I am an iOS app developer. There is a noticeable performance difference between the CPU in the 3GS vs the A4 in the iPhone 4 but I don't believe that on its own that is enough reason for Apple to drop support for that platform. RAM size would be a reason but the iPad and iPod Touch 4th gen both have the same memory size (256MB) as the iPhone 3GS and there is no rumors that those devices will not be supported. Also if the iPhone 3GS was dropped, the 3rd generation iPod Touch would almost certainly have to lose support as well.
The only technical reasons I can think of why Apple would decide not to support the iPhone 3GS are:
1. The A4 chip has some sort of secure code execution that is needed for security in iOS 5. This is pure speculation since this feature has never been disclosed. It is something that Apple would want to add and they may have done so and been waiting for an iOS version that they could turn it on across their full range of supported devices.
2. Apple wants to save money by dropping support of older platforms.This seems very unlikely considering that the 3GS is currently being sold. Google is committing to 18 months of support with their new anti-fragmentation initiative.
3. iOS 5 is such a memory hog that the overhead of the extra memory needed to run the phone software is enough to eliminate the 3GS (and only the 3GS since all other supported devices are either not phones or have double the memory).
It will be interesting to see how well the manufacturers support Google's commitment since they make the actual phones. How well a phone can run with a new software update can be as important or even more important than being able to run the update. Apple has a proven history of update support, Google and most Android manufacturers not so much.
I would be surprised if most of the regulars here ever expected the 3GS to be fully-supported with iOS5. Rather than have to deal with older hardware (ala Microsoft), Apple historically only fully supports the current and next oldest previous version of it's iPhones hasn't it? Two gen's back would be unusual for Apple.
Add to this that they allowed updates of the 3g to iOS 4 with the warning that it would lack features, could have slower performance etc. Basically "you can do it but we don't recommend it" and no shock it was a mess. So they had to go back and fix it instead of focusing on the more current hardware.
This time, it seems, they aren't going to allow updates that won't meet their standard of performance. Thus avoiding the same cock up. While staying within the expectations they have set in the T&C etc
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody
So ... 2 OS versions (including the one it ships with), and all the updates for each is all that they promise.
Not exactly. They said the iOS that it originally releases with, not what it ships with. Plus one upgrade and updates.
the 3gs released with iOS 3 and was supported through iOS4. There should be no expectation that they will support the 3gs with iOS 5 because they have actually said they don't promise to.
That some models shipped with iOS4 or even that they are selling the 3gs still doesn't matter because shipping and sales dates are not what they use to start the clock - original release date is.
Same here. Just got a Verizon 4 as an upgrade from 3GS, and sure the 4 is better, but the 3GS was great. The 3G... not so much. That one got slow.
I'll bet iOS 5 has some processor intensive stuff that the A5 will handle fine and the A4 will struggle with. Maybe Apple will do a reduced release for 3GS owners like they did with the 3G (only better). Its still a good phone.
2 years of updates is 6 months better than Google Android which, for future handsets will offer 18 months of updates (if the hardware partners can prep and issue them in time).
+1 If you expect to have all the latest features and best performance then you MUST buy the newest model.
The problem is, you might be cut off from the app store, which would be a valid complaint if it happens. Historically, Apple required apps to be native to the newest iOS within a month or two in order to remain listed, and that generally prevents use on older versions of iOS.
I would never trade my 3GS running iOS4 for one running iOS3. One major OS update is certainly a reasonable expectation, but given how well the 3G runs iOS4 (not well at all) I can see why they'd want to limit it to one major OS update.
I think the real argument and difference here is that Apple is still currently selling the 3GS. It would strike me as odd for a customer to walk into a store the day that iOS 5 is release, buy a 3GS and have an Apple store employee tell them on the way out the door that they can't install the latest and greatest (aka current) iOS on their shiny new iPhone. Of course, I'm also suspecting that with the release of the iPhone 5 Apple will ditch the 3GS and move the low end to a 8GB iPhone 4, or something similar.
I think the real argument and difference here is that Apple is still currently selling the 3GS.
While it's true that the 3G had been discontinued by the time iOS4 was generally available, it was only by a matter of days. In practical terms, there were many customers who had bought brand new iPhone 3G devices recently enough that they had 18+ months of contract left during which they could look forward to abysmal performance and usability thanks to Apple's near-forced OS upgrades and complete refusal to allow downgrades. I doubt the 3GS will be completely barred from the iOS5 world, but I will not be at all surprised if, much like the 3G and iOS4, it gets an abridged version of the new OS with nearly no new desirable features but a major performance hit. In that case, its only potentially redeeming quality will be that it allows 3GS owners to stay in the app store ecosystem a little longer.
There is a huge difference between making something that has not been sold for a while obsolete and something that is sold obsolete over night
My dual G5 is obsolete as it does not work with 10.6 Office 2011, Firefox 4 but so what 10.6. But is was discontinued in 2006 and then rendered obsolete late 2009 by 10.6 and that is OK
However, selling G3 GS right up to the the arrival of an iOS that it has no spport for would be really bad...
Comments
True... but let's examine this a little further.
The iPhone 3GS came out in summer 2009... and it will be supported until summer 2011. That's 2 years.
