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The 32-bit deprecation issue points to a larger issue of cultural decay. We can still obtain old Commodore 64s, Nintendos, Gameboys, and other old HW and run ol

The 32-bit deprecation issue points to a larger issue of cultural decay. We can still obtain old Commodore 64s, Nintendos, Gameboys, and other old HW and run old SW on it. However, the way these walled garden DRM'ed online app stores work, once something is taken out of circulation, it's just GONE. You won't be able to buy an old iPhone 5 10 years from now and go download an old game. My son really liked this old Simpsons game on the iPhone, but now there's no way to run it, or even find it in the store anymore. This isn't an Apple specific problem, but I wonder, if future archaeologists will even be able to find anything left of our culture, as it digitally disappears behind upgrades and silos. One thing I love about the Web, is we can have sites like Archive.org. And I can still view the very first Web page ever in my browser. Spacejam still works! But what if the first iOS games I loved on my original 2007 era iPhone? Will there be an Archive.org emulator? Unlikely.

rubatuga 9y ago
Why not just keep the iphone, and make a backup of the whole phone? If your phone breaks, then you can always restore the same backup file to a new one.
shurcooL 9y ago
It's best to think of iOS apps exactly as they are, a service. When you buy/download an app, it's not your own, you're using a service in the form of an app. The app will continue to work as long as it's supported by its developer and Apple doesn't forcibly remove it. If the developer no longer supports it, it's just a matter of time before it'll stop working.
ac29 9y ago
>You won't be able to buy an old iPhone 5 10 years from now and go download an old game. Why not? You can't sideload apps on iOS? If not, it definitely is a Apple-specific problem (at least as compared to Android, where applications can be backed up and restored without any use of google's store).
valuearb 9y ago
Why not? The App Store has always kept around your older apps when you stated on older operating systems.

rubatuga 9y ago

Why not just keep the iphone, and make a backup of the whole phone? If your phone breaks, then you can always restore the same backup file to a new one.

shurcooL 9y ago

It's best to think of iOS apps exactly as they are, a service. When you buy/download an app, it's not your own, you're using a service in the form of an app. The app will continue to work as long as it's supported by its developer and Apple doesn't forcibly remove it. If the developer no longer supports it, it's just a matter of time before it'll stop working.

ac29 9y ago

>You won't be able to buy an old iPhone 5 10 years from now and go download an old game. Why not? You can't sideload apps on iOS? If not, it definitely is a Apple-specific problem (at least as compared to Android, where applications can be backed up and restored without any use of google's store).

valuearb 9y ago

Why not? The App Store has always kept around your older apps when you stated on older operating systems.