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Which of these devices won't make the cut for iOS 8?

  • iPhone 4

    Votes: 272 91.3%
  • iPhone 4S

    Votes: 49 16.4%
  • iPad 2

    Votes: 178 59.7%
  • Third Generation iPad

    Votes: 50 16.8%
  • First Generation iPad mini

    Votes: 42 14.1%
  • Fifth Generation iPod touch

    Votes: 31 10.4%

  • Total voters
    298
Is everyone still ignoring the fact that the iPad 2 has a massive user base...

People don't upgrade their iPads like they upgrade their iPhones. The iPad is showing to be more like the Mac, e.g. people will hang onto them longer, due to the fact they are unsubsidised. If you realise your iPad 2 can't get the latest upgrade after only 2 or less years, I doubt you're going to buy another iPad.

Also the 4S is certain to be supported given that it

1. it runs iOS 7 very well
2. it is still sold
3. it hasn't received its 3rd update yet

If the iPhone 4S is supported, there is no reason for the 2 not to be supported given that the iPhone 4S is almost identical in all ways, besides the fact that it runs slower benchmark wise. I'm pretty sure that the iPad 2 is technically capable of Siri (As jail breakers have shown) but Apple introduced Siri for the iPad with iOS 6, and it old have been a selling point for the iPad 4 to get people to upgrade from the iPad 2 and 1.

People seem obsessed with Apple dropping their middle aged and perfectly capable devices. There is no reason for Apple to Drop any of the A5 devices. Apple have been greedy and continued selling these devices, and they should thus support them.


2. Apple discontinued the iPad 2 in March (2014)

3. It started on iOS 4. Got updated to 5, 6 and finally 7. Three updates.

I don't know or care whether it gets iOS 8. Just saying.
 
2. Apple discontinued the iPad 2 in March (2014)

3. It started on iOS 4. Got updated to 5, 6 and finally 7. Three updates.

I don't know or care whether it gets iOS 8. Just saying.

Not counting iPad 1 (It was underpowered to begin with) we don't actually know sort of an update cycle Apple all give the iPad... time will tell. Possibly they'll leave the iPhone on 3 updates, and move to 4 updates for the iPhone....

Just because one iDevice got discontinued (iPod Touch 4) and then dropped within half a year doesn't mean it was going to be the pattern from now on. The iPod touch ran its last update terribly, and I can hardly imagine how badly it would have run iOS 7. The iPad 2 runs fine under iOS 7.
 
I predict all devices that got iOS 7 will get iOS 8. Any idea how much iPhone 4's and iPad 2's are out there? Not updating those devices would hurt a LOT of customers. Plus, the iPhone 4 is still being sold AND produced!

Furthermore, iOS 7.1.1 is still kinda beta. Can't leave devices stuck on that.
 
Furthermore, iOS 7.1.1 is still kinda beta. Can't leave devices stuck on that.

I agree that iOS 7 even in it's current state doesn't have the level of polish you come to expect from Apple. OTOH I don't think Apple is too concerned with not updating certain devices to iOS 8. iPad sales have been declining (saturation and competition). What better way to have their customers upgrade to a new devices.

Remember, Apple's response to the FT bug was to upgrade to iOS 7. They prefer their customers to keep buying new.
 
I predict all devices that got iOS 7 will get iOS 8. Any idea how much iPhone 4's and iPad 2's are out there? Not updating those devices would hurt a LOT of customers. Plus, the iPhone 4 is still being sold AND produced!



Furthermore, iOS 7.1.1 is still kinda beta. Can't leave devices stuck on that.


Um, no. The iPhone 4 definitely won't get iOS 8. Apple supports the iphone with one more software upgrade after it goes free.
 
I agree that iOS 7 even in it's current state doesn't have the level of polish you come to expect from Apple. OTOH I don't think Apple is too concerned with not updating certain devices to iOS 8. iPad sales have been declining (saturation and competition). What better way to have their customers upgrade to a new devices.

Remember, Apple's response to the FT bug was to upgrade to iOS 7. They prefer their customers to keep buying new.
You're wrong.

