Apple’s Upcoming iOS 9 To Improve Support For Older iPhone, iPad Devices

Apple is on a constant mission to always improve on its mobile operating system, iOS, in every version it releases to the masses. iOS 9 will surely be no exception, and upon its release, we can expect the usual talk about debugging technical issues and enhancing system stability. Of course, there will be some new features too. But perhaps the most intriguing thing is that Apple is reportedly working to improve support for older iOS running devices, particularly older models of iPhones and iPads, even those that are not being sold in stores anymore.

As reported by 9to5Mac, iOS 9 will be employing a new optimization method for providing better support for older hardware, including the iPhone 4s and the iPad mini. With every iOS version it introduces, Apple normally extends the compatibility of its most recent operating system to a few generations prior to the latest smartphone or tablet it is offering. But considering how frequent iOS versions are deployed every now and then, Apple often does not do a smooth job of rolling out updates for users who are still sticking to their old iPhones or iPads. Users who do get to update their old iOS devices often experience slowed down performance in their devices. 

But now, Apple is finally focusing its resources on fixing the software update related issues of owners of older iPhones and iPads, hereby rewarding in some way the people who buy its products for the long term. Considering how fast new models of mobile devices are being introduced year after year, people often forget that old devices, even those released only fairly recently, are still being used, not only by the people who originally purchased them, but also by consumers in the secondary market (the ones who buy second hand mobile devices), and in markets, particularly those that are just emerging, that do not always have access to the latest releases. 

On Apple's part, expanding support to include older iOS devices does have its advantages. Perhaps the most obvious is that it expands usage. Take iOS 9, for example -- when it launches, it has a better chance of gaining wider usage because it can be installed not only in newer models, but also in older devices that consumers are still using. 

Of course, this is easier said than done. Mobile devices are very complicated products and Apple may have to solve a lot of issues before they can pull this off. But if they do, they just might bridge several generations of iOS users with just a single mobile operating system.