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They could just let ios 6 continue to be installed on the iPhone 4, or let you restore from your own back-ups. I think this was actually possible for the first

by dubya 12y ago

They could just let ios 6 continue to be installed on the iPhone 4, or let you restore from your own back-ups. I think this was actually possible for the first few weeks of ios 7 release, but then they "unsigned" the older versions.

Karunamon 12y ago
There are reasons for their heavy-handed update policy that have nothing to do with malfeasance. Look at the world distribution of Android OS versions in the world for a case study in what happens when you don't force people to upgrade. So I guess they have three options: * Release upgrade, people complain * Don't release upgrade, people complain * Allow any random OS release to be installed, people complain Every single one of these options have their own pros and cons. Apple seems to have just selected the first one.
- mikeash 12y ago
  Apple doesn't force people to upgrade. They just don't allow people to downgrade. Android's fractured version numbers have nothing to do with forced upgrades or any inability to downgrade. They're simply a result of Android upgrades being the responsibility of individual phone manufacturers, and those manufacturers having little incentive to ship upgrades. At this point, I'd wager that iOS would see better uptake of new versions if they allowed downgrading. As it stands, if you merely suspect that the new version will make your phone suck, you need to stay with the old version, because once you upgrade there's no going back. If they let people downgrade, then you could try the new version with no worries.
  - Karunamon 12y ago
    Not directly they don't, but once they stop signing requests for the older releases, the old OS version dies from attrition as full backups can't be restored from that rev anymore.
    - mikeash 12y ago
      I don't imagine that rate is even remotely significant. Restores (aside from buying a new phone) are extremely rare from what I see.
      - Karunamon 12y ago
        ...what would you call constant prompts to upgrade coupled with the inability to restore backups if you don't, if not coercive?
        mikeash 12y ago
        I said I doubt it's significant. I said nothing about "coercive."

by dubya 12y ago

Karunamon 12y ago

There are reasons for their heavy-handed update policy that have nothing to do with malfeasance. Look at the world distribution of Android OS versions in the world for a case study in what happens when you don't force people to upgrade. So I guess they have three options: * Release upgrade, people complain * Don't release upgrade, people complain * Allow any random OS release to be installed, people complain Every single one of these options have their own pros and cons. Apple seems to have just selected the first one.

mikeash 12y ago
Apple doesn't force people to upgrade. They just don't allow people to downgrade. Android's fractured version numbers have nothing to do with forced upgrades or any inability to downgrade. They're simply a result of Android upgrades being the responsibility of individual phone manufacturers, and those manufacturers having little incentive to ship upgrades. At this point, I'd wager that iOS would see better uptake of new versions if they allowed downgrading. As it stands, if you merely suspect that the new version will make your phone suck, you need to stay with the old version, because once you upgrade there's no going back. If they let people downgrade, then you could try the new version with no worries.
- Karunamon 12y ago
  Not directly they don't, but once they stop signing requests for the older releases, the old OS version dies from attrition as full backups can't be restored from that rev anymore.
  - mikeash 12y ago
    I don't imagine that rate is even remotely significant. Restores (aside from buying a new phone) are extremely rare from what I see.
    - Karunamon 12y ago
      ...what would you call constant prompts to upgrade coupled with the inability to restore backups if you don't, if not coercive?
      - mikeash 12y ago
        I said I doubt it's significant. I said nothing about "coercive."