First, iPad sales are not declining, they have been steady. Tim Cook addressed this during the earnings call.

Second, upgrading to iOS 7 does not require the customer to make any costs. I don't understand how you tie "upgrade for free to version X to fix issue Y" and "Apple wants customer to keep buying new"? The implied correlation does not make any sense.

Third, you're under the assumption that everyone will buy new Apple devices once support has stopped. That is risky. The iPad 2 and iPhone 4 have a HUGE install base. If only 20% of those users were to switch to Android because Apple doesn't support their devices anymore, that would be a huge loss to Apple. Millions of customers who flee the Apple ecosystem. No, that's not what you want.

I really think every iOS 7 device will get iOS 8. Remember the iPhone 4 is still being sold and the iPad 2 just stopped being sold a few months ago. Lots of schools out there with thousands of iPad 2's only a few months old.

----------

Um, no. The iPhone 4 definitely won't get iOS 8. Apple supports the iphone with one more software upgrade after it goes free.
You know US only makes up about 40% of Apple's revenue? There's a world out there, try Google Maps, the world map might surprise you. :) iPhone 4 is still being sold in Asia.

Don't try to spot trends in a new industry that is changing rapidly. Apple will change their strategy accordingly.
 
IIRC MR posted an article regarding slowing iPad sales. It's the CEO's job to put a smiley face on everything just like a politician. Here's a link regarding iPad slowing sales. I couldn't find the one on Mac Rumors they posted after Apple's report.

http://nypost.com/2012/10/26/apple-q4-earnings-miss-mark-on-slower-ipad-sales/
Really? I said 'Tim Cook addressed this during the earnings call', and you chose to neglect that phrase? :confused:

Well, I'll spell it out for you. This a quote from the CFO regarding those number after Tim Cook addressed it:

As Tim explained earlier, our iPad results and the comparison to the March quarter last year were heavily influenced by channel inventory changes. Specifically, this year we sold 16.4 million iPad into our channel and sold through almost 17.5 million, reducing our channel inventory by 1.1 million units.

Last year, we sold over 19.4 million iPads into our channels and sold through 18 million, and therefore increased channel inventory by 1.4 million units. As a result, the year-over-year sell through decline was only 3% compared to the sell-in decline of 16%.

We exit the March quarter with 5.1 million of iPad channel inventory which left us within our target range of four to six weeks. iPad continues to lead all other tablet by far in terms of user engagement, size of ecosystem, customer satisfaction and e-commerce.
 
Again, this is why it's a good topic for debate. Apple has historically left features out that had little to do with the CPU; though it is unclear if they will ever do so for the whole OS.




I don't buy that. But okay.



That device had a short lifespan for a ton of reasons, all of them logical. (1) Coming out with a device in February-April would give it 6-8 months shorter of a lifespan and have it behind the curve come fall when the new A processor came out. (2) That device wasn't as powerful as it needed to be (hence it being similar in terms of power to the iPad 2) and it had all sorts of battery and/or charging issues. (3) A6X was available faster than A5X was at the time. (4) Lightning connector. So forth. It made sense, and thankfully it's looking like they've figured it out so that the iPads launch in Fall and last a year before being upgraded while still lasting as long of a while as possible.





Apple has set bad precedents like that. The discontinuation of an iOS device months before news breaks from Apple at WWDC that it won't run the next iOS was a trend that started last year with the fourth generation iPod touch and appears to be continuing again this year with the iPad 2. The iPad mini also shipped out the gate being one year behind both the iPhone 5 and the fourth generation iPad, leaving both it and the first generation iPod touch stuck with 2011 tech under the hood.

Realistically this is probably because the A6 was a hotter running and less efficient chip than A7, but still, this doesn't change that A5 is still a generation slower than A6 and two slower than A7. From this, we can assume that the first generation iPad mini will last shorter as a product than the second generation (retina) iPad mini given that in one year it will have jumped two generations. Though I do agree, only one update is too short and a nasty precedent for Apple to set; though totally in line with the OS update timetable of all of the iPad mini's competitor products.
The problem is that there's no clear information as to what exactly would determine everything and what exemptions could be made and why. Despite people believing things one way or another all of that lack of information makes almost any argument hold some water on some level, making the debate really more of half-guessing that doesn't or basically shouldn't really actually convince or help anyone one way or another. Perhaps as far as just sort of arguing for the fun of it it can work, but strong opinions one way or another still aren't convincing either way no matter what given all the variables and unknowns.
 
