Not happy about the iOS release schedule related to iPad

[Drag'nGT]

Look at the launch history of the iPad and the significant iOS launches that followed it. And these are updates for the iPad that get pushed months back. Remember iOS 4.2 for the first iPad?!?! Can anyone give me a plausible explanation for this?

I have, until now, waited patiently for the official iOS release and didn't go to ebay and buy my way to the new iOS. Although now I think I should have.

We all have waited 5 months for the update... Only now half of the 'new' life of our device is gone. Should we get this update in another month we will have waited 6 months!!!

Is the update a sneaky way to freshen up the iPad at the half way point?
Thoughts?

 

[Intell]

At the time the iPad was being devolved iOS was branched into two trees to keep iPad features hidden. When the iPad was released, it had a unique 3.2 firmware. It took Apple a few months to merge the two trees together again and to incorporate iOS 4 features into the iPad. Not hard to comprehend at all.

 

[joshforman]

As I recall, all recent iOS updates (5.0, 5.1, probably 6.0) are released simultaneously for iPhone and iPad. Not sure what you're referring to.

 

[irDigital0l]

iOS 6 is coming to both all iOS devices that support it later this fall on the exact same date...

 

[Drag'nGT]

I don't mean that the OS is released to the iPad and iPhone at the same time. I mean look at when the iPad is released and when the significant iOS release is. Remember how much 4.2 added to the iPad that the iPhone already had.

It's like this. "Hey guys look at this new iPad! Buy it now and in four months here's what we're gonna add to it to make it work even better!". And we all go "Yeah!" For what? Shouldn't those new feature be part of my new iPad and not a future promise? Like Siri for the current iPad? Wouldn't that have been a selling point?

 

[blueroom]

There's always something bigger and better around the corner...

I love that Apple even releases updated firmware for existing products. They're not bound to, it wasn't a feature promised when sold. I'm a firm Apple believer because I know a product will generally get software fixes/updates/upgrades for at least two years.

Can you name any other Fortune 500 company that does? I wish Sony would, or Samsung, or Canon (the 7D got a rare upgrade but they're few and far between if ever)

I expect bug fixes but upgrades are just like free candy.

 

[rick98761]

What are you even trying to say here? They can't release the iPad with unfinished software. When the iPad retina came out iOS6 wasn't ready. It still isn't quite done. Would you rather them just wait 6 months to release the iPad along with iOS6? I personally have enjoyed my iPad and am glad they didn't wait to release it until next month so they could ship it with a major OS update.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

And this way we have every 6 month something new ...

March/April new hardware
September/October new software

The iPad with 5.1.1 is already a capable device; of course with iOS 6 it get even better.

Actually you could see it in this way: nice, that new iOS comes as update 6 month earlier even before new hardware get released.

 

[irDigital0l]

I don't mean that the OS is released to the iPad and iPhone at the same time. I mean look at when the iPad is released and when the significant iOS release is. Remember how much 4.2 added to the iPad that the iPhone already had.

It's like this. "Hey guys look at this new iPad! Buy it now and in four months here's what we're gonna add to it to make it work even better!". And we all go "Yeah!" For what? Shouldn't those new feature be part of my new iPad and not a future promise? Like Siri for the current iPad? Wouldn't that have been a selling point?

The problem is your logic doesn't make sense...

The new iPad was released March 2012. Apple announced iOS 6 in June and it releases in the Fall with the new iPhone.

The iPad already has enough selling points.