“A petition demanding that Apple stop ‘sabotaging’ older devices with iOS upgrades has attracted 150,000 signatures, but how legitimate is the grievance?” Alexander Sword reports for Computer Business Review.
“The petition by SumOfUs, the corporate watchdog,” Sword reports, “accuses Apple of engaging in ‘planned obsolescence’ by continually pushing out upgrades to its users which will degrade performance on all but the newest iPhones.”
“The petition argues that owners of older iPhones will find the performance on their devices becomes so poor that they will simply opt to buy a newer device, such as the iPhone 7, expected in September,” Sword reports. “The demand is simple: Apple ‘has to stop aggressively pushing software ‘upgrades’ to devices which will become significantly slower as a result.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes, let’s retard progress for everyone and subject everyone to security issues so that a relative handful of cheapskates can continue to use old hardware forever.
Apple pushes the envelope because that what Apple does. These people aren’t Apple product users. Petition signers, go get yourselves an Android phone and, rest assured, it’ll never be upgraded.
SEE ALSO:
Lawsuit seeks millions from Apple for slowing older iPhones with iOS 9 upgrade – December 30, 2015
Apple and planned obsolescence or lack thereof – October 31, 2013
Informationweek hack claims ‘customer revolt brews’ over ‘Apple’s planned obsolescence’ – June 25, 2012
I can’t afford a new iPhone. That’s just the way it is – me and my iPhone 4 get on phone. It’s way behind the curve but because it’s Apple, it does what I need and is still better than most of the competition. Yes, other phones have better specs, but they miss that critical synergy between power and usage. I shall continue to hope that Groupon comes up with an ultracheap deal on a 5S or suchlike, whilst hoping that Apple continue to innovate.
You and your iPhone 4 “get on phone?”
I held onto my ancient 4S, use it on rare occasions, I just don’t update it.
My iPod nano stopped charging recently so I found a used iPhone 3GS 32GB just to have my podcasts and audiobooks buttoned up in a shirt pocket. It cost just $38 I placed a $20 data plan on it. It runs iOS 6 like a champ and even handles some intensive spreadsheets without problems and the size is very handy. While it can’t replace my iPhone I’m surprised and impressed by how much it can do. It’s no wonder Apple wants to ship these old phones out of the US to developing markets like India.
According to our wonderful host, MDN, you are a cheapskate.
Sorry, cost of life, kids, the reality of more important expenses than an iPhone, whatever excuse… don’t count here.
MDN says you are a cheapskate, that’s the end of it.
No one is required to update their phone to a new version of the OS.
Unless you ever need to restore using iTunes…
A fair compromise would be to allow us to test the new iOS version and if we feel it doesn’t keep the quality and performance we liked allow us to downgrade again.
That might keep both camps happy.
Current solution does give the impression of forcing obsolescence since the new iOS could give an inferior experience on a device I purchased and Apple now hindered.
Unless a security flaw (of which there are many) gets you hacked.
I guess I missed the portion of the article where it said that Apple forced the users to install these updates with the warning that their phones would stop working if the update was not applied. The security implications of ignoring these updates are slim, so I do not see that as an argument.
You don’t have to update. But Apple won’t push an update if your phone is to old anyways. They limit how far the latest updates will go. But old software can be just as bad especially if you continue to download the latest apps. Then you get a reverse negative effect of the new apps not working with the old system software. So it is just best to keep updating or buy a new phone eventually anyways. Like MDN says, Apple can’t just stand still because of a few who don’t want to move forward. It’s not fair for the rest who want the latest and greatest.
“Petition signers, go get yourselves an Android phone and, rest assured, it’ll never be upgraded.”
ROTFLMFAO
Considering that you can find newer used iPhones for pretty reasonable prices or get even the latest ones in some cases as a part of your plan depending on carrier, there are always options to getting a newer iPhone, you don’t have to be using an iphone 4. Or look at getting an iPhone SE..
However this group is just foolish and has no comprehension of reality.. which seems to be a growing issue all over..
Try this for comprehension of reality.
Must use legacy Mac applications that are not supported beyond Mac OS 10.6.8. The last iTunes version that supports OS 10.6.8 is iTunes 12.2.2. iPhone SE requires iTunes 12.3.3. Bought new iPhone SE, trading in existing iPhone 5s, asked if there could be sync problems, was told “No, just plug it in.” Now have an unsyncable iPhone SE, lost hundreds of important messages (remember, I thought i was backing up my data to a reliable system).