IMHO I think the iPhone 4 will not make the cut. Given that the iPhone 4s is still being produced/ sold in some countries but not the iPhone 4. Dual core processors upwards and who knows, Apple may send out a firmware upgrade for the iPhone 4S to increase the CPU clock speed slightly albeit reducing the battery usage time. (Hoping perhaps) :rolleyes:
 
I think that the 4 will be cut as well the ipad 2, others will make their way to the update :D :)
 
Is everyone still ignoring the fact that the iPad 2 has a massive user base...

People don't upgrade their iPads like they upgrade their iPhones. The iPad is showing to be more like the Mac, e.g. people will hang onto them longer, due to the fact they are unsubsidised. If you realise your iPad 2 can't get the latest upgrade after only 2 or less years, I doubt you're going to buy another iPad.

Also the 4S is certain to be supported given that it

1. it runs iOS 7 very well
2. it is still sold
3. it hasn't received its 3rd update yet

If the iPhone 4S is supported, there is no reason for the 2 not to be supported given that the iPhone 4S is almost identical in all ways, besides the fact that it runs slower benchmark wise. I'm pretty sure that the iPad 2 is technically capable of Siri (As jail breakers have shown) but Apple introduced Siri for the iPad with iOS 6, and it old have been a selling point for the iPad 4 to get people to upgrade from the iPad 2 and 1.

People seem obsessed with Apple dropping their middle aged and perfectly capable devices. There is no reason for Apple to Drop any of the A5 devices. Apple have been greedy and continued selling these devices, and they should thus support them.

The 4S has a lot of technological leads over the iPad 2, just not in terms of the processor. Actually, just about all of the A5 devices (third generation Apple TV excluded) have some non-processor-related leg up on the iPad 2 in some way or another.

I don't think anyone is obsessed with Apple dropping support; to be fair, the whole theme of this thread is "which devices won't make it".

Not counting iPad 1 (It was underpowered to begin with) we don't actually know sort of an update cycle Apple all give the iPad... time will tell. Possibly they'll leave the iPhone on 3 updates, and move to 4 updates for the iPhone....

Just because one iDevice got discontinued (iPod Touch 4) and then dropped within half a year doesn't mean it was going to be the pattern from now on. The iPod touch ran its last update terribly, and I can hardly imagine how badly it would have run iOS 7. The iPad 2 runs fine under iOS 7.

It's sort of unfair to hold the iPads to an upgrade cycle given that, up until the fourth generation iPad and iPad Air, they hadn't quite gotten it down. I'll explain: The first generation iPad, as you said, was underpowered for what it needed to do long-term. The iPad 2 fixed that and was great with the same long term potential that the fourth generation iPad and iPad Air now have today. The third generation iPad, however didn't advance in terms of speed, and in some ways was the beta product to the fourth generation iPad and really all retina iPads. It's likely that if iOS 7 is the iPad 2's last OS that the iPad 2 will remain on it more gracefully than the third generation iPad will on its OS, though I digress. Point is that the first and third generations will not age in the same way that the 2, fourth generation, and Air all will, so to assume that there is a trend being set is sort of unrealistic. This is further demonstrated with the iPad mini line in that the first generation iPad mini was a year behind on internal tech out of the gate whereas the second (current) generation is current out of the gate; automatically lending to the fact that the first generation will last at least one year less than the second.

I predict all devices that got iOS 7 will get iOS 8. Any idea how much iPhone 4's and iPad 2's are out there? Not updating those devices would hurt a LOT of customers. Plus, the iPhone 4 is still being sold AND produced!

Furthermore, iOS 7.1.1 is still kinda beta. Can't leave devices stuck on that.

