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iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

macrumors.com

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Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#21

Post by rtpg »

Telaneo wrote: post #5
tokyobreakfast wrote: post #3

TLDR it replaces an expired certificate, no software is being "updated" here. Wake me when old versions of OS X can access the App Store again.

What versions can't access the App Store anymore? I've tried Catalina recently, and that still worked fine, but it only stopped getting security updates in 2022, so it's only been a few years. Also, I've barely ever used the OSX/MacOS app store anyway, and from what little I've heard from other people, it's not really all that great nor popular a place to get your software from.

There's a problem with older Macbooks on older MacOS/factory reset where they can't access the App Store, so they can't directly download newer MacOS, you gotta go sidecar it

Of course this is completely opaque to people who have to do this, it just ends up prompting you to login and things like that.

I think newer MacOS avoids this stuff by not having OS updates be linked to the App Store

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#22

Post by al_borland »

FridayoLeary wrote: post #2

People complain a lot about planned obsolescence but i'm mildly impressed, even if this update is only to keep the lights on and nothing else. I remember people complaining that the design of the 5 was already outdated when it was new and they needed to have bigger screens and be thinner to compete with Samsung...

I would love a modern iPhone the size of the 5… or even the 3G.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#23

Post by Shank »

nomel wrote: post #14
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know folks that have 18-month-old flagship Android phones, that can’t get the latest Android releases. When they ask me what Android phones to get, I always say a Pixel, because they will at least get the latest OS support in a timely fashion. They are also excellent phones.

"Just jailbreak your phone and install !" they said. I did that for a while, depending on some random guy in a forum to maintain a working image for my device. He bought a new phone, and that was the end of the updates.

With Play Integrity / SafetyNet this is also an uphill battle without doing even more work to spoof your Integrity status, if you want mobile banking and finance apps to work.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#25

Post by vlovich123 »

tokyobreakfast wrote: post #3

TLDR it replaces an expired certificate, no software is being "updated" here. Wake me when old versions of OS X can access the App Store again.

I’m honestly surprised how they kept track that the certificate for an old version of the OS and deprecated hardware was expiring in the first place AND the executives approved cutting a release to roll it.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#26

Post by com2kid »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #10
mrandish wrote: post #7

I'm not a fan of Apple's walled garden mindset and resistance to inter-operating with other platforms, but this degree of legacy support is a case of Apple doing a good thing and deserves praise. Note: I'm not saying that Google/MSFT et al are much better than Apple, but they're not quite as bad.

I know folks that have 18-month-old flagship Android phones, that can’t get the latest Android releases. When they ask me what Android phones to get, I always say a Pixel, because they will at least get the latest OS support in a timely fashion. They are also excellent phones.

I've never had a pixel phone survive through its support period. The hardware always dies first.

Tbf some pixel models have proven reliable, my mom's pixel 4 lasted long enough to be out of support and then it got owned and her bank accounts got taken over.

The downside of reliable HW I guess.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#27

Post by snovymgodym »

augusteo wrote: post #8

tokyobreakfast is right that this is just a certificate fix, not a real software update. But it's still notable. Lots of old devices become paperweights because of expired certs or backend shutdowns. The fact that Apple even bothered to push this to a 13-year-old device is unusual. Most companies wouldn't.

Kind of how Sony pushