Posts from Semigoodlooking in thread „Apple TV“

Quote from Rice

Semigoodlooking , please elaborate on “as the iPhone/Ipad ages the biggest problem is software. If you enjoy apps then at some point your iPad/iPhone will become useless to you.”

Thanks!

At some point Apple stops supporting a device if it becomes too old. That means new versions of iOS will be available for that device. So, if you buy a new iPhone today, it ships with iOS 14. It will be able to get future version updates (iOS 15, iOS 16, etc.) until Apple cuts support. Once this happens, your iPhone will not get the latest iOS versions.

That means no security updates or fixes for bugs. However, it also means developer support for older iOS versions dries up. Many developers will only maintain their apps on the latest versions of a platfrom, so if your iPhone is stuck on an older version it will not receive app updates and frequently the app will simply stop working on your phone.

This used to be a much bigger problem on iOS than it is now. I had a 1st generation iPad that became almost useless in terms of using apps... still fine for browsing though. I mean YouTube, Facebook, Netflix, Gmail, Maps, all became useless and/or unavailable.

However, Apple has made massive strides in device support in recent years. The company now promises to support all devices for 7 years. That means the iPhone you buy today with iOS 14 will continue to get support right up to iOS 21 in seven years time. The oldest iPhone currently getting iOS 14 is the iPhone 6s/6s Plus, which launched back in 2015. It's last iOS update (15) will come next year. After that, if you happen to still have an iPhone 6S, your app situation will become more sketchy.

It is also worth noting that app developers may continue to maintain their app even if Apple is not offering support of an older iOS version. Another note is Apple's seven-year support is excellent service in my opinion and I think 7 years is fair considering most people will change their phone in that time. For comparison, Samsung only supports phones for four years.

I hope that is not too complicated, but that's how it works.

Edit to add I think support for fixing an Apple product is less than seven years, but I am not sure how much. So, if you're device breaks and you wants an official fix, it's worth checking how long Apple provdies services for.

Yeah, iPads are of excellent build quality, iPhones too, and will last you years and years provided you don't drop it. Android phones less so. I tend to have Android because I prefer the variety in designs of handsets (yes, I am shallow). Still, there is no doubt the build quality of iPhone is a step above even the best Samsung devices. My wife takes her iPhone X out of its case and it is pristine even after 3 years. I was holding a Note 20 (Samsung), a device that is three years newer, looks amazing, and is certainly not built poorly, but it just doesn't compare to the 3-year-old iPhone.

It is part of the reason Apple dominates sales.

However, as the iPhone/Ipad ages the biggest problem is software. If you enjoy apps then at some point your iPad/iPhone will become useless to you. That's less of a proble with me because I do not download a lot of apps. Of course, your device leaving the support window also means it will not get security updates or fixes for bugs. That is less of a problem on iOS because it is a closed system. It is also worth noting this is not an issue exlucisve to iOS... Android devices also have almost identical, and often worse, support cycles.

We still have cable so we had flow to give us access to HBO and Fox Premium on demand. HBO is alright but it is not the full streaming service. Netflix remains our go to and for me on my own, 99% of anything I watch is on YouTube. The best thing about YouTube is it lets me niche down. I have 2 to 3 content creators I watch across each of my hobbies and interests. Netflix is mostly for documentaries and the occasional series or movie. Could never get into Amazon Prime but that’s because it is not on our TV or Chromecast and I don’t like watching through a PC.