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Why is iOS 4.2 for iPad taking so long?

Ah ok, didn't realise the beta had issues. Guess we'll just have to wait until they are cleared up.

But if you think about it, every major iOS release (software) usually comes with new hardware. And the iPad isn't selling as well as Apple and analysts hoped for. Also, FaceTime is now out for every Apple Mac, iPod Touch and iPhone. Wouldn't it make sense to bring out a new iPad with a camera and some other features (higher res screen, more RAM) to boost sales and bring it up to date with their other products for sale? Just my $.02
 
Well, it's not out because the Beta isn't ready yet. Like most betas it is getting significantly better with each release. You might have to wait a few weeks. Honestly, a ton of us developers are really beating on it now, and logging bugs with Apple. Apple is churning through them.

Once it's November 31st then you should complain. (ha ha :cool:)

It seems incredibly unlikely that new hardware would come out. Most of us expect a product announcement in late March, with delivery (in the US at least) in early April.

Apple doesn't pre announce updates to products more than a week or so ahead of time.
 
Too many people here have no clue about software engineering and think it can be dished out like that. sigh.
 
melman101 said:
As everyone said above, the beta just isn't ready for primetime yet. I experienced it myself and had to go back to 3.2.2 as I only have one iPad.

I would say 2 more beta's then the GM.

My best possible guesses:
October 26 - Beta 4
November 9th - Beta 5
November 16th/23rd - GM Release to Developers
November 23rd/30th - 4.2 Released to Public.

That's of course just speculation. iOS 3.0 had 5 beta's as well.
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Well there is a good answer for us sans the jibes and sophomoric candor. It will come when it does!
 
Work out bugs and give developers enough time to get their apps ready for multi tasking I guess.

But honestly. Is knowing why it's taking so long going to make the wait suck any less? :p
 
I really hope that apple surprises us and offers a webcam for the iPad to use for Facetime for $39.99. This would make sense and give the iPad and iOS4.2 a good marketing kick.

But who am I kidding. They will offer a webcam for Facetime in the next iPad for $500+.
 
antster94 said:
Ah ok, didn't realise the beta had issues. Guess we'll just have to wait until they are cleared up.

But if you think about it, every major iOS release (software) usually comes with new hardware. And the iPad isn't selling as well as Apple and analysts hoped for. Also, FaceTime is now out for every Apple Mac, iPod Touch and iPhone. Wouldn't it make sense to bring out a new iPad with a camera and some other features (higher res screen, more RAM) to boost sales and bring it up to date with their other products for sale? Just my $.02
Click to expand...

Are you serious??? The iPad isn't even available in a lot of countries yet because Apple can't make enough to meet demand!
 
anjinha said:
Are you serious??? The iPad isn't even available in a lot of countries yet because Apple can't make enough to meet demand!
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LOL He mut be living on one of those countries or under a rock... LOL ... the iPad had sold 350% more than Analist had estimated (it was in the google news about 3 weeks ago), 200% more after they made they expectation revision few months after released.
 
dejo said:
Well, sure, you can hire more; whether or not it helps or hinders the project is the key.
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they key to getting the right developers in is let your current developers as a team do interviews and decide if that person fits the need on the team.

Managers should not make that call.
 
Gaelic2 said:
Well there is a good answer for us sans the jibes and sophomoric candor. It will come when it does!
Click to expand...

Didn't mean any jibes in my statement. Hope I didn't offend anyone, but yes, it will come when it does is definitely the best possible outlook.
 
X1Lightning said:
Actually yes you can just hire more, we do it all the time.
Click to expand...
But there'll be a delay until they're up to speed with the code base and the company-specific development procedures. For a while new recruits often result in a loss of available developer hours because the existing team need to field questions about how things work, probably spend longer over code reviews of code from the newer developers, and untangle issues when a new developer checks in something that breaks other people's code (that's always going to happen but the danger often increases with newer team members).

There is also a limit to how many developers can effectively work on a project but at least iOS is microkernel based (I believe) and I would expect that to increase the number of developers that could effectively work on the core iOS compared to a monolithic kernel (I speak as an ex Unix kernel developer).

If developer resources are slowing down Apple though then I hope that, at the appropriate point in their delelopment cycle, they will invest some of their billions in addressing the issue. Ultimately, as an iPad user, it is disappointing to have had to wait so long (and still waiting) for iOS 4.x on my device

- Julian
 
lozpop said:
I think that merging the iPhone OS and the iPhone OS "iPad version" into a single powerful and universal iOS for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch could be a really hard development process.

Apple always does everything for a reason. Maybe also optimizing the 4.2 for the iPad hardware specs to run the iOS flawlessly.

Another one.. Maybe in the past months they had something else to do, so they didn't run so fast for a software update for a product that was already *new* and launched a few months before — and already launching in the world.

Who knows..
Click to expand...

You forgot AppleTV as well....

And yes, I'm sure that has a lot to do with it... Just having to support all the different widget sets, the differences in the apps based on which device they are running on, and the fact that apps like Mail work totally differently on iPad vs iPhone/Pod....

Refresh my memory, didn't they say that the new iPod Nano is NOT running IOS (even though it looks like it.)?
 
Cheffy Dave said:
Jobs still needs more time to find more ways to screw iPad users!


GO AWAY, What a BS POST!, I don't want it until it's PERFECT! And if you even have an iPad, NEITHER DO YOU!
Click to expand...

LOL... I agree with you about the Mute switch. Unnecessary and useless; the rotation lock function is much more useful, as you don't need to do a sequence of clicking here and there. I guess they are doing it to make it consistent with the iPhone and iPod Touch.

I would say that if we have waited this long, we could wait a few more weeks. Anyways, it's almost November already.
I'll go with mid-November for the release of 4.2.
Let's just hope they don't miss any serious bugs!
 
It really isn't taking too long. They announced early in the year that it would be November and they have stuck to it. I have wondered about the new hardware thing but think that would be a dumb move since people have been buying it nonstop since it launched. If a new model comes out before end of the year, it will piss off those who just bought it. However if it's early next year, most everyone realizes Apple releases new models every year.
 
antster94 said:
I can't think of a single reason why they cannot roll it out yet, well maybe one reason being possible new hardware in November.

The beta has been out for ages, about time it comes out now :apple:
Click to expand...

Oh, I don't know. Maybe because...

Apple is trying to unify the iOS for all iDevices.

Developers need to get up to speed with 4.2

Working out the bugs so that iDevice users don't Bitch & Moan and post MR threads like, "iOS 4.2 is CRAP!!!"


As for the claim that new hardware is coming out in November? Not likely...
 
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