How long before apps require iOS 7?

[Bugeyeblue]

I got a replacement phone from apple for a battery issue. It's on iOS 6 and I'd like to leave it there. How long do you think it will be before apple or developers require the phone to be on iOS 7 to be able to use the app? I know the App Store allows legacy versions of apps to be downloaded now, which is what I'm doing, but how long will those be supported?

 

[charlituna]

I got a replacement phone from apple for a battery issue. It's on iOS 6 and I'd like to leave it there. How long do you think it will be before apple or developers require the phone to be on iOS 7 to be able to use the app? I know the App Store allows legacy versions of apps to be downloaded now, which is what I'm doing, but how long will those be supported?

February 2014 all apps will have to be optimized for iOS 7

 

[Zetaprime]

February 2014 all apps will have to be optimized for iOS 7

That's not the same as requiring iOS 7 to run, only that new apps will run better on iOS 7. I do think that as time goes by there will be more and more apps requiring iOS 7, but it might not be an issue for you until one of the apps you depend on starts requiring it.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

Thanks for the responses. I might be going for a different OS at that time. I used iOS 7 for a while, got the replacement phone with iOS 6, and don't want to update. If some apps that I use a lot start to require iOS 7, I don't know if it'll be worth it to me to stay with iOS.

 

[Mrbobb]

Well as long as you don't require whatever "new" features the apps are selling you, you can just keep using the old apps right.

After that, am afraid, is forced obsolescent.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

Well as long as you don't require whatever "new" features the apps are selling you, you can just keep using the old apps right.

After that, am afraid, is forced obsolescent.

I think the old versions of apps eventually lose support and just don't open.

 

[Mrbobb]

I think the old versions of apps eventually lose support and just don't open.

Loses support? I don't understand what you are talking about.

Your version 1.3 Camera+ works with IOS6, u don't update to 1.4, 2.0 whatever, how is that 1.3 going to stop running? If you MUST have a feature from 1.4 then no choice.

 

[bjb.butler]

I think the old versions of apps eventually lose support and just don't open.

Lol, no.

 

[Bugeyeblue]

Lol, no.

Well you're the second person to say that, so I'm glad I'm wrong. I can use iOS 6 for as long as I want with my existing apps.

I have seen, though, a few times now, the App Store requiring iOS 7 for the installation of a new app. This is another thing I was hoping wouldn't happen for a while. Seems to me like they're pushing iOS 7 subtly, but it feels like iOS 6 is on a timer just waiting to be expired.

 

[KALLT]

Well you're the second person to say that, so I'm glad I'm wrong. I can use iOS 6 for as long as I want with my existing apps.

I have seen, though, a few times now, the App Store requiring iOS 7 for the installation of a new app. This is another thing I was hoping wouldn't happen for a while. Seems to me like they're pushing iOS 7 subtly, but it feels like iOS 6 is on a timer just waiting to be expired.

In general, apps that work with iOS 6 now should still run even if they are not updated anymore for iOS 6. However, some apps may rely on external services, specifically web servers, that may change in such a way that the apps cannot be used with them anymore without an update. Some developers may even include expiry functions to prevent users from using the non-updated apps any longer.

Apple has designed the iOS ecosystem to support many devices and to push as many customers to the latest version as possible. You can agree with that decision or not, but that is how it works. By sticking with iOS 6, you will eventually lose out, as iOS 6 is becoming obsolete. There are two reasons why you are not running iOS 7, either because your hardware does not support it or because you choose not to upgrade. Both are not of concern to Apple as their interest lies with the App Store, its developers and its customers. If you don't have the equipment or are not willing to update, then you are not an App Store customer once iOS 6 is not supported anymore.

 

[Chris1W]

less than a week ago, I just bought a game that stop supporting iOS 6 26 days ago; Had to buy using iTunes, and then download "last compatible version" through the "Purchased" section on iPad

There are still a lot of new games released requiring only iOS 4.3 or iOS 5, so I think we can still see quite a lot of apps that can be installed on iOS 6 (directly or indirectly (see above)) for at least a year

 

[iPodJedi]

probably not til ios 8
maybe 9 if your lucky

 

[Altemose]

Provided the app developer doesn't specifically disable the feature, "Download Last Compatible Version" will always work. That being said, apps that depend on external resources may fail to function.

