iOS16 to be announced: Should you update your iPhone or not?
Apple is set to announce the all-new iOS 16 software update during the WWDC event that begins on Monday (June 6). There is a lot of buzz on what the latest software update may bring - from security fixes to widget updates to make your home screen look cooler.
However, with every new iPhone or iPad or any other Apple device update, there is always a question of how the latest software update will perform in the older compatible devices.
The latest iOS software update will be compatible with iPhone SE (3rd gen) devices and above.
Here are 3 things to keep in mind before updating:
1. UPDATING IS A GAMBLE
iPhone 11 slow already. Last update or two they dropped the hammer on us pic.twitter.com/PrjGkpHwAu
— stricture (@bog_beef) June 26, 2021
If you have older devices, then you should think before you update it with the latest software. It is always a gamble for an old Apple device users to update their phones because there is a possibility that the update will tank your phone’s performance.
In the past, several Apple users have complained that updating their phone has resulted in bad battery performance, keyboard glitches, etc.
2. DOWNGRADING IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE
apple really makes it really hard for ios to do anything.
— ABANDONED ACC (@imtruered) June 3, 2022
on the mac we can sideload shit and downgrade to any version
on the iphone/ipad that ain’t the case
so @apple dear god please give iOS/iPadOS more freedom
Apple doesn’t provide a way to go back to the previous software version. So, if you update your phone, and find that it isn’t to your liking or that of your phone, then downgrading might be difficult. There are some tutorials on how you can downgrade, but the process is difficult and may not even work at times. So, you might get stuck with the latest software update that your phone is unable to handle.
3. SOME APPS MAY NOT BE READY
It is not just the old device that may experience glitches upon updating to the latest software, some apps may also not be ready for it. This happens when Apple announces the latest software and launches it in just a short period of time. This may not give the apps enough time to catch up to the updates so that the apps can function smoothly.
An example of it was when Apple announced and rolled out iOS 14 in a very short span of time.
What should you do?
- Do not go for immediate update. Wait for a few days or even weeks for reports on bugs and problems about the software update. This is recommended across all devices – old or new.
- Security updates: The most important part of a software update is the security bug fixes. This is one reason why updates are almost always recommended. But, if you are on an older device and concerned about the health of your device, then first check out the security updates in the latest software. If the updates are absolutely important and you have not updated your device for long, then it might be a good idea to update.
- If the update has a bad effect on your device’s battery, fret not. Apple is offering battery replacements for slowing devices at a lesser cost.
Apple has itself admitted that it deliberately slows down older devices with software updates to ensure the health of the hardware. It was also fined for doing this without informing the users.
But not updating your iPhone to the latest software also has its flaws. Other than the obvious security risk your iPhone may face, there is also a problem that some features like the new emojis used by other updated iPhone users, may not be visible to you. That would be a bummer!