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Ternary

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 4, 2015
168
162
I recently got ahold of my grandparent's iPhone 5s, who wanted to upgrade to the bigger one. After erasing and cleaning it up, I found out that the iOS was never updated, staying put on 7.1.1 after all these years.

Considering this isn't exactly a common occurrence, I'm wondering what I should do with this iPhone 5s on iOS 7.1.1. Particularly, what would YOU do? Would you jailbreak it? Would you switch to it as your main device? Do you find anything special about iOS 7 that you can't do on newer firmware?
 

Ternary

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 4, 2015
168
162
Update it to iOS 10
I have done it to mine and it's my daily driver and it's still fast and good :)
Also it's closes numerous security holes.
That's a possibility, but I'm sure's got to be something worth doing on iOS 7 before going that route.
 

bufffilm

Suspended
May 3, 2011
4,227
2,536
Really depends on whether you keep the phone or are selling it.

If you keep the phone, what apps would you wish to install on it in order for it to be your daily driver? Because those apps may not, amend that...probably are not available any longer.

I think you are better off selling it.

I have an iPad 2 on 7.1.2...jail-broken to boot and I love it. That I'm not selling...even when I get a Pro 12.9.
 

Ternary

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 4, 2015
168
162
Really depends on whether you keep the phone or are selling it.

If you keep the phone, what apps would you wish to install on it in order for it to be your daily driver? Because those apps may not, amend that...probably are not available any longer.

I think you are better off selling it.

I have an iPad 2 on 7.1.2...jail-broken to boot and I love it. That I'm not selling...even when I get a Pro 12.9.
Hold on, I'm confused. Why would you keep your 7.1.2 iPad 2 but would choose to sell off a 7.1.1 5s?

I hear a lot about iOS 8/9 slowing down A5 devices like the iPad 2, but the A7 on the 5s is another story. Is this part of the reasoning?
 

bufffilm

Suspended
May 3, 2011
4,227
2,536
Hold on, I'm confused. Why would you keep your 7.1.2 iPad 2 but would choose to sell off a 7.1.1 5s?

I hear a lot about iOS 8/9 slowing down A5 devices like the iPad 2, but the A7 on the 5s is another story. Is this part of the reasoning?

Ymmv but the biggest reason why it may be better to sell to ask yourself a very important question?

What apps do you need to install to the phone for it to be a daily driver?

Chances are if ios7 is too old for that to happen it really limits how useful the phone will be to you.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,518
28,224
I recently got ahold of my grandparent's iPhone 5s, who wanted to upgrade to the bigger one. After erasing and cleaning it up, I found out that the iOS was never updated, staying put on 7.1.1 after all these years.

Considering this isn't exactly a common occurrence, I'm wondering what I should do with this iPhone 5s on iOS 7.1.1. Particularly, what would YOU do? Would you jailbreak it? Would you switch to it as your main device? Do you find anything special about iOS 7 that you can't do on newer firmware?
Is your intent to use the phone as your primary phone?

If so, as much as it pains me, if you wish to use modern apps it's probably best to update.

But if this is a secondary phone having modern apps is not necessary. I use my iPhone 5 as a media device. Granted it's on 9.0.1, but it is jailbroken. If I was lucky enough to have it back on iOS 6 I'd still be able to use it as I am now.

Jailbreaking will allows some other options as well so if you are comfortable with that it's another route I'd take.

Assuming you are not using this as a primary phone.

PS. Got my son a 4s on iOS 6.1.3 a week ago or so. He wanted to to be updated so he could run apps. So now it's running 9.3.5.
 

Ternary

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 4, 2015
168
162
This isn't going to my my primary phone, as I got an SE for that.

By the way, can anyone confirm if Cydia Eraser works for iOS 7.1? I know it says so in the description, but Cydia Eraser was made during the iOS 8 days, so I'm not entirely sure.
 

Ternary

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 4, 2015
168
162
Well, I've managed to find some uses for iOS 7. Some of my old App Store games seem to render better on it (like Tap Tap Revenge).

That said, I feel like iOS 6 on the iPhone 5 would suit better for that purpose.
 
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