 

[C DM]

Provided the app developer doesn't specifically disable the feature, "Download Last Compatible Version" will always work. That being said, apps that depend on external resources may fail to function.

Does that still work? Apple announced it, and it seemed to work at least for some for some time, but recently it doesn't really seem to work all that well--looking at installing a few apps that existed in iOS 6 and now have been updated for iOS 7 and require it, suddenly there's no way to install an iOS 6 version that still works just fine. Unless more and more developers are somehow disabling that for their apps, which kind of undermines the whole point and usefulness of that feature to begin with.

 

[Altemose]

Apple gives the choice to the developers and I am sure that they don't do it for pointless reasons. They do not make any cash from hardware sales like Apple does so they have no reason from a money end to not allow last compatible version. They probably do it so it won't cause conflicts with servers, game saves, etc.

 

[E2EK1EL]

For games, smart developers like Rovio produce games like Angry Birds that can run from iOS 4.3 to present public builds.

Camera apps some with videos are all requiring iOS 7 now, must be the 60 fps API pushing them all to be like this. What is boggles the mind, most of these apps you can't download the legacy ver.

 

[Bear]

I got a replacement phone from apple for a battery issue. It's on iOS 6 and I'd like to leave it there. How long do you think it will be before apple or developers require the phone to be on iOS 7 to be able to use the app? I know the App Store allows legacy versions of apps to be downloaded now, which is what I'm doing, but how long will those be supported?

There will be new apps that are iOS 7 only soon (if there aren't some already) and as for apps where the current version requires iOS 7, if they interact with a server, you might find that the pre iOS 7 versions will get flaky eventually.

 

[C DM]

There will be new apps that are iOS 7 only soon (if there aren't some already) and as for apps where the current version requires iOS 7, if they interact with a server, you might find that the pre iOS 7 versions will get flaky eventually.

Pre-iOS 7 apps might not necessarily get flaky if nothing really changes as far as what they do/support. They won't get new features or fixes (if there are issues), but otherwise they could potentially work as well as they always had for a long time.

 

[Bear]

Pre-iOS 7 apps might not necessarily get flaky if nothing really changes as far as what they do/support. They won't get new features or fixes (if there are issues), but otherwise they could potentially work as well as they always had for a long time.

That's why I said might get flaky. You're not really disagreeing with what I said.

 

[C DM]

That's why I said might get flaky. You're not really disagreeing with what I said.

No, not really, just expanding on the part of might not get flaky.

 

[Stuke00]

Well you're the second person to say that, so I'm glad I'm wrong. I can use iOS 6 for as long as I want with my existing apps.

I have seen, though, a few times now, the App Store requiring iOS 7 for the installation of a new app. This is another thing I was hoping wouldn't happen for a while. Seems to me like they're pushing iOS 7 subtly, but it feels like iOS 6 is on a timer just waiting to be expired.

If the app store requires an iOS version you don't have, it will prompt you to download an older copy of that app that supports your iOS version, if one exists.

 

[bo1500000]

The problem lies when the developer posts an update for an app, and they believe that it still works properly with a previous version (poor testing, etc.).

Then you update the app, or purchase the app, or do a restore and get the newest version....and it no longer works. It can take either weeks for the developer to fix it, or finally flag it as not working in that version of IOS (which then you could download the previous version).

I supposed you should probably back up all of your apps (or your most important) if you are at an older version of IOS. Or...don't update apps unless you are 100% sure they will work.

 

[C DM]

If the app store requires an iOS version you don't have, it will prompt you to download an older copy of that app that supports your iOS version, if one exists.

It should work that way, but doesn't quite seem to a lot of the time...unless more and more developers are simply pulling the older versions, which kind of undermines the usefulness of that feature that Apple just introduced some months ago.

 

[RoboWarriorSr]

Apps that like Netflix may no longer work after a certain period since a new update may be required to stream videos so apps of that nature will no longer be supported on older software.

 

[JMountainDew]

I had to delete the Zappos app about a month ago on my os 6 iPhone because it displayed a splash screen which said that it was no longer available for os 6. Still works fine on my os 7 iPad.