Orphaned apps on iOS6

tomsem · 10-10-2014, 01:06 AM

In the race to add iOS8 support, many developers are simultaneously dropping support for iOS6 (the final destination for iPod Touch 4th gen and iPhone 3GS). Older, compatible versions will continue to be available, but it seems unlikely that they'll see any updates. Here is a list of some of the apps on my iPod Touch that have newer versions that are unavailable to iOS6 users:

iBooks
Kindle
Skype
Kobo
Google
Imdb
Apple Store
Zillow
Ancestry
Dropbox
The Weather Channel
MusicID
Adobe Reader
GarageBand
TuneIn Radio Pro
OneDrive
Goodreads
Chrome
Google Drive
iTunes U
iBird Pro
Tapatalk

Since iOS6 is EOL, perhaps updates are not critical, but new features and bug fixes are usually welcome. It's ironic that the largest companies are among the first to abandon iOS6 (Apple, Adobe, Google, Amazon, Microsoft).

I'm still seeing updates that say 'updated for iOS8' so at least some publishers still think iOS6 (or earlier) is important.

It appears as much as 6% of the iOS install base is on iOS6 or earlier.

[update: the latest update to Mantano Reader crashes on launch for me, so its iOS6 status is iffy even if it is nominally compatible]

Jessica Lares · 10-10-2014, 02:19 AM

In a few years, most of those apps will probably stop working altogether because of APIs on their end.

pwalker8 · 10-10-2014, 05:24 AM

Backwards comparability is one of the major bugaboos of app development. You can spend a large percentage of your developer resources trying to satisfy a very small percentage of your customer base.

kyteflyer · 10-11-2014, 05:33 PM

I was whining about this on another forum, and mentioned particularly a new app I had just downloaded, called Anylist. (I used to use Shoplist which you cant even get on the App Store anymore... was using it since 2007). Anyway, I had a whine about that, and the developer took the time to join the forum and post their rationale for having decided to drop support for older OSes. It made sense to me, they are a two man team. Larger teams could make the effort. See, its not just iOS6 thats been abandoned. In some cases (eg Anylist) its not even compatible with iOS7. It was the lack of compatibility for some of my apps, and missing out on added features or security, which drove me to update, yesterday.

tubemonkey · 10-11-2014, 08:02 PM

Apple doesn't help when they cripple the iPod touch on launch by using hardware that's 1-2 generations behind the current iPhone.

HarryT · 10-12-2014, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Apple doesn't help when they cripple the iPod touch on launch by using hardware that's 1-2 generations behind the current iPhone.

That's deliberate: they want people to buy iPhones.

pwalker8 · 10-12-2014, 06:26 AM

I would be surprised if Apple has a bias towards iPhones over iPad sales. The idea that Apple cripples iPads with old technology is simply Tubemonkey trolling again. (ever wonder why someone who doesn't have any Apple products listed in among their devices would post in the Apple forum?) iPhones tend to be the product that they sell the most of and smartphones have a much faster upgrade cycle for most consumers than do iPads. New hardware appears in the iPhone first, then typically appears in the next generation of iPads. The current iPad mini has the same retina display with a A7 chip and a M7 motion coprocessor as the iPhone 5s which was the current iPhone when the current iPad mini was released. I would expect that the upcoming iPad release has the same basic specs as the iPhone 6.

tubemonkey · 10-12-2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's deliberate: they want people to buy iPhones.

I've never understood that train of thought. People buy iPhones for the phone part.

tubemonkey · 10-12-2014, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I would be surprised if Apple has a bias towards iPhones over iPad sales. The idea that Apple cripples iPads with old technology is simply Tubemonkey trolling again. (ever wonder why someone who doesn't have any Apple products listed in among their devices would post in the Apple forum?)

Ever wonder why someone who buys Apple products as gifts posts in the Apple forum?

pwalker8 · 10-12-2014, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Ever wonder why someone who buys Apple products as gifts posts in the Apple forum?

I note that you didn't try to respond to the point that iPads do not have obsolete technology, but rather the same technology as the current iPhone at the time they are released.

tubemonkey · 10-12-2014, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I note that you didn't try to respond to the point that iPads do not have obsolete technology, but rather the same technology as the current iPhone at the time they are released.

Why should I? I already knew that. I was talking about iPod touches.

Jessica Lares · 10-12-2014, 01:25 PM

The 4th gen iPod Touch always gets blasted for this. Honestly, it was the RAM that was the issue, and not the chips themselves. Going from 256 to 512 is a huge difference.

There's still nothing wrong with the A5, which is why I'm holding onto those devices.

I don't think the new ones (if there is) will get 1GB of RAM, but they will get the A7.

tubemonkey · 10-12-2014, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

The 4th gen iPod Touch always gets blasted for this. Honestly, it was the RAM that was the issue, and not the chips themselves. Going from 256 to 512 is a huge difference.

