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I will never understand why Apple gets all the "planned obsolescence!" flak, when I still know people using iPhone 4S's and 2011 iPads and iOS devices get softw

I will never understand why Apple gets all the "planned obsolescence!" flak, when I still know people using iPhone 4S's and 2011 iPads and iOS devices get software updates for 3-5 years. You're lucky if your Android phone gets two years of updates, and I don't there has ever been one with three.

mfoy_ 9y ago
I bought my Samsung Galaxy S5 in early/mid 2015 and it's still going "strong", although a bit laggy at times. The only issue is the battery has started swelling (again). I think I'll upgrade this time instead of replacing the battery. My point being, I'm about to hit the three year mark on an Android phone.
- vondur 9y ago
  Yes, but do you have access to the latest version of Android?
  - evanlivingston 9y ago
    Yes
    - Spartan-S63 9y ago
      No, it doesn't. Not through the OEM. The last version of Android was Marshmallow which is two major versions behind the most current. Sure, you can flash it yourself to the latest version, but there's no guarantee that it'll work. In my book, not having support from the OEM on the latest possible version of Android that can be loaded on your device does not count as having access.
      - evanlivingston 9y ago
        That completely counts as having access. Lenovo doesn't provide OEM support for ubuntu on my thinkpad, but that doens't mean to I don't have access to it.
    - jvzr 9y ago
      Through a custom ROM or something akin, I imagine? Not through regular channels, such as a regular software update notification received on the old version Not exactly the most consumer-friendly way to get software updates. That's not comparable to how Apple does it
  - vetinari 9y ago
    Android update is different when compared to iOS update. You don't need latest Android to get the latest apps. Google will not withhold the latest Chrome or Maps or Gmail or Youtube from you, unless you update to latest OS release.
  - mfoy_ 9y ago
    Apparently not.
  - lowbloodsugar 9y ago
    But he's also not forced to use the latest version of Android. Apple however doesn't make every latest version available for every device. They have a cut-off. And that's all fine and normal and everyone accepts it. So, say a 4S won't run iOS 10. So lets be clear, apple has no problem stopping you from running the latest iOS. But they do let you install iOS9, which makes a 4S totally shite slow. They don't have a problem stopping you from running a recent version. They just have a problem stopping you from running the version that will make your phone shit, and then preventing you from going back to the previous version. they deliberately "brick" phones. they don't have to let you run iOS9, just because its the latest version. The iPhone 3 couldn't run iOS9. And they don't mind making it so that the 4S can't run iOS10. So why not say iOS8 is the cut-off for 4S? Well, because the 4S could run iOS8 and still be useable, and then you wouldn't need to buy a new fucking phone. So the very last version they let^H^H^H force you to install is the one that'll make it shit.
ksk 9y ago
You never understand because you're not affected by it, or don't understand it or think people are simply lying. The 4S turned into an unusable phone after all the updates. I know because I had one and had to get rid of it after it Apple updates slowed it down.
- Angostura 9y ago
  That's odd. My daughter is still using hers.
  - 220V_USKettle 9y ago
    Is she using iOS 6?
  - ksk 9y ago
    Why is it odd? It has been my experience with all iphones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSkZQ3XNW58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSkZQ3XNW58
  - michaelmrose 9y ago
    People accept all kinds of barely functional stuff.
220V_USKettle 9y ago
I would love to be able to still use my 4S, but cannot install apps or upgrade iOS. Awesome hardware though. Built like a tank.
- wlesieutre 9y ago
  I have a coworker using either a 4 or 4S and I saw him install a new app on it last week. Are you referring specifically to apps that no longer support old versions of iOS? As far as I know the App Store maintains compatibility with old iPhones and allows them to download and install stuff just like new ones.
  - 220V_USKettle 9y ago
    That is not my experience at all. I have an original iPad, an original iPad mini, several iPhone 4 and 4s.
    - versteegen 9y ago
      Well, I use an iPhone 4S running iOS 8 and can install apps from the app store.
- akoster 9y ago
  My mom is still happily using her original iPad mini with iOS 9. Some apps these days are not compatible with it but asurprising number are still targeting iOS 9. Lots of popular apps such as Telegram, Netflix, Overdrive books support iOS 9 and still get updates (unsure for how much longer). Others like the Target app, require later iOS versions and force her to use an older version, which tend to still be functional, though without the latest features.
  - scarface74 9y ago
    Even if they don't get updates. The older versions should still work. I downloaded the older version of Netflix "the last compatible version" for my first gen iPad running iOS 5 and it still works.
astrodust 9y ago
2010 iMac, 2012 Mac Mini, 2013 iPhone 5S. All of them are running the latest version of the OS without problems. The only problem with the two computers was a lack of SSD but a kit from OWC fixed that for both of them.
- thisacctforreal 9y ago
  iPhone 5Ss are great to keep around, you can generate an ECC private key inside the secure enclave (albeit only using the NIST P256 curve). Using Krypton[0] or your own software you can use the phone as a hardware private key. Krypton includes support for SSH, gpg signed git commits, and soon generic gpg signing[1], all backed by TouchID or your passphrase[2]. Make sure to setup Krypton with the "Nist P256 (Secure Enclave)" curve. Private keys generated in the Secure Enclave are only possible to extract using a zero-day in the Secure Enclave coprocessor. [0] https://krypt.co https://krypt.co [1] https://github.com/kryptco/krypton-ios/pull/95 https://github.com/kryptco/krypton-ios/pull/95 [2] Protip: iOS passphrases consisting of only digits will use a keypad on the unlock screen.
Lafcadio 9y ago
Hey if y'all don't mind ill use this thread to ask for a recommendation. I'm using a 2009 macbook (a1342) that I upgraded with SSD, extra RAM etc. When it passes, I planning on replacing it with another old macbook. Are following models as reliable? What about macbook air ? I'm worried because the white macbook was easy to repair and upgrade, the others seem much harder to take apart.
- LukeTowers 9y ago
  MBP mid 2012 13 inch is what I would recommend

