“Late yesterday, Apple released the first beta build of iOS 8.1.1 to developers,” Andrew Cunningham reports for Ars Technica.
“The first update to iOS 8.1 will include customary bug fixes, but the preliminary release notes suggest a far more interesting development: the update promises to improve performance on the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, two of the oldest devices that support iOS 8,” Cunningham reports. “Apple has a long history of speeding up new iOS versions on old hardware post-release—iOS 4.1 on the iPhone 3G, iOS 7.1 on the iPhone 4, and now iOS 8.1.1.”
Cunningham writes, “It would be nice if performance on older hardware was better optimized in the first place, but newer hardware obviously takes precedence.”
Read more in the full article here.
It just works…* cough*…. what BS!
@Feather
That’s one way of looking at it. Another is that it’s impressive that Apple is using resources to improve performance of its latest OS on 3-4 year old hardware. A lot of people either choose to ignore or don’t remember that before Apple entered the phone game, it was extremely difficult to upgrade a phone’s OS at all. The carriers had no interest in upgrading your OS, since they preferred to sell you a new phone and extend your contract. Many owners of Android-based phones are still in this position…
(Taking the troll bait)
“Just working” and “performance improvements” are not the same thing. I would have taken your comment more seriously if you had put it out there with the 8.0.1 update that killed a few 6’s ability to make calls, but over performance improvements? Come on…
Show us anything better, Feather. Apple is not perfect, but it is far better than the alternatives. Of course, you are so unhappy with your Android and Windows crap that you come trolling on our forum, an Apple forum, attempting to make us as miserable as you.
It won’t work. By and large, we love our Apple products and the Apple ecosystem, both of which keep improving year after year. You, on the other hand, are tied to a company that makes refrigerators and stuff. They only copied Apple to make money. Samsung couldn’t give a crap about you or your “user experience.”
You’re right, it would be much better to follow Android’s example, where virtually no old hardware is either supported or the updates even made available to phone buyers. So much easier to never update your phone! /s
You’re right! Sad to say.
It should be optimized RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE! No excuses, fanboys. It is what it is.
Also, 3-4 year old hardware is bulletproof. Why not DOUBLE THE time To extend another four years on older devices.
If Windows supported XP for roughly 15 years, Almighty Apple should do BETTER.
Roughly 15 years? XP retail was out in Oct 2001. It was widely used in enterprise – Microsoft had no choice to extend support for it due to all the business apps being used and they didn’t want to tick off their well-paying customers.
And how long did they support Windows ME – roughly 15 days?
OK, right. Microsoft had no choice due to the largest group of OS users over 13 years.
However, Apple HAS A CHOICE.
Do the right thing and optimize for much older devices that last and last due to the quality build.
Instead, Apple is bricking (no upgrade path) older hardware for no good reason.
They have enough money and should not be forcing customers to get new devices every couple years.
Me2….. dont count laziness as being good. 15 years of supporting old tech just makes Microsoft looks like they are out of ideas. The only reason Microsoft is in business is because of the huge cash reserve they accumulated during the hay days of confused public days. But now as the cash dries its going to get pretty clear where Microsoft stands.
Ask any IT Pro and find an overwhelming majority liked XP. I don’t see lazy in that, more like popularity.
In addition to updates, some things can’t be “fixed.”
It would be helpful if Apple would give a cheat sheet to tell owners of older equipment settings and other things they can do to speed up older devices.
I’ve got an iPad 2 and it DOES work. 8.1 worked better than 8.0, and I’d be shocked if 8.1.1 didn’t work better, too. This is the nature of software. Get over it.
Like someone once said: “Great artists ship.”
Yup, my iPad 2 is very slow when switching apps, opening apps, or using Safari. Many apps work just fine, but I would definitely appreciate a speed bump. Guess it’s time for an iPad Air 2!
I too, have an IPad 2 and it runs so much better with the update. As good if not better when I first purchased this. Pity though it’s not 4g but then again I tend to tether from iPhone 6 and it runs blazing fast. No complaints here.
Forgot wi-fi blazing fast too.
I know that my iPad 2(64gig) is still running extremely slow even after I disabled predictive keyboard. I am going to wait for iPad Pro next year to upgrade. Fortunately, I bought the iPhone 6+ so I can browse the inter web.
Good to hear. I have an iPhone 4S and the lag under 8.1 is noticeable. Thankfully, Apple usually addresses issues with older models in later updates.
I just wish they could sort out the bl–dy wifi on my iPad 3 which is about as reliable as a a solar panel during an artic winter armed only with a torch.
I don’t know if my 6 can go any faster… I upgraded from a 4S and the performance is nothing short of spectacular.
iOS 8 + iPhone 6 = Happy RastaMouse 🙂
Hope they quash the “other” bug soon enough is enough
already!
Good to know. I’m holding off upgrading my 4s until the speed issues are fixed. Will/does the 4s support sharing calls over Bluetooth to other OSX/iOS devices? My iPad air already runs 8.1, so it would be good to not have to go find the phone in my coat pocket if it rings whilst I’m on the iPad.
Attention owners of old devices.
Stay with old iOS or update your device.
Simple.
Yeh, Read your advice and am replying on my ORIGINAL iPad running iOS 5.1.1
If it JUST WORKS, then just use it…..
As the old saying goes: “Dance with the girl that brung ya.”
I’ll be going to the iPhone 6 & IPad Air 2 dance before the snow flies, mainly for the AppleID & ApplePay feature. Will give my 4S & this trusty little device to a single dad for his 4 & 5 yr old sons.
Well, I’m stuck with my trusty 4S until my long-delayed 6 arrives next week (I hope), so maybe I’ll get to make use of this.
——RM
The good news is that iOS 8.1.1 makes your iPhone 6 more difficult to bend!
/jk (that’s coming in 8.1.2)
That would really help, I have both 4s and the iPad2 whose performance has dropped drastically, its practically unusable.
4s Seems to takes ages to respond sometimes, Even clicking on the home button doesn’t evoke a response from the phone, its plain ridiculous.
iPad 2 hangs (???) when just browsing opening multiple tabs in safari, Heavy graphics games which were just fine in the previous iOS just struggle now (Real Racing).. I am waiting for iPad air 2 to release in India…hmmmm now I know the reason..
My iPad 4 was so awful after upgrading I couldn’t stand it. I even went as far as reinstalling in DFU mode to no avail. I’m just about to revert back to 7. My 5s has been fine.
I hope this also fixes the performance issues on the original iPad mini. Mine ran like molasses on iOS 8. It basically relegated my iPad to only occasional use. This past weekend, I bought an iPad mini 3, but I’m curious now to see if the original iPad mini will work better on iOS 8.1.1.