Data logs reveal Apple testing iOS 7 and next-gen iPhone
Work on the next iPhone and iOS 7 is underway, with test devices now appearing in website and application data logs.
AppleInsider can confirm that it saw visits from a handful of devices running a pre-release build of iOS 7 in the month of December. And iOS developers who contacted The Next Web say they have seen signs of hardware labeled "iPhone6,1" and running iOS 7 in their logs.
Developers who encountered the next-generation iPhones said their IP addresses were identified as emanating from Apple's corporate headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
The iPhone 5 is identified as "iPhone5,1" or "iPhone5,2" based on the type of LTE radio included in that particular model.
Last year, Apple introduced iOS 6 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The software was eventually released to the public in late September alongside the launch of the iPhone 5.
If Apple follows the same release pattern this year, iOS 7 will be formally introduced and provided in beta form to developers in about six months, with the launch of a next-generation iPhone less than four months after that.
Evidence of iOS 6 being tested ahead of its release was found in website logs last March. The data also provided evidence of an iPad toting a Retina display ? a device that would eventually launch that same month.
But there is no evidence of any potential new hardware or software features in the latest data logs ? just evidence that Apple is working on updates, as is expected.
AppleInsider can confirm that it saw visits from a handful of devices running a pre-release build of iOS 7 in the month of December. And iOS developers who contacted The Next Web say they have seen signs of hardware labeled "iPhone6,1" and running iOS 7 in their logs.
Developers who encountered the next-generation iPhones said their IP addresses were identified as emanating from Apple's corporate headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
The iPhone 5 is identified as "iPhone5,1" or "iPhone5,2" based on the type of LTE radio included in that particular model.
Last year, Apple introduced iOS 6 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The software was eventually released to the public in late September alongside the launch of the iPhone 5.
If Apple follows the same release pattern this year, iOS 7 will be formally introduced and provided in beta form to developers in about six months, with the launch of a next-generation iPhone less than four months after that.
Evidence of iOS 6 being tested ahead of its release was found in website logs last March. The data also provided evidence of an iPad toting a Retina display ? a device that would eventually launch that same month.
But there is no evidence of any potential new hardware or software features in the latest data logs ? just evidence that Apple is working on updates, as is expected.
Comments
I'm shocked, absolutely shocked they would be testing this.
Gee. I thought that they simply plucked the new products off a magic tree and shipped them without testing. /s
Forget the naysayers - updates like this do help me when considering when to pull the trigger on upgrades.
I have one device that is not eligible for discounted upgrade till May or June of 2013 - so knowing how close to release the iPhone 5S (or 5+ or whatever they call it) happens to be will help me decide in the June time frame whether I should go ahead and replace three iPhone 4 units and my iPhone 4S with iPhone 5 as soon as I am eligible or wait it out for a couple more months to get whatever is coming next.
The only problem with that logic is that this report doesn't tell you anything new about timing.
For years, it has been possible to see evidence of the next upgrade within a few months after a new OS was released. And, for years, the average iOS upgrade cycle has been 1 year. So it's pretty safe to assume that iOS 7 will be out around 12 months after iOS 6 (almost certainly between 9 and 15 months).
As for new products other websites are finding new products ids.
Indeed who would have thought the rumors like this would be flying just prior to earnings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwmac
It is rather silly to report this without any details as to new features. Of course they will test it. Any predictions on major new features or innovations? I think Apple might roll the dice a bit more with the next iOS. Jellybean is pretty darned good. It is fast, stable, and offers a lot of features not available in iOS. These aren't the old days of Android 2.1 where iOS was clearly superior. You could make a very strong case that Jellybean is as good if not better than iOS in many areas. I wonder if we will see some big changes and improvements this year from Apple.
I think you're dreaming. Or you are confusing "different" with "better/innovative/new," etc.
The thing I find interesting about those that promote Android, is that one is always reading articles that go on with great superlatives about how great the current version of Android is. Then when the next version comes out they right that same review about how fantastic it is, but then they always say something like: "... and those horrible glitches and problems with the last version are now fixed!" Yet six months ago they were writing a review that said how absolutely perfect *that OS was and how it "fixed" all the horrible problems with the one before.
Based on that, I have to assume there is a giant bias going on with most Android reporting. If the latest version is always "the first useable version!" and then it gets replaced every year by another "first useable version!" then it stands to reason there is a lot of exaggerating and wishful thinking going on.
I also base this on the fact that whenever I actually pick up an Android phone or tablet and try to use it, I'm hit with gigantic usability problems within the first few seconds. Every. Single. Time.
The day I see anyone actually use the (theoretically) amazing features that Android has that iOS doesn't, I might start to pay attention. The day that the hype from Android promoters starts to equal the qualities of the product itself, I might start to pay attention.
Even if you are correct, that this latest version is the best yet and solves all of Androids problems, (which I strongly doubt), Android has been so bad for so long, and Google has lied so many times about how good it is, and dissembled as to what it's problems are or where it's going, that it's basically up to Android to "show me" at this point.
