AirDrop Dumb FAIL

[GMah]

First of all I love the new iOS. Can't wait to have my hands on it. That said I think Apple has a big fail with AirDrop. From what I've read it will be restricted to the new devices and it seems to be mainly a software question and not because of system requirement (If the iPad mini can do it, so should the first Retina iPad since the mini is mainly based on the iPad 2).

This is a fail because AirDrop is a sharing feature, therefore to use it, you need the other to be able to use it. Nice I've an iphone 5 but i won't be able to use the feature because most of my friend are still with the iphone 4 or 4S. I won't even be able to use it with my ipad since it's a first generation retine (aka iPad 3 i think). My point is the feature is nice, but in order to gain popularity, most people has to be able to use it. Unlike Siri which had no impact if my friend had it or not, social feature in order to be useful need that most people can use them (both on sending and receiving end).

Is there a way to make Apple realise how much not enabling the feature on all (or at least most device) works against the said feature...????

 

[kch50428]

My guess is there are hardware limitations that do not allow for deployment of AirDrop as widely as you desire.

 

[ghostface147]

First of all I love the new iOS. Can't wait to have my hands on it. That said I think Apple has a big fail with AirDrop. From what I've read it will be restricted to the new devices and it seems to be mainly a software question and not because of system requirement (If the iPad mini can do it, so should the first Retina iPad since the mini is mainly based on the iPad 2).

This is a fail because AirDrop is a sharing feature, therefore to use it, you need the other to be able to use it. Nice I've an iphone 5 but i won't be able to use the feature because most of my friend are still with the iphone 4 or 4S. I won't even be able to use it with my ipad since it's a first generation retine (aka iPad 3 i think). My point is the feature is nice, but in order to gain popularity, most people has to be able to use it. Unlike Siri which had no impact if my friend had it or not, social feature in order to be useful need that most people can use them (both on sending and receiving end).

Is there a way to make Apple realise how much not enabling the feature on all (or at least most device) works against the said feature...????

Find me an iOS release that every single option was available on all previously announced supported devices outside of iOS 2.0. Multitasking wasn't allowed on the original iPhone. Changing your wallpaper wasn't allowed on 3G models. This is the way it is and always has been.

 

[GMah]

First hardware limitation i dont buy, there's nothing the mini can do that the third ipad can't... Except Airdrop.

I know every iteration of iOS brought limitation to older device, but this limitation only affected those user who had an older device ( multitasking, changing wallpaper are local feature). There's no point in me having airdrop if I can't use it with people around me, I sure do have the feature but will not use it until most people have upgraded. The same could have been said with iMessage and gamecenter which unlike most new feature in iOS history, they are global change (social/global instead of local), they get usefull only when most people adopt it...

 

[swarlos]

First of all I love the new iOS. Can't wait to have my hands on it. That said I think Apple has a big fail with AirDrop. From what I've read it will be restricted to the new devices and it seems to be mainly a software question and not because of system requirement (If the iPad mini can do it, so should the first Retina iPad since the mini is mainly based on the iPad 2).

This is a fail because AirDrop is a sharing feature, therefore to use it, you need the other to be able to use it. Nice I've an iphone 5 but i won't be able to use the feature because most of my friend are still with the iphone 4 or 4S. I won't even be able to use it with my ipad since it's a first generation retine (aka iPad 3 i think). My point is the feature is nice, but in order to gain popularity, most people has to be able to use it. Unlike Siri which had no impact if my friend had it or not, social feature in order to be useful need that most people can use them (both on sending and receiving end).

Is there a way to make Apple realise how much not enabling the feature on all (or at least most device) works against the said feature...????

Well at least most of the iDevices will get the update. I think I would rather take an update on a 2 year old device that doesn't get a few features than to not get at all *cough* all gingerbread phones.


Sent from the collector home world.

 

[mikeo007]

First of all I love the new iOS. Can't wait to have my hands on it. That said I think Apple has a big fail with AirDrop. From what I've read it will be restricted to the new devices and it seems to be mainly a software question and not because of system requirement (If the iPad mini can do it, so should the first Retina iPad since the mini is mainly based on the iPad 2).

This is a fail because AirDrop is a sharing feature, therefore to use it, you need the other to be able to use it. Nice I've an iphone 5 but i won't be able to use the feature because most of my friend are still with the iphone 4 or 4S. I won't even be able to use it with my ipad since it's a first generation retine (aka iPad 3 i think). My point is the feature is nice, but in order to gain popularity, most people has to be able to use it. Unlike Siri which had no impact if my friend had it or not, social feature in order to be useful need that most people can use them (both on sending and receiving end).

Is there a way to make Apple realise how much not enabling the feature on all (or at least most device) works against the said feature...????

The older devices lack the necessary WiFi hardware to establish the secure P2P network required for AirDrop.

 

[ghostface147]

The older devices lack the necessary WiFi hardware to establish the secure P2P network required for AirDrop.

You're going to have to back that up with a citation of some sort.

 

[tail24]

They said it was the wifi hardwear limitation from pre iPhone 5... Since ipad 4 , ipad mini, and new touch are all released after so have same wifi proto.

 

[tail24]

You're going to have to back that up with a citation of some sort.

It was during WWDC I'd say scroll to around 1:50ish

 

[bunjy]

I think many people lose sight of the the fact that Apple is a business; they are in it to make money. Hardware capabilities notwithstanding, Apple makes money when customers buy new phones. Hence, you'll always see features that are reserved for newer phones as a way to encourage customers to upgrade. Will people upgrade simply to get Airdrop? Maybe not. But I'm sure you'll see a lot of those iphone 4 and 4S models being traded in for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5 once the price drops.

 

[abazigal]

First hardware limitation i dont buy, there's nothing the mini can do that the third ipad can't... Except Airdrop.

I know every iteration of iOS brought limitation to older device, but this limitation only affected those user who had an older device ( multitasking, changing wallpaper are local feature). There's no point in me having airdrop if I can't use it with people around me, I sure do have the feature but will not use it until most people have upgraded. The same could have been said with iMessage and gamecenter which unlike most new feature in iOS history, they are global change (social/global instead of local), they get usefull only when most people adopt it...

I believe the ipad mini has a faster wireless chip compared to the ipad3 or pad2.

Though I agree it could be partly business - motivated. For example, the iPhone 4 and ipad2 never got FaceTime over 3G despite it being possible over jailbreak, and the ipad mini getting both Siri and 3G FaceTime, adding insult to injury.


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