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Makes sense. As a developer I try to support 2 older versions of iOS. It's much easier to drop support for an old version of iOS when you can say "Sorry, if you want to keep using my app, you need to update your OS" instead of "Sorry, if you want to keep using my app, you need to buy a new phone"
I wish as a developer we could support only the latest of the last two major releases. I don't mind the idea of supporting (say) iOS 15.7.4 and 16.4, but the idea of supporting 15.7.4, 16.0, 16.0.1, 16.0.2, 16.0.3, 16.1, 16.1.1, 16.1.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.3.1 and 16.4… well, I don't just have iPhones to test all that.
 
You will get buried because what you are suggesting is a little out of touch with the masses.

As yourself, why if they are still capable devices.

It's easy for somebody in a financially sound position to say these things, but not everyone can afford a new phone year after year. In fact, how often do you change your TV? Back in the day, the iPhone X cost as much as a reasonable TV ($1500).

Would you change your TV after just 6 years and be told, "just move on"?

Better example; What about your laptop? "Just move on!"

Or even your headphones? "Just move on"

We can go even more extreme and suggest your oven needs replacing after 6 years, or maybe the microwave.

I, personally, am fortunate enough to be able to have the latest devices, but not everyone I know is. My mother-in-law uses an iPhone X and that's great because she's a guest in my HomeKit set-up, and it means she's able to disarm our alarm and manage our home like we can through our homes.

She can WhatsApp, iMessage, video call, make real phone calls and send and receive her little videos and pictures, and she's very happy with her phone. Why does she need to change anything?

She doesn't care about cameras, superfast CPU's, efficient cores, high-end GPU's and dynamic islands. She couldn't care less. She just wants a phone that does what her iPhone X does. So long as the OS can run smoothly, supporting it should be in Apple's interest.

This throw-away mentality we all appear to have needs to come to an end.
Fair enough. I just thought that maybe 6-7 years is enough, because having to support 'legacy' hardware might hamper Apple from innovation or focusing on features, but yes, fair. I personally think 7 years is a good timeframe, plus 2 additional years of security updates. I can see both sides. :)
 
I use my X as an iPod touch now at home and my 12 Pro as my primary phone, but I would appreciate one more update for my X to stay mostly current.
 
Nonsense. Nothing stopping them introducing new features and limiting those to newer devices while allowing minor things, performance enhancements, and security updates for older devices as they do every iOS release.
Except numerous reports have stated that there won’t be anything major in ios17.
 
Apple's update approach is a monolithic update. Android's approach is OS seperate from the systems apps. You have to take the good with the bad with Apple's way. BUT you get the latest OS update. Android you get to pick and choose with system apps you install. Even 10 year old android phones can have the latest gmail and chrome. BUT you're SOL interms of OS update.

So streamlining the OS and systems apps? So it's nut'n' but a bug hunt update.🤔 Yeehaw!🤠 That's my kind of update.🤠🤠
This discussion of Android not being updsted for as long as iPhone completely ignores that most major mfr Android based phones can be reflashed with a completely up to date alternative open source Android based OS, like GrapheneOS. Try doing that with an iphone.
 
This discussion of Android not being updsted for as long as iPhone completely ignores that most major mfr Android based phones can be reflashed with a completely up to date alternative open source Android based OS, like GrapheneOS. Try doing that with an iphone.
Not Samsung (US variant). Not anymore. Their bootloader has not been user unlockable for years. That means no custom recovery, no way to install a custom ROM. This is why the S7 is the last Samsung phone I will use.

I replaced the S7 with a cheap, used OnePlus phone I picked up for $100.
 
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This discussion of Android not being updsted for as long as iPhone completely ignores that most major mfr Android based phones can be reflashed with a completely up to date alternative open source Android based OS, like GrapheneOS. Try doing that with an iphone.
Another cool thing that extends Android longevity is the ability to side load older versions of popular apps. I'm typing this from my old cheap tablet Acer Iconia Tab 10 (from 2016, running Android 7). It's a laggy and somewhat slow tablet I still use sometimes to read news/watch videos on YouTube. Recently just for fun I decided to run Geekbench test on it and, of course, the app is no longer available because my OS is considered outdated now.

I found Geekbench 4 (previous version) on the internet as APK file and installed it. Of course, there are some risks associated with installing apps like that which people should be aware of, but on Apple there is no choice, and that sucks. In 10 years I will still be able to find the last available version of Netflix for my tablet, while my iPad Pro will probably never get it (unless I install the last available version from App Store before it disappears - and never delete it). I wouldn't say that bothers me a lot, but it is something I think about from time to time.
 
I'm just waiting an alternative stores confirmation and other features in iOS 17 doesn't matter to me.
 
I love that Apple supports its devices for so long, it's unreal for Android phones
No longer the case, Samsung is now almost on par, especially if Apple continues to drop devices like they did last year, and Android apps can be updated for much longer once support is dropped
 
Except numerous reports have stated that there won’t be anything major in ios17.
No reason to drop support for older devices then.

Except numerous supports have stated there will be major changes in iOS 17:

My only point is major features doesn’t necessarily mean you have to drop support for old devices - you can just not enable the feature for devices which couldn’t support it.
 
Another cool thing that extends Android longevity is the ability to side load older versions of popular apps.
Older, no-ad versions are the best versions.😍 There are a few oldies that doesn't want to run on Android 11. That sucks, but I adapted. I've got a firewall to block ad servers, adguard DNS to block ad servers and AdAway to block ads. Overkill, yeah, but no ads...Wooooo!🥳

Come on Apple. Add a firewall to iOS. I don't even need sideloading. Hail, the only reason I sideload is to get a firewall.😁
 
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Do you have Reduce Motion enabled?
No. I know that people say to check that setting and also display zoom, but I’ve never had anything other than defaults when it comes to accessibility.

I tried enabling Reduced Motion and that removes all animations of the weather. The bug or lack of feature I experience is that the rain or snow doesn’t hit the temperature box, instead it just falling behind it. Oh well.
 
On Tuesday, a separate source with a good track record for predicting the general release window of upcoming Apple software updates suggested that iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, while iPadOS 17 will drop support for the first-generation 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and fifth-generation iPad.

However, in direct response to the claim about iOS 17 dropping support for the above iPhone models, a reputable leaker has asserted otherwise, saying that it is "simply incorrect." According to a post on the MacRumors forum by the anonymous tipster, all iPhones that support iOS 16 will indeed support iOS 17, including all devices powered by A11 chipsets (i.e. the iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus).
This is why you shouldn't believe every piece S+++ fan sites have to say.
 
Let the sideloading commence, how long before the Epic App Store is up and running ?


tim-sweeney-tim.gif
 
My iPhone 8 Plus has been a reliable companion since 2018, great iPhone!

If indeed the iPhone 8 Plus is supported by IOS 17, how long could I hope to use the phone, before it is cut off from security updates? Fall 2024?
 
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My iPhone 8 Plus has been a reliable companion since 2018, great iPhone!

If indeed the iPhone 8 Plus is supported by IOS 17, how long could I hope to use the phone, before it is cut off from security updates? Fall 2024?
Longer than that. Apple supports the last three versions of its operating systems for bug and security updates generally from what I’ve found.
 
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Longer than that. Apple supports the last three versions of its operating systems for bug and security updates generally from what I’ve found.

There's a caveat that they don't have a stated security update policy for versions previous to current, and it's not clear if they patch all found security issues or only major exploited ones. They don't get major OS overhauls for security rearchitectures for sure.
 
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