7.1.1 is certainly better than 7.0.x. Secondly, most iPhone 4 customers were incentivized to update to a 5c or 5s with iOS 7.0.x running so terribly. For those that are still on an iPhone 4 now running 7.1.1, I'm sure that they will either (a) know that it's time to upgrade sooner rather than later or (b) be ignorant of it enough that they don't know, care, or realize that they won't be able to run 8.

A vast majority of the iPad 2's in service don't need to be updated; but if security flaws come out, it seems like Apple will still update iOS 7 for the iPad 2 to patch them like they have done with 6 for the 3GS and fourth generation iPod touch.

The problem is that there's no clear information as to what exactly would determine everything and what exemptions could be made and why. Despite people believing things one way or another all of that lack of information makes almost any argument hold some water on some level, making the debate really more of half-guessing that doesn't or basically shouldn't really actually convince or help anyone one way or another. Perhaps as far as just sort of arguing for the fun of it it can work, but strong opinions one way or another still aren't convincing either way no matter what given all the variables and unknowns.

Oh sure, but still some people are clinging to facts and trends that aren't necessarily true or have weight.

For instance, a theory that Apple may cut support for all non-retina devices in iOS 8 is no less sound than any other theory. In fact it'd be even more sound because Apple HAS been known to drop support for certain older technologies (in this case non-retina displays) to simplify development.

Similarly a theory that devices with Siri or other tech that the 4S has but the iPad 2 does not will make the cut due to those technologies being present is also a sound theory because Apple has been known to base the cut-off point in OS support on things like that that have little to do with whether or not the CPU has muscle to run it or whether or not there is a large install base.

However, a theory that Apple is supporting an OS device because they give all devices three OS updates is not sound because (a) it's not universally true, (b) Apple has been known to break those kinds of traditions as they see fit.

The whole fun to this exercise is hearing the theories. Though there are a fair number of them that are based on facts that would easily disprove them. Either way, the discussion is fun. Though I think some take it a bit personally. My first generation iPad mini is being intentionally held back on iOS 6 as is the more powerful and capacious of my two iPod touches; though I would like to see Apple give that product line some love before snuffing it out completely. Otherwise, my iPad Air is making it to 8 and my iPad 2 is merely just a back-up device so if it is stuck on 7, oh well.

IMHO I think the iPhone 4 will not make the cut. Given that the iPhone 4s is still being produced/ sold in some countries but not the iPhone 4. Dual core processors upwards and who knows, Apple may send out a firmware upgrade for the iPhone 4S to increase the CPU clock speed slightly albeit reducing the battery usage time. (Hoping perhaps) :rolleyes:

That'd be a disastrous idea. The 4S will age like its predecessors and 8 will likely be its last hurrah unless Apple decides to block support for it for reasons that are not yet apparent (again, I think the fat trimming of support for older screen resolutions isn't a bad theory), though I think that is unlikely.

I think that the 4 will be cut as well the ipad 2, others will make their way to the update :D :)

This is certainly the most common theory, based on the polls. Probably likely due to newer tech that made it into the other A5 devices. We'll see though. It'd be interesting if they maintained support for the 1024x768 resolution SOLELY for the first generation iPad mini.
 
IMHO I think the iPhone 4 will not make the cut. Given that the iPhone 4s is still being produced/ sold in some countries but not the iPhone 4. Dual core processors upwards and who knows, Apple may send out a firmware upgrade for the iPhone 4S to increase the CPU clock speed slightly albeit reducing the battery usage time. (Hoping perhaps) :rolleyes:


Yeah no. Apple wouldn't increase the CPU clock. They don't need to give it anything else because people won't be buying it.
 
Right now each framework on iOS is a fat binary with ARMv6, ARMv7 and ARM64 compiled code.

I really hope that Apple will only provide all new API's as ARM64 only, leaving compatibility with older Apps, but require a recompile and resubmit to the AppStore for iOS8.

This would be a bold move by Apple that would take advantage of the large number of registers and greatly improved flexibility of the instruction set.

I compared ARMv7 against ARM64 disassembly in Xcode, and the ARM64 code just looks amazing.

It's not a matter of the device no longer being supported, but devs being pushed to provide ARM64 compiled Apps.