There's still nothing wrong with the A5, which is why I'm holding onto those devices.

I don't think the new ones (if there is) will get 1GB of RAM, but they will get the A7.

Exactly! RAM is the culprit! Apple is behind the curve when it comes to RAM.

Jessica Lares · 10-12-2014, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Exactly! RAM is the culprit! Apple is behind the curve when it comes to RAM.

It only needs 1GB of RAM. The iPads need the 2GB.

There has to be a reason to add more RAM. It is better to fix all the issues they can within the limits, then it is to just pump up the specs. They were able to make OS X Mavericks more power efficient with App Nap, and give everyone better battery life instead of making a new battery for instance.

kyteflyer · 10-12-2014, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Apple doesn't help when they cripple the iPod touch on launch by using hardware that's 1-2 generations behind the current iPhone.

Yep, thats a PITA. If the iPOD was up to current gen, I would have got a large capacity one of those and stayed with my 4S, which I liked. Gee, I may even have stayed on my 3GS. But, Harry is right, they want people to buy iPhones.

[edit] Mind you, I am now having to stay one generation behind in any case. Perhaps I should reconsider my options

10-10-2014, 01:06 AM	#1
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,900 Karma: 27013865 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Orphaned apps on iOS6 In the race to add iOS8 support, many developers are simultaneously dropping support for iOS6 (the final destination for iPod Touch 4th gen and iPhone 3GS). Older, compatible versions will continue to be available, but it seems unlikely that they'll see any updates. Here is a list of some of the apps on my iPod Touch that have newer versions that are unavailable to iOS6 users: iBooks Kindle Skype Kobo Google Imdb Apple Store Zillow Ancestry Dropbox The Weather Channel MusicID Adobe Reader GarageBand TuneIn Radio Pro OneDrive Goodreads Chrome Google Drive iTunes U iBird Pro Tapatalk Since iOS6 is EOL, perhaps updates are not critical, but new features and bug fixes are usually welcome. It's ironic that the largest companies are among the first to abandon iOS6 (Apple, Adobe, Google, Amazon, Microsoft). I'm still seeing updates that say 'updated for iOS8' so at least some publishers still think iOS6 (or earlier) is important. It appears as much as 6% of the iOS install base is on iOS6 or earlier. [update: the latest update to Mantano Reader crashes on launch for me, so its iOS6 status is iffy even if it is nominally compatible] Last edited by tomsem; 10-10-2014 at 01:28 AM.

10-12-2014, 06:26 AM	#7
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	I would be surprised if Apple has a bias towards iPhones over iPad sales. The idea that Apple cripples iPads with old technology is simply Tubemonkey trolling again. (ever wonder why someone who doesn't have any Apple products listed in among their devices would post in the Apple forum?) iPhones tend to be the product that they sell the most of and smartphones have a much faster upgrade cycle for most consumers than do iPads. New hardware appears in the iPhone first, then typically appears in the next generation of iPads. The current iPad mini has the same retina display with a A7 chip and a M7 motion coprocessor as the iPhone 5s which was the current iPhone when the current iPad mini was released. I would expect that the upcoming iPad release has the same basic specs as the iPhone 6. Last edited by pwalker8; 10-12-2014 at 06:31 AM.

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10-10-2014, 02:19 AM	#2
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	In a few years, most of those apps will probably stop working altogether because of APIs on their end.

10-10-2014, 05:24 AM	#3
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	Backwards comparability is one of the major bugaboos of app development. You can spend a large percentage of your developer resources trying to satisfy a very small percentage of your customer base.

10-11-2014, 05:33 PM	#4
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,844 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone 12 Mini	I was whining about this on another forum, and mentioned particularly a new app I had just downloaded, called Anylist. (I used to use Shoplist which you cant even get on the App Store anymore... was using it since 2007). Anyway, I had a whine about that, and the developer took the time to join the forum and post their rationale for having decided to drop support for older OSes. It made sense to me, they are a two man team. Larger teams could make the effort. See, its not just iOS6 thats been abandoned. In some cases (eg Anylist) its not even compatible with iOS7. It was the lack of compatibility for some of my apps, and missing out on added features or security, which drove me to update, yesterday.

10-11-2014, 08:02 PM	#5
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,746 Karma: 158575914 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Apple doesn't help when they cripple the iPod touch on launch by using hardware that's 1-2 generations behind the current iPhone.

10-12-2014, 01:25 PM	#12
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	The 4th gen iPod Touch always gets blasted for this. Honestly, it was the RAM that was the issue, and not the chips themselves. Going from 256 to 512 is a huge difference. There's still nothing wrong with the A5, which is why I'm holding onto those devices. I don't think the new ones (if there is) will get 1GB of RAM, but they will get the A7.

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