For years, iOS has boasted a better, longer, smoother OS update cycle, while Android’s trump card has been customization. But as Android improves, Apple lags behind, which made me wonder if Android could finally surpass Apple in the OS update cycle.
Both Android and iOS have been playing catch-up games for a long time. Sometimes iOS takes a page from an Android book and sometimes the other way around. But it’s not about who is better or who has the best features or optimizations.
Rather, I judge them by their individual renewal cycles and how they deal with them. So instead of directly comparing iOS and Android, I compare past iOS to current iOS and past Android to current Android, and then see who’s leading the game.
Why Apple might lose the edge with iOS 16?
One of the most important reasons for choosing iOS over Android was Apple’s promise of at least 4 years of OS release and security updates. This gave users confidence in durability and the benefits of the latest features and safety.
However, the latest iOS update, iOS 16, has widened the discrepancies in Apple’s update cycle. Users of older iPhones can no longer claim the same. Why? Watch a short video.
Chop and not hard
Apple has disabled three series of iPhones (iPhone 6s, iPhone SE (1st generation), and iPhone 7) from the iOS 16 update. Yes, the devices are 7-6 years old and Apple has already gone beyond its 4-year update promise, but technically the giant was selling the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus until 2019.
So it’s a bit of a shock to those unfortunates who bought the iPhone 7 series three years ago. And while the number of disappointed iPhone 7 users may be small, every smartphone user is important, right?
While to be honest, I’m not too mad at Apple for dropping these devices, they were pretty old. And iOS 16 would take a toll on their performance. So, even though it’s a hard pill to swallow, it’s an understandable decision.
Apple’s feature distribution is sometimes unfair
However, this inexplicable, biased distribution of functions annoyed me. It’s one thing not to have an update, but having an update stripped of nearly every feature it claims is even more detrimental.
And users of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X series will get over it. Some features are blocked under the guise of “A12 Bionic and later”and some are simply available for iPhone XS and later.
List of iOS 16 features not available on iPhone 8 series and iPhone X:
- Layered wallpaper effect. While the new lock screen is available on all devices, the depth effect for smart clock placement is blocked.
- Raise an object from the background – No, you can’t get this magical feature either.
- Live Text – Missing as of iOS 15 😐.
- No new dictation feature – you can’t dictate and type at the same time, or have emoji support indicating if you have a 2018 iPhone.
- Unable to add medicine through iPhone camera
- Nearly all of the new Siri features are missing. Along with the lack of offline support for Siri, you also can’t ask “Hey Siri,
- What can I do here?
- hang up
We don’t require anything naughty, are we Apple?
⚠️ Soapbox Alert ⚠️ I have some questions for Apple
- If Google Lens can work great on almost any device, why is Live Text acting so arrogant?
- When several AI background remover apps work flawlessly on the 2018 iPhone, why doesn’t your function work with them?
- Is the A11 Bionic’s processor so weak that it can’t handle users clicking on pictures of their medications or using dictation and typing at the same time?
We don’t require the 2018 iPhone to work with 5G and then 6G after it’s released. We will understand if it is some kind of hardware problem; let’s say it needs LiDAR or some kind of XYZ sensor.
These locks or restrictions seem like a cheap tactic to encourage users to upgrade their old phones. Though, aren’t you the kind of company that claims their devices can be used for years? Plus, now what happened to your goal of 100% carbon neutrality?
It’s not just iPhone
I could for a short time attribute this to genuine software/hardware limitations. However, Apple does this so often that it looks more like a strategy than a limitation. Take, for example, all the iPadOS 16 Stage Manager debate.
Apple has blocked this feature for the iPad M1. When the finger was pointed at him, the tech giant conveniently stated the need for ultra-fast virtual memory paging support. However, this is not quite true. Check out this tweet:
Aside: TIL Virtual Memory Swap is only supported on iPad Air (M1) with 256GB of storage or higher.
Stage Manager works on iPad Air (M1) at all storage sizes, so swap is not a critical dependency. Curious little tidbit of information pic.twitter.com/FPnklFay6c
Beware Apple Android is catching up fast
Android device developers are stressed every year. In February 2022, Samsung promised to offer Android OS updates on select Galaxy devices for four years. Plus an extra year of security updates.
OnePlus announced last year that the flagship device will receive three major Android updates and four years of security updates. Yes, there are gaps in the armor.
You don’t get all the standard Android features; what you get or don’t get depends on the company. Then, these long-term updates are only promised to select flagship devices. Moreover, Android updates are not as synchronized and timely as iOS.
So there is more to strive for. However, the point here is that as Apple competitors like Samsung, Google and OnePlus improve their update cycle, the Cupertino giant is taking its loyal consumers for granted.
Who will win the OS war in the future?
I can’t predict the direction of the tide. But I know that if Apple isn’t more careful, it could be ousted sooner rather than later.
Ironically, Apple has finally given iOS users some of the customization options they can boast to Android users. It is phasing out a perk (OS update cycle) that iOS users are currently bragging about.
The competition is heating up more than ever, and Apple can no longer take its past success or loyal fans for granted. Instead of pushing existing users to upgrade to the latest device version, they should encourage other device users to upgrade to iOS.
At least I would, but then I’m not on Apple’s payroll (yet🤞). While I may say so and share it with my readers, that is exactly what I have done here.
What do you think about it? Do you think Apple is giving Android an opportunity to take over? Or will iOS be able to rise again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.