Thanks Apple, you are passing over from the realm of useful tool to latest geegaw. Not enough money to support a steady stream of pricey toys.
1000% agree! My wife couldn’t back up or sync her iPhone 5S because she needed a recent version of iTunes. But, she couldn’t get a recent version of iTunes because she needed a recent version of OS X. But she couldn’t get a recent version of OS X because it wouldn’t run on her older iMac!
She backed up to iCloud for two years till we could afford a new iMac. Shame on Apple for leading us down this path, and I’m a loyal Apple customer with over 20 Apple devices in my family. I’ve been “Thinking Different”™ since my Apple ][ (not even a ][+ or a ][e)!
If it was the case that Apple were getting people to upgrade old devices that didn’t run a new OS well then surely they’d only do it if they new people would buy a new iPhone once they got frustrated with that reduced performance. That seems a fairly risky strategy because surely people are as likely to become annoyed and change from an iPhone.
Nobody is forced to upgrade anything, but I suppose the only argument is how Apple represent the upgrade as being suitable for a particular model. It seems fairly flimsy, and ultimately how is any company suppose to win? If they didn’t make an upgrade available to as many older models they’d be accused of making devices obsolete by way of not giving access to current options.
I bet those 150,000 petition signers are Bernie Sanders supporters and they want “free stuff” which includes the latest iPhone models.
Which they can use at their free university classes…
Lawyers seek to make money. Logic doesn’t matter or there’d be no nuisance lawsuits.
Apple forces no one to upgrade — ever. You don’t even have to install the latest security patches if you don’t want to do so.
I know someone who is still running a Titanium Mac laptop. He recently asked me if he should buy a new rMBP. I asked him if his laptop did 100% of what he needs, not 95% or 99% but a true 100%. His answer was, “Yes.” My advice to him was to keep using it as is until it dies or its functionality falls below 100% of what he needs.
I’d give the same advice to anyone on any hardware they buy. If it does truly 100% of what you need it does not matter if it’s two years old or 20 years old, don’t replace it just to replace it.
Just for that I’m going to fire up my TiBook 667 and take it for a spin. I might even go so far and boot into OS9 just for kicks!
🙂
Not true, if you experience a problem and have to restore your phone, Apple will force you to upgrade. Let’s face it, at the slightest hint of trouble Apple’s first support advice is to restore your phone.
I still use my son’s iPhone 4 as an extra mini-computer in my TV room. I can use the Remote app, check sports etc., if I don’t have my wonderful fast 6S.
Who are this group? Are they Apple’s competitors? They don’t want Apple to innovate. Only them!!! The Street thinks that Apple doesn’t innovate anymore. So, where does this accusation come from? Why do you post this nonsense?
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wow, my new (device) is so fast compared to my old one!
Yeah, mine too!
At least Apple issues updates. Any fair and balanced article would examine how many Droid of the Month ATT special phones ever get ANY software/security updates.
My second gen iPad is still chugging along just fine on the current OS. Show me how many competitor’s tablets are still even functional, let alone up to date on updates?
Clearly, just another fake Samsung astroturf campaign; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing
OMF STFU.
Go buy and Android device PLEASE, little whiners. Attempt to update your OS and discover the meaning of FragmAndroid.
Apple: Progressing the OS, which means enabling and requiring up-to-date hardware.
No Thank You to hobbling the future by having to feed legacy devices.
As for ‘sabotaging’, Apple’s never done that. But they certainly have pushed out OS updates that have BRICKED devices. If that happens, get your device to Apple and have them UN-brick it for you. They own you that. OR you’ll find that Apple will repair an update for your specific hardware in order to enable it again. It happened just this year with an iOS 9 update.
Apple: Never perfect. Just better than anyone else.
My repair: “Go buy AN Android device…”
And BTW: If an OS update slows down your device, there may be other causes than Apple. In any case, use a backup you have of course created before the update to backwards install to your previous OS. (You didn’t make a backup? Your fault, deal with your fault).
Tell these whiners with old fucking phones to “suck it up buttercup”
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