mfoy_ 9y ago

I bought my Samsung Galaxy S5 in early/mid 2015 and it's still going "strong", although a bit laggy at times. The only issue is the battery has started swelling (again). I think I'll upgrade this time instead of replacing the battery. My point being, I'm about to hit the three year mark on an Android phone.

vondur 9y ago
Yes, but do you have access to the latest version of Android?
- evanlivingston 9y ago
  Yes
  - Spartan-S63 9y ago
    No, it doesn't. Not through the OEM. The last version of Android was Marshmallow which is two major versions behind the most current. Sure, you can flash it yourself to the latest version, but there's no guarantee that it'll work. In my book, not having support from the OEM on the latest possible version of Android that can be loaded on your device does not count as having access.
    - evanlivingston 9y ago
      That completely counts as having access. Lenovo doesn't provide OEM support for ubuntu on my thinkpad, but that doens't mean to I don't have access to it.
  - jvzr 9y ago
    Through a custom ROM or something akin, I imagine? Not through regular channels, such as a regular software update notification received on the old version Not exactly the most consumer-friendly way to get software updates. That's not comparable to how Apple does it
- vetinari 9y ago
  Android update is different when compared to iOS update. You don't need latest Android to get the latest apps. Google will not withhold the latest Chrome or Maps or Gmail or Youtube from you, unless you update to latest OS release.
- mfoy_ 9y ago
  Apparently not.
- lowbloodsugar 9y ago
  But he's also not forced to use the latest version of Android. Apple however doesn't make every latest version available for every device. They have a cut-off. And that's all fine and normal and everyone accepts it. So, say a 4S won't run iOS 10. So lets be clear, apple has no problem stopping you from running the latest iOS. But they do let you install iOS9, which makes a 4S totally shite slow. They don't have a problem stopping you from running a recent version. They just have a problem stopping you from running the version that will make your phone shit, and then preventing you from going back to the previous version. they deliberately "brick" phones. they don't have to let you run iOS9, just because its the latest version. The iPhone 3 couldn't run iOS9. And they don't mind making it so that the 4S can't run iOS10. So why not say iOS8 is the cut-off for 4S? Well, because the 4S could run iOS8 and still be useable, and then you wouldn't need to buy a new fucking phone. So the very last version they let^H^H^H force you to install is the one that'll make it shit.

