iOS4 Blog: The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

How 3Gs-Friendly Is iOS 5, and Will It Even Matter Once the iPhone 5 Is Released?

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 09:34 AM PDT

Current iPhone 3Gs users were relieved to hear that Apples new mobile iOS 5 operating system will indeed work with the 3Gs model iPhone. But there is reason to believe that the iPhone 3Gs may only be partially supported by the new operating system. And since iOS 5 won’t be released until Fall and with rumors of an iPhone 5 release in September, will anyone even care about the 3Gs by then?

The only thing worse than getting pushed by tech companies into investing in a software upgrade is when you get pushed into upgrading and then find out the upgrade won’t work with your device. Unfortunately, this scenario may be what awaits iPhone 3Gs users who are planning to invest in the new operating system.

Early reports suggest that, while iOS 5 will run flawlessly on the iPhone 4, iPad & iPad 2, and iPod Touch 4G, there will be limitations on the 3Gs performance of iOS 5. CNET is stating that, while “Some developers are reporting early success with some features, such as the new notification system, on an iPhone 3GS, Apple has already stated that not all devices will be fully compatible with iOS 5 . . and it’s likely the 3GS will be discontinued with the launch of the iPhone 5.”

That being said, with the iPhone 5 most likely on its way in September (or around the launch of iOS 5 in the Fall), and with the assumption that the 3Gs will be phased out at that time, how much of a priority is getting the iPhone 3Gs to run iOS 5 properly for Apple? After all, the vast majority of satisfied iPhone 3Gs users are going to buy into the iPhone 5: for them, it’s most definitely upgrade time, and for those who have not jumped ship to Android, they will be eagerly plunking down their hard-earned money for the iPhone 5.

Therefore, all you current iPhone 3Gs users: iOS 5 running on a 3Gs is probably not going to mean a whole lot to you come Autumn.

Granted, there may be a handful of users who upgrade to an iPhone 5 and pass along their old 3Gs to a family member. But in that case, how important will it be for legacy iPhone 3Gs users to even bother upgrading their outdated 3Gs to the new operating system?

My prediction: iOS 5 is going to turn out to be a total mis-match for 3Gs’ers — a total waste of time and money to get it to work properly. It’s easy at this point for Apple to get up at the WWDC podium and say, “great news, everyone: iOS 5 will jive with the 3Gs.” Given the fact that the 3Gs is still being sold, proclaiming that iOS 5 would not work with it would virtually quash all 3Gs sales from this point onward.

You can say that it might be a cynical marketing move on the part of Apple; a way of “throwing us a bone” in order to keep 3Gs sales flowing until the release of the iPhone 5. But my guess is that, by the time the iPhone 5 comes out, few people will remember what “3Gs” is.

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