It's not Apple's fault you waited until today to buy a 3GS
And let's be honest... if you're buying a 3GS today... you're probably not the type of person who will be chasing updates.
There will always have to be a hard cutoff. There was a cutoff for MacOS 9... and for PowerPC chips... even if you just bought them yesterday.
+1 If you expect to have all the latest features and best performance then you MUST buy the newest model.
I am an iOS app developer. There is a noticeable performance difference between the CPU in the 3GS vs the A4 in the iPhone 4 but I don't believe that on its own that is enough reason for Apple to drop support for that platform. RAM size would be a reason but the iPad and iPod Touch 4th gen both have the same memory size (256MB) as the iPhone 3GS and there is no rumors that those devices will not be supported. Also if the iPhone 3GS was dropped, the 3rd generation iPod Touch would almost certainly have to lose support as well.
The only technical reasons I can think of why Apple would decide not to support the iPhone 3GS are:
1. The A4 chip has some sort of secure code execution that is needed for security in iOS 5. This is pure speculation since this feature has never been disclosed. It is something that Apple would want to add and they may have done so and been waiting for an iOS version that they could turn it on across their full range of supported devices.
2. Apple wants to save money by dropping support of older platforms.This seems very unlikely considering that the 3GS is currently being sold. Google is committing to 18 months of support with their new anti-fragmentation initiative.
3. iOS 5 is such a memory hog that the overhead of the extra memory needed to run the phone software is enough to eliminate the 3GS (and only the 3GS since all other supported devices are either not phones or have double the memory).
It will be interesting to see how well the manufacturers support Google's commitment since they make the actual phones. How well a phone can run with a new software update can be as important or even more important than being able to run the update. Apple has a proven history of update support, Google and most Android manufacturers not so much.
I would be surprised if most of the regulars here ever expected the 3GS to be fully-supported with iOS5. Rather than have to deal with older hardware (ala Microsoft), Apple historically only fully supports the current and next oldest previous version of it's iPhones hasn't it? Two gen's back would be unusual for Apple.
Add to this that they allowed updates of the 3g to iOS 4 with the warning that it would lack features, could have slower performance etc. Basically "you can do it but we don't recommend it" and no shock it was a mess. So they had to go back and fix it instead of focusing on the more current hardware.
This time, it seems, they aren't going to allow updates that won't meet their standard of performance. Thus avoiding the same cock up. While staying within the expectations they have set in the T&C etc
So ... 2 OS versions (including the one it ships with), and all the updates for each is all that they promise.
Not exactly. They said the iOS that it originally releases with, not what it ships with. Plus one upgrade and updates.
the 3gs released with iOS 3 and was supported through iOS4. There should be no expectation that they will support the 3gs with iOS 5 because they have actually said they don't promise to.
That some models shipped with iOS4 or even that they are selling the 3gs still doesn't matter because shipping and sales dates are not what they use to start the clock - original release date is.
I've never had a problem with iOS4 on my 3Gs
Same here. Just got a Verizon 4 as an upgrade from 3GS, and sure the 4 is better, but the 3GS was great. The 3G... not so much. That one got slow.
I'll bet iOS 5 has some processor intensive stuff that the A5 will handle fine and the A4 will struggle with. Maybe Apple will do a reduced release for 3GS owners like they did with the 3G (only better). Its still a good phone.
+1 If you expect to have all the latest features and best performance then you MUST buy the newest model.
The problem is, you might be cut off from the app store, which would be a valid complaint if it happens. Historically, Apple required apps to be native to the newest iOS within a month or two in order to remain listed, and that generally prevents use on older versions of iOS.
I would never trade my 3GS running iOS4 for one running iOS3. One major OS update is certainly a reasonable expectation, but given how well the 3G runs iOS4 (not well at all) I can see why they'd want to limit it to one major OS update.
I think the real argument and difference here is that Apple is still currently selling the 3GS. It would strike me as odd for a customer to walk into a store the day that iOS 5 is release, buy a 3GS and have an Apple store employee tell them on the way out the door that they can't install the latest and greatest (aka current) iOS on their shiny new iPhone. Of course, I'm also suspecting that with the release of the iPhone 5 Apple will ditch the 3GS and move the low end to a 8GB iPhone 4, or something similar.
I think the real argument and difference here is that Apple is still currently selling the 3GS.
While it's true that the 3G had been discontinued by the time iOS4 was generally available, it was only by a matter of days. In practical terms, there were many customers who had bought brand new iPhone 3G devices recently enough that they had 18+ months of contract left during which they could look forward to abysmal performance and usability thanks to Apple's near-forced OS upgrades and complete refusal to allow downgrades. I doubt the 3GS will be completely barred from the iOS5 world, but I will not be at all surprised if, much like the 3G and iOS4, it gets an abridged version of the new OS with nearly no new desirable features but a major performance hit. In that case, its only potentially redeeming quality will be that it allows 3GS owners to stay in the app store ecosystem a little longer.
My dual G5 is obsolete as it does not work with 10.6 Office 2011, Firefox 4 but so what 10.6. But is was discontinued in 2006 and then rendered obsolete late 2009 by 10.6 and that is OK
However, selling G3 GS right up to the the arrival of an iOS that it has no spport for would be really bad...