All it would take is for a single Android manufacturer to come out with a better product than the iPhone/iOS combination, put up an advert and some web pages explaining to me why it's better (why any average person would want it more), and I will probably buy it. Needless to say I have yet to see a product or an advert like this.
Until then, I'm going to continue to assume that Android is a broken, useless POS.
Every time I've tried to use it this has been my conclusion.
I hope we have some new widget options besides weather and stocks in the notifications. It would also be nice to be able to tap on a new email in notifications without dismissing all the other new email in notifications. In other words let us use it as a rolling to do list or an action menu yo can swipe off one by one instead of all or nothing. If you have 4 new mail messages for example and only want to swipe away 2 of them you can't do that. Same with all other notifications where you might want to only remove one app notification but leave others as a reminder for later.
I would also love a new and easier way to access apps when you can't remember the name. This would obviously apply to less used or less famous apps. But when you have 300 or more apps like I do, instead of swiping through all those screens, then looking inside multiple folders what if you could sort apps like you can in OS X, for example by size or date installed. You could also add some other sort options like type of app whether game, utility, education, reference, or whatever.It would be nice to even create your own name for app types.
How about another OS X like addition to iOS in the form of smart folders. I would love to create some utility or travel folders for example that would automatically only show those kind of apps. Right now we sort of have that with game center, so why not expand that to other categories as well? Those are just a few things I personally would like to see in iOS 7.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
What I found semi amusing are the sites reporting this as something that proves that they are going to release iOS 7 to developers early. Like March not June. Doubtful. This testing is typical, happens every year. And six months of testing before developers see it sounds about right
Well, they only found logs of iOS 6 after march, now they found logs of iOS 7 in december/january. Obviously this proves nothing, but this is something important. Maybe an early release is possible.
Random releases are better for supply management and could irritate stupid costumers that think they can demand release dates and features. I would love to see Apple as a niche player again (but healthy), the stupidity of some people makes me sick, and Apple is forced to do some things they wouldn't do otherwise. Even if they are skies above every other OEM (pcs, smartphones and tablets), things are different.
Macs are better than never, by the way...
inb4 "there is absolutely nothing iPhone 5S about the 4" iPhone 6,1 running iOS7". :smokey:
That's to be expected really, this should just be a faster iPhone 5. I wonder if they'll be able to keep up the performance doubling every year or if they will try to move towards longer battery life instead. Graphics performance can always use a boost but it's already getting pretty good:
[VIDEO]
Dynamic reflection maps and all running smooth in HD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
That's to be expected really, this should just be a faster iPhone 5. I wonder if they'll be able to keep up the performance doubling every year or if they will try to move towards longer battery life instead. Graphics performance can always use a boost but it's already getting pretty good:
Dynamic reflection maps and all running smooth in HD.
The new iPhone is already so much more powerful than anything else on the market today... But I believe that they should "push" it until they are 1 generation ahead everyone else's horsepower (they are very close), then they could focus on other things like software and battery life.
Right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
I also base this on the fact that whenever I actually pick up an Android phone or tablet and try to use it, I'm hit with gigantic usability problems within the first few seconds. Every. Single. Time.
The day I see anyone actually use the (theoretically) amazing features that Android has that iOS doesn't, I might start to pay attention. The day that the hype from Android promoters starts to equal the qualities of the product itself, I might start to pay attention. Until then, I'm going to continue to assume that Android is a broken, useless POS.
Every time I've tried to use it this has been my conclusion.
Sounds to me like you haven't given Android much of a chance and don't know how to use it. My Android owning friends have the same problems when they pick up my iPhone, you just have to get used to the differences. My primary and personal phone is an iPhone, but I had used Android prior to this phone so know it well. Jellybean is really miles ahead of Android 2.2. I also have the chance to use some of my friends phones including a Samsung Galaxy S3, a Note II, and an HTC DNA. The display of the DNA is really stunning and better than the iPhone 5. You can assume Jellybean is a POS all day long but until you have given it a chance and know how to use it or access the features your opinion really is not very valuable. I have used both and know all the pluses and minuses of both and although I still prefer the iPhone/iOS ecosystem for the time being, it seems silly to never consider the possibility that the competition might not be better when it is time to upgrade to your next phone. I will always buy the best phone for me at the time of purchase and to rule out Android or even Windows phones completely without knowing anything about them seems rather obtuse. I may decide to stay with an iPhone or switch to something else, but since I only have to live with that decision for 20 months why not at least consider other possibilities? I find this fandroid and iPhone fervor really rather silly, both are good and it seems insane to never to even consider trying out a different phone since it is so easy to switch between the two platforms. Certain fanatical car owners who have owned nothing but an Accord or Camry model for over 20 years also perplex me. Buying the same model over and over is fine as long as you at least research and test drive other models once in a while and then make an informed decision. It is only a phone after all and not a loyalty oath to Steve Jobs, so it is okay to shop around come upgrade time.
Originally Posted by gwmac
Buying the same model over and over is fine as long as you at least research and test drive other models once in a while and then make an informed decision.
Buy stolen technology… don't buy stolen technology…
You act as though this is in any way an actual decision.