This will be great. Really.
 
Right now each framework on iOS is a fat binary with ARMv6, ARMv7 and ARM64 compiled code.

I really hope that Apple will only provide all new API's as ARM64 only, leaving compatibility with older Apps, but require a recompile and resubmit to the AppStore for iOS8.

This would be a bold move by Apple that would take advantage of the large number of registers and greatly improved flexibility of the instruction set.

I compared ARMv7 against ARM64 disassembly in Xcode, and the ARM64 code just looks amazing.

It's not a matter of the device no longer being supported, but devs being pushed to provide ARM64 compiled Apps.

This will be great. Really.

I am not a developer, but I have a question for you: if the API is 64 bit only, then when you update the app using he new API, does that mean your app will be 64 bit only? Does that also mean it won't run on 32-bit pre-A7 devices?

If this is true, do you fell you miss lots of customers?
 
I have a feeling only the iPhone 4 will be dropped, simply because it's the only single-core A4-based device still supported. Its performance is significantly below that of the dual-core A5, and it can barely handle iOS 7 as is.

The iPad 2 was on sale so recently there would probably be a revolt if it weren't supported.

:apple:tv 2 will prob not get updated.
 
I love how everyone continues to ignore that the iPad 2 has a MASSIVE installed base. No update = angry costumers.

Also what will do they do about the iPhone 4 being sold in india??

Not seeing these massive differences the other A5 devices have over the iPad 2... besides the fact that most are slower. Differences are 1. A connector (which has nothing to do with software. 2. A retina display that actually consumers more power. 3. Bluetooth 4 on the newer devices (Which again I can't see being overly dependant for running iOS 8 well).

I repeat there is no reason for the iPad 2 to be dropped. None at all. If the 4S can run it, the iPad 2 can as well.
 
I don't buy that. But okay.

And exactly what about that don't you buy? That Apple won't sell a device that can't be upgraded? Because Apple has never sold an iOS device (in normal distribution channels) that could not be upgraded. It has, however, supported devices after they've been discontinued... but that wasn't the point I was making. My point was that Apple doesn't have to update devices that aren't being sold, like the iPad 2. The fact that it was released in 2011 and has already received three major upgrades support the idea that it won't be updated again regardless of its technical ability. Apple has a long list of devices to support and a finite amount of resources; they are unlikely to bog themselves down with another device, especially because they'll be adding another generation of devices (+ iWatch!) in the fall.
That device had a short lifespan for a ton of reasons, all of them logical. (1) Coming out with a device in February-April would give it 6-8 months shorter of a lifespan and have it behind the curve come fall when the new A processor came out. (2) That device wasn't as powerful as it needed to be (hence it being similar in terms of power to the iPad 2) and it had all sorts of battery and/or charging issues. (3) A6X was available faster than A5X was at the time. (4) Lightning connector. So forth. It made sense, and thankfully it's looking like they've figured it out so that the iPads launch in Fall and last a year before being upgraded while still lasting as long of a while as possible.
I never argued that its lifespan was unjustified. I simply stated that the circumstances surrounding its release/discontinuation were unusual when looking at the iOS device timeline, which is why it's not a good historical reference point.
Apple has set bad precedents like that. The discontinuation of an iOS device months before news breaks from Apple at WWDC that it won't run the next iOS was a trend that started last year with the fourth generation iPod touch and appears to be continuing again this year with the iPad 2. The iPad mini also shipped out the gate being one year behind both the iPhone 5 and the fourth generation iPad, leaving both it and the first generation iPod touch stuck with 2011 tech under the hood.

Realistically this is probably because the A6 was a hotter running and less efficient chip than A7, but still, this doesn't change that A5 is still a generation slower than A6 and two slower than A7. From this, we can assume that the first generation iPad mini will last shorter as a product than the second generation (retina) iPad mini given that in one year it will have jumped two generations. Though I do agree, only one update is too short and a nasty precedent for Apple to set; though totally in line with the OS update timetable of all of the iPad mini's competitor products.
I think you had a typo and meant to say fifth generation touch, not first.