ksk 9y ago

You never understand because you're not affected by it, or don't understand it or think people are simply lying. The 4S turned into an unusable phone after all the updates. I know because I had one and had to get rid of it after it Apple updates slowed it down.

Angostura 9y ago
That's odd. My daughter is still using hers.
- 220V_USKettle 9y ago
  Is she using iOS 6?
- ksk 9y ago
  Why is it odd? It has been my experience with all iphones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSkZQ3XNW58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSkZQ3XNW58
- michaelmrose 9y ago
  People accept all kinds of barely functional stuff.

220V_USKettle 9y ago

I would love to be able to still use my 4S, but cannot install apps or upgrade iOS. Awesome hardware though. Built like a tank.

wlesieutre 9y ago
I have a coworker using either a 4 or 4S and I saw him install a new app on it last week. Are you referring specifically to apps that no longer support old versions of iOS? As far as I know the App Store maintains compatibility with old iPhones and allows them to download and install stuff just like new ones.
- 220V_USKettle 9y ago
  That is not my experience at all. I have an original iPad, an original iPad mini, several iPhone 4 and 4s.
  - versteegen 9y ago
    Well, I use an iPhone 4S running iOS 8 and can install apps from the app store.
akoster 9y ago
My mom is still happily using her original iPad mini with iOS 9. Some apps these days are not compatible with it but asurprising number are still targeting iOS 9. Lots of popular apps such as Telegram, Netflix, Overdrive books support iOS 9 and still get updates (unsure for how much longer). Others like the Target app, require later iOS versions and force her to use an older version, which tend to still be functional, though without the latest features.
- scarface74 9y ago
  Even if they don't get updates. The older versions should still work. I downloaded the older version of Netflix "the last compatible version" for my first gen iPad running iOS 5 and it still works.

astrodust 9y ago

2010 iMac, 2012 Mac Mini, 2013 iPhone 5S. All of them are running the latest version of the OS without problems. The only problem with the two computers was a lack of SSD but a kit from OWC fixed that for both of them.

thisacctforreal 9y ago
iPhone 5Ss are great to keep around, you can generate an ECC private key inside the secure enclave (albeit only using the NIST P256 curve). Using Krypton[0] or your own software you can use the phone as a hardware private key. Krypton includes support for SSH, gpg signed git commits, and soon generic gpg signing[1], all backed by TouchID or your passphrase[2]. Make sure to setup Krypton with the "Nist P256 (Secure Enclave)" curve. Private keys generated in the Secure Enclave are only possible to extract using a zero-day in the Secure Enclave coprocessor. [0] https://krypt.co https://krypt.co [1] https://github.com/kryptco/krypton-ios/pull/95 https://github.com/kryptco/krypton-ios/pull/95 [2] Protip: iOS passphrases consisting of only digits will use a keypad on the unlock screen.

Lafcadio 9y ago

Hey if y'all don't mind ill use this thread to ask for a recommendation. I'm using a 2009 macbook (a1342) that I upgraded with SSD, extra RAM etc. When it passes, I planning on replacing it with another old macbook. Are following models as reliable? What about macbook air ? I'm worried because the white macbook was easy to repair and upgrade, the others seem much harder to take apart.

LukeTowers 9y ago
MBP mid 2012 13 inch is what I would recommend