Should Apple allow users to downgrade their OS?

iEd

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Other than a jailbreak what does it take to roll a device back to iOS 6.

I mean what does Apple have to do to give us this option since the iPhone and iPad is more or less controlled by iTunes. It's not like a Mac where I can boot my 2007 iMac with a OSX Leopard disc or all the way up to Mavericks.

Does Apple keep iOS 6 on their servers for a period of time? I have the app Launch Center Pro. Had it since iOS 6. Now it requires iOS 7 and above.

If one updates to iOS 7 and then updates this app and then decides they don't like iOS 7 You can't get the iOS 6 version of the app. I have a few paid apps that won't open in iOS 7 I think the dev stopped support a while ago.

I think the user has to put more thought into updating these days especially with iDevices.

But hey it's not impossible that one day Apple might allow us to roll back. Who knows.
 

jmr1015

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This discussion has made me curious of one thing though... I wonder how ridiculous fast the iPhone 5S would manhandle its way through iOS 6 if it were 64-bit optimized
 

tigerinexile

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Yes, Apple should allow downgrades.

The last o/s or two can get a bit laggy for each device -- my old iPad 1 was not great on iOS 5.1.1, and I'd have happy downgraded it to iOS 4.x to have it run zippily again.

Will they? Doubtful. Partly because of pride, partly because of the upgrade cycle.
 

natasftw

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No. Everyone had the choice to upgrade or not buy a new device with iOS 7 on it.

That's not really a reason to support your position. That's if I ignore the huge assumption you make in this claim.

Consider meals. If you eat steak for dinner tonight and have chicken tomorrow, does that mean you shouldn't be allowed to have steak the following night because you had the choice to continue eating steak and opted to have a night of chicken?

It's entirely impossible to know how you'll interact with any given OS without actually interacting with it. As each iOS ages, apps slowly stop continuing support for older OS builds. This likely has a greater impact on "adaptation" than "amnesia."

It's interesting to me that you believe you should have the choice to use iOS, as you please. But, you simultaneously believe others should be denied the ability to use the iOS they please.

Now, about that assumption. With any tech, things happen. If someone makes the decision to avoid an upgrade and remain on an older iOS build, things can happen and require a restore. The restore only allows the most recent iOS. You cannot reasonably claim that everyone using the most recent iOS did so purely by choice unless you consider opting to leave their phone broken as an option.
 

ThePinkChameleon

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Wow...This is a great question. On the surface, it is easy for me to say yes, but I'm not so sure. What percent of customers would actually keep using the older OS if given the choice? Some would, but I don't think they'd be in the majority, and being that people want the latest and greatest, especially in regard to technology, why wouldn't Apple make it so that people couldn't revert back to older versions? Still, a part of me think that they should compromise and allow a 6-month or so timeframe for customers to make the transition to the latest version. Heck, I don't know. I haven't even had coffee yet....lol

I have mixed feelings on this as well. Looking at a most technical point of view & having the option to go back one iOS version could get sticky because, think about it. You update to the newest, you absolutely LOVE it the first week...your app updates start flowing in and yeeaahhh, let's get in those updates ! Lol. Fast forward, 2 weeks later. Not so happy anymore. Ok, well Apple will let you roll back from iOS7 to iOS6.1.3. GREAT!! Let's do it. BUT WAIT....what about those apps you use faithfully that are now only iOS7 capable.... Here's where the "uhh-oh" comes in. So then you have to roll back, but in addition, find new apps to replace the ones you faithfully used because iOS6 doesn't support them anymore. So no, not a good idea.

BUT WAIT....there's more lol.

Now, on the other side of th coin....yes I feel that you should be able to roll back. My reasoning being 1) some are really struggling with the way iOS 7 "flows" in and out. Getting motion sick from the animations. Or 2) users that are just really, really struggling with the overhaul of the iOS and perhaps anxiety is setting in (?)

It really is a hard coin toss to say if Apple should allow it or not....(if it were to ever become an option)
 

Just_Me_D

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I have mixed feelings on this as well. Looking at a most technical point of view & having the option to go back one iOS version could get sticky because, think about it. You update to the newest, you absolutely LOVE it the first week...your app updates start flowing in and yeeaahhh, let's get in those updates ! Lol. Fast forward, 2 weeks later. Not so happy anymore. Ok, well Apple will let you roll back from iOS7 to iOS6.1.3. GREAT!! Let's do it. BUT WAIT....what about those apps you use faithfully that are now only iOS7 capable.... Here's where the "uhh-oh" comes in. So then you have to roll back, but in addition, find new apps to replace the ones you faithfully used because iOS6 doesn't support them anymore. So no, not a good idea.