It's true that the first generation mini will likely have a shorter lifespan than the iPad mini with Retina Display or other later generation devices. But to cut it off after one year, while it's still on sale, and other A5 devices are expected to receive iOS 8 would be extremely shocking. Unless you expect that Apple will drop the iPhone 4S and iPod touch, I don't see how you would expect them to drop the iPad mini.

The iPad 2 is in a slightly different position for reasons stated previously. We've seen Apple update a device that should not have been upgraded (iPhone 3G with iOS 4), a device that should have been upgraded but was not (third gen iPod touch with iOS 6). Technical reasons are evidently not the sole reason for Apple's decisions, so while the iPad 2 may share a lot in common with several other current devices, that may not be enough to justify another iOS upgrade.
 
IMHO I think the iPhone 4 will not make the cut. Given that the iPhone 4s is still being produced/ sold in some countries but not the iPhone 4. Dual core processors upwards and who knows, Apple may send out a firmware upgrade for the iPhone 4S to increase the CPU clock speed slightly albeit reducing the battery usage time. (Hoping perhaps) :rolleyes:
The 4 is still being sold and produced as well.
7.1.1 is certainly better than 7.0.x. Secondly, most iPhone 4 customers were incentivized to update to a 5c or 5s with iOS 7.0.x running so terribly. For those that are still on an iPhone 4 now running 7.1.1, I'm sure that they will either (a) know that it's time to upgrade sooner rather than later or (b) be ignorant of it enough that they don't know, care, or realize that they won't be able to run 8.
They were incetivized to buy a 5c or 5s? Are you sure? 5C and 5S are both high-end models. People who are still sticking to the 4 are generally not the most tech-savvy people or they just don't care. If Apple forces them to upgrade, they'll run straight into the hands of Android because it's likely people will want the cheapest alternative when they are forced to upgrade when they don't want to. Remember, for half the price of a 5C (~$325, no contract) you can get decent handsets that are much faster than the iPhone 4. That's a loss for the Apple ecosystem. Also, the 4 is still being sold in India.

It's much better to make people give up their 4 voluntarily, then there's a bigger chance they'll stick with Apple. I'm fairly sure both the iPad 2 and iPhone 4 will get iOS 8.
 
The 4 is still being sold and produced as well.They were incetivized to buy a 5c or 5s? Are you sure? 5C and 5S are both high-end models. People who are still sticking to the 4 are generally not the most tech-savvy people or they just don't care. If Apple forces them to upgrade, they'll run straight into the hands of Android because it's likely people will want the cheapest alternative when they are forced to upgrade when they don't want to. Remember, for half the price of a 5C (~$325, no contract) you can get decent handsets that are much faster than the iPhone 4. That's a loss for the Apple ecosystem. Also, the 4 is still being sold in India.

It's much better to make people give up their 4 voluntarily, then there's a bigger chance they'll stick with Apple. I'm fairly sure both the iPad 2 and iPhone 4 will get iOS 8.

I used an iPhone 4 up until last week... I only got an iPhone 5 because the opportunity to buy an innpexpensive iPhone 5 came up. I was content to wait till it was unsupported till I moved to a new phone, and I am a very tech savvy person, it was just that the iPhone 4 ran iOS 7 well (Not nearly as bad as people would have you believe :p )

I also know a LOT of people who still have an iPhone 4... and yeah they're uni students with little money, so they are more interested in the cheapest option, so if they have to upgrade, they'll probably go android.

I'd be very interested if the 4 gets iOS 8... If iOS 8 is truly a minimal update than who knows :p
 
I love how everyone continues to ignore that the iPad 2 has a MASSIVE installed base. No update = angry costumers.


Not seeing these massive differences the other A5 devices have over the iPad 2... besides the fact that most are slower. Differences are 1. A connector (which has nothing to do with software. 2. A retina display that actually consumers more power.

Do you realise this is not true, and why? Because the A5 in the 4S needs to push LESS pixels then the A5 in the iPad 2. Resolution is what matters not DPI.
 
Judging on prevoice patterns in ios development the iPod touch 5th generation should be able to hold ios 8 but that is probably as far as it could go so no ios 9 or up
 
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