Since that spectacular launch of the iPhone, the Apple WWDC events have brought loads of encouraging features and promising apps to the dedicated consumers. However, during every WWDC event, I always get the jitters before the announcement of a newer iOS version, the innate question being, will they support my iPhone model or will I have to live with an ‘older’ model. I say “old” because, in Apple’s parlance, the annual releases of iOS and macOS makes even a two-year-old device purchase obsolete! Without an upgraded iOS the iPhone becomes slower, loses support for most of the apps I use frequently which consequently downgrades the overall user experience for me. Besides, as a committed Apple consumer, the addition of features and product upgrades with subsequent iOS releases, there’s a sense of betrayal that they couldn’t manage to upgrade the software and support a wide array of iPhones. Not anymore. At the WWDC 2018 this week, Craig Federighi announced that the forthcoming iOS 12 (launching this fall 2018) would be supporting the same iPhone/iPad devices running iOS 11! Which means, not only would the newer release include tons of new features the apps in older iPhones are expected to launch up to 40 per cent faster, and you can slide to take a photo at up to 70 per cent faster than with iOS 11. This is a big win for iPhone 5S owners which was launched as far back as 2013. Most importantly, it decisively puts to rest the argument about the ‘planned obsolescence’ theory in iPhones and iPads thus saving them from the land-fills.
As Jason Koebler at Motherboard opines:
[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]It remains to be seen whether iOS 12 will actually make the iPhone 6 faster, especially with third-party apps. But it’s important that Apple is at least paying lip service to phone longevity, and appears to be trying to optimize its new software for old hardware. It’s not sexy, but it’s a small step toward making our electronics less disposable.[/perfectpullquote]
This is a promising start by Apple and their commitment to sustaining the environment is noteworthy, but what the consumers heartily desire is to hold onto their beloved iDevices a little bit longer.