BUT WAIT....there's more lol.

Now, on the other side of th coin....yes I feel that you should be able to roll back. My reasoning being 1) some are really struggling with the way iOS 7 "flows" in and out. Getting motion sick from the animations. Or 2) users that are just really, really struggling with the overhaul of the iOS and perhaps anxiety is setting in (?)

It really is a hard coin toss to say if Apple should allow it or not....(if it were to ever become an option)

I know, right...(laughing)....Still, it's not a secret that Apple wants total control of the iPhone experience, and if they want to keep that control then no, they shouldn't allow users to downgrade the iOS.
 

Fausty82

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Now, on the other side of th coin....yes I feel that you should be able to roll back. My reasoning being 1) some are really struggling with the way iOS 7 "flows" in and out. Getting motion sick from the animations. Or 2) users that are just really, really struggling with the overhaul of the iOS and perhaps anxiety is setting in (?)

Simple fix. Apple should allow the ability to turn off features that cause physical issues like vertigo with the parallax effect. Stick the setting in Accessibility settings... oh, wait, never mind. They already did.
 

ThePinkChameleon

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Simple fix. Apple should allow the ability to turn off features that cause physical issues like vertigo with the parallax effect. Stick the setting in Accessibility settings... oh, wait, never mind. They already did.

Yes they did. But what I was referring to was the motion of how the apps or folder appears to draw in or out when unlocking your device &opening/closing an app , if that makes sense.
My mother has some medical issues & owns an iPad mini..but aft seeing how my phone functions on iOS7, she can't upgrade hers because it affects her in a negative way & I turned off the parallax just because I felt no 'need' for it. Now my parents aren't tech savy, dont read blogs etc. so they look to me to help them as much as I can with what I know, or can learn. What if they weren't able to "rely" on me, & upgraded without knowing the outcome of the "total ios overhaul". This is where I feel that you should be able to downgrade in this given case....
 

Speedygi

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I'm of the opinion that you should be able to. You paid for the device and you should have the option to go back if you want.
 

jmr1015

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You did pay for the device... you did not pay for the OS. Apple gives that away... year after year. For free.

As others have said, Apple didn't force anyone to upgrade. Maybe be patient and research before diving in to a new iOS. But expecting Apple, and 3rd party app developers, to spend money to continually support people who want to flip flop to older versions of the already free OS is asking a bit much. If you had to pay for new versions of iOS, like Windows or OS X... then of course, switching back is and always should be an option. I'm sure Apple would be fine with charging for iOS if you really want to go that route.
 

WhiteSpir1t

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I'd really like that. By now, Apple has probably gotten rid of the certs/shsh blobs. Lost cause? Heck, lets start petitioning! I'm sure it will float since Apple does listen to it's customers.


Posted via BlackBerry Z10 <-----when you've sold your soul to the devil
 

Fausty82

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I'm of the opinion that you should be able to. You paid for the device and you should have the option to go back if you want.

And no one is taking your right to that opinion away. But Apple will not let you go back to an earlier version of iOS once you’ve upgraded IF they are no longer signing the old version... Where would it end? Should I be allowed to install iPhone OS 1.0 on my original iPhone at this point?
 

melbsteve

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wouldn't allowing it mean the first step towards fragmentation of an OS? Something Apple users to this day (fortunately) didn't have to bother with?
 

pappy53

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I get that not everyone likes it. But the press is full of walk-throughs and reviews... with the exception of someone buying the new model of the iPhone, we all made the choice to upgrade. Maybe this is one of the reasons that iOS is one of the least fragmented mobile operating systems around...

There are a lot of older people that do not see walk-throughs and reviews. All that they see is that an upgrade is available, so they click on it. I think that Apple should hold the previous version open for reinstall for at least two weeks. Don't you test drive a car before you buy it?
 

Fausty82

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There are a lot of older people that do not see walk-throughs and reviews. All that they see is that an upgrade is available, so they click on it. I think that Apple should hold the previous version open for reinstall for at least two weeks. Don't you test drive a car before you buy it?

Only after reading the reviews... and we’re talking about upgrading an operating system on a phone, not buying a car. But I suppose the phrase caveat emptor applies to both situations.

Do you just go around pushing buttons and clicking links without understanding what you’re doing or what the effect will be?
 

pr1nce

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This is a tough question. I kinda agree with Pink. On one hand I think Apple should allow downgrades to the previous version maybe for a week. But on the other hand I understand that Apple wants to control the product and the iOS experience.
 

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