Should Apple allow users to downgrade their OS?

Chris Parsons

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Looking around here and various other parts of the internet, there is plenty of folks asking how they can go about downgrading their OS due to <insert reason> .. of course, it's not just iOS 7 people are looking to get away from. People have been asking for this sort of thing each time a new OS is released and they don't like something about it but after a while, most people get over and it move on. For some though, it's a pretty big deal and having the ability to revert to something more well know would certainly be preferred. I know there is always a window in which folks CAN downgrade but should Apple make it a bit more optional?
 

swarlos

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Yes that should be an option at least to the last 2 previous versions of the OS.


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WhiteRa

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Well, it seems a bit counterintuitive (if I'm even using the right word), since by allowing the user to revert back to a previous OS or two for a prolonged time, it shows that Apple isn't confident that everybody will like and enjoy the new OS.
 

jmr1015

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Yeah, I'm gonna go with no. Each version of iOS has been better than the last, once the kinks have been worked out. iOS 7 will be no different. Give it time.
 

Jerry_

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I think that we should analyze this question in different aspects:
- technical and functional
- graphical

While hopefully every new main version of the iOS brings new features and improvements (with the ususal hick-ups in the launch period), changing users' ergonomic experience is often also a major factor.

Therefore we will have users that want to revert back for
(1) having disfunctions with Wifi connections etc. (clearly related to the OS)
(2) having issues with some of the apps that they consider to be key apps for them
(3) not feeling comfortable with the new UI

Regarding the previous mentioned points, the solution could be
(1) test, test and test; and if at the end there is still some issues left, bring rapidly a corrective version.
I think that here the Apple OS developers do a better job then for other OSs; but they also have a strategic advantage by the fact that they need to comply only with a limited number of hardware (Apple products).

(2) issues with apps are clearly out of the scope of OS designers, yet are a major issue for the endusers.
If an App is maintained then likely fixes will be delivered in short time. In order to distinguish apps with support from those without support, the AppStore should remove (or block the installation of ) apps which did not have any updated version since version n-1 of the current iOS (i.e. apps that had the last version released during iOS5 should be considered risky under iOS7).
Therefore, before in the beginning of the migration to a newer iOS version a scan of the installed Apps should be done, taking users attention to such risk factors, while allowing him to decide whether to progress or not.

(3) finally the UI is the main factor of interaction between the user and the device.
In order to smooth the transition or satisfy the nostalgic, it should be possible to have themes reproducing a UI like previous versions of iOS.

Additionally one could only recommend to Apple a less "agressive" notification that a new iOS version has been released. Lots of average users just get trapped with the message that their device tells them they can get something new and do the change without many considerations, but feel trapped then.

Nonethesless users should have the possibility to revert back, even so if this also includes of reverting to earlier versions of some apps.
 
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Fausty82

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But some folks consider the current standard broken. Especially my non-technical Mother who hates the new OS and keeps asking me why she can't "just change it back".

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...
 

pr1nce

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I'm not saying revert back 2 previous versions. I just think maybe the last version should be available for a few more days.
 

li2327

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Even though I personally like the new iOS 7, I think it would be nice if users had an option as to which iOS they wanted to use.


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Just_Me_D

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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
 

Buckshot 66

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I think it would be awesome to have the choice for sure. Most people that complain about the new os, if they hAd the option to go back it would probably eliminate the complaining a little bit
 

ankush77

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there should be a choice for downgrading ,because their can be many changes in new OS which user will not be comfortable for his or her user patterns .
Secondly new OS updates always have bugs,it happens ,nothing is perfect in this world.
 

Buckshot 66

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there should be a choice for downgrading ,because their can be many changes in new OS which user will not be comfortable for his or her user patterns .
Secondly new OS updates always have bugs,it happens ,nothing is perfect in this world.

Agreed. Any new os there is a growing period


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Fausty82

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there should be a choice for downgrading ,because their can be many changes in new OS which user will not be comfortable for his or her user patterns .
Secondly new OS updates always have bugs,it happens ,nothing is perfect in this world.

Agreed. Any new os there is a growing period

There IS a choice. You exercised it when you clicked the Update Software button. If you don’t want it, don’t do the upgrade. And definitely don’t upgrade the moment you see the link. Do the research and then make your choice. There were tons of articles and reviews out within days of the initial beta release... and certainly a plethora of reviews, praise and criticism were published everywhere long before the 09/10/13 GM release and the 09/18 GA release.
 

djstarion

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Some people just don't like any change.

It's no different that the outrage whenever Facebook decides to change their pages. People get up-in-arms and threaten to leave Facebook (remember the open source alternative to Facebook?) and never use it again. A few months later Facebook's active user count has increased not decreased. Sure, a few might follow through, but most do not. They hate change, but then they adapt and then have amnesia about why they disliked the change in the first place.
I was thinking the same thing. I feel like if Apple changed a lot in iOS 8, people would be like "WHY?! Can't we go back to iOS 7!?"
 

Fit24

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No I don't think Apple should allow users to downgrade their OS after they've chosen to perform the upgrade.
 

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