IT HAS always been rumoured that when Apple releases new versions of its iOS software for iPhone and iPad, it rolls out software that will slow down older devices, forcing them to upgrade and buy a newer device.
New rumours reported by 9to5Mac suggest the company has actually been working on ways to make the next version of iOS work better on older devices.
Devices as old as 2011’s iPhone 4S are said to be supported by Apple’s next big software update, a surprise, as Apple traditonally only supports the last three generations of iPhone with updates.
Historically, Apple developed its software with new features for older devices then stripped several of those features if they didn’t believe the older device could support them.
Apple is now taking a reverse approach by building a version of iOS 9 that runs smoothly and efficiently on older devices before adding new features one-by-one.
Another win for older devices is that a change to how iOS apps are built means that iPhone apps should be much smaller than before, especially handy for those with 8GB or 16GB devices that are filled up.
Due to be revealed next month, 9to5Mac is reporting several new features that their sources have told them are coming. These include using a new system-wide font, like on the Apple Watch, split screen apps on iPads and big upgrades including transit times in Apple Maps.
Online Sources