harlekwin

Well,

It seems an absolute age since it was announced but now iOS 6 is knocking on the door. 19/Sep/2012 is here.

Day One:

Every release of iOS has had difficulties with hundreds of thousands of users clambering to get the operating system as soon as possible.
Last year, iOS 5 very nearly ‘bricked‘ many phones, especially the 3GS, when the software seemed to stall mid-installation. A very worrying issue. If the firmware fails to load the only fix is to send the phone to Apple. At your expense, normally.
Be careful then, in the first few days. Leave it to ‘mugs‘ like me.
Then, when the dust settles, give it a whirl. At your leisure, when you have plenty of time.
The last major update took up 6 hours of my life in total.

Features:

We’ve all seen them.
My favourite is still the enhancements to the phone. Sending a polite message informing the caller you’re busy it even asking them for more information, excellent.

When I have the OS installed on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 3GS I’ll review the features properly.

iPad Blues:

Alas, my poor original iPad falls out of scope of Apple updates with this iteration of iOS.
A bit sad, a bit annoying for a bit of kit that is on the expensive side of ‘affordable’.
I am hoping for a final revision of iOS 5, but not expecting it.
Slowly the Apps will update and drop support for iOS 5.
But perhaps a two year support cycle is the proper model? Microsoft must have been held back by its requirement to continue support of Windows XP for so, so long. Even now some large businesses are struggling to change over to Windows 7, and even that will be one version off current very, very shortly.
Apple, unlike Microsoft, have decided to stop support for ‘legacy’ as quickly as possible.
Still, hardware used to be expected to provide a ROI over three years. Mobiles have always be dodgy in this with some tech being replaced/obsolete with six months. But if you use your iPad as I do it is more like the ultimate mobile PC.
I play games, play music, write documents, do my finances, read the news, answer emails, update my blog [sic - though not today] and connect to and perform work. All through the original iPad.
I am going to be reluctant to upgrade the hardware or to drop the device.
The pool of Lost Tech is littered with such events.
Anyone remember the GameGear?

Looking Forward:

To be honest, though, I am eager to get the new iOS. I have been a tad disappointed with Apple since they lost their inspirational leader. Even the work of Ives seems to have dropped a peg or two.
Apple need another game changer, soon. If not then they may find that companies like Microsoft and even Samsung or Nokia (or bizarrely Amazon) get the jump on them.

If Apple cannot demonstrate the “Value Added” for the additional costs, they will start to lose ground.