a bad experience with updates. Several replies were “maybe not now, but compatibility will be garbage two years from now”.
...What? That just tells me that you’ve never in your entire life used an outdated device. There are ways to circumvent a lot of issues and compatibility will absolutely not plummet; in fact, iOS 15 is absolutely great today. iOS 9 isn’t, and everything has a limit, but it doesn’t fall apart in two years (or three).
So they think that, or they panic because of security updates, or they want features, and they update. Then they have to tolerate garbage.
They tolerate garbage because they tell you that it’s not great just like you’re telling me now.
Now I have a question to ask you that applies for the rest. You’ve been using iOS devices for years, right? Why don’t you try staying behind? When you upgrade the iPhone, or when you get an iPad, keep it on the original iOS version. The iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14. Keep it, wait three years until three major updates go by, then tell me how it works. Tell me how battery life is.
Because all of the people who tell others that some of my devices are too old and henceforth what do you expect have no idea what they’re talking about.
My iPhone Xʀ is just as good as the 15 Pro Max in terms of general performance. All of these 15 Pro Max battery life numbers I’m seeing? I obliterate them with my Xʀ. It is due to my efficiency, but even with heavier usage I can comfortably get 12 hours of SOT. I don’t think anyone would complain about that even on the latest iPhones.
Go ask iOS 17 Xʀ users if they can get anywhere near that. So I will tell you again what I tell everyone: try staying behind with one device you use a lot. Let me know what you think. You have had a poor experience with the iPhone 12, perhaps it is a good time to try.
What’s the worst thing that can happen? If nothing works and compatibility is trash? You update! You can do it at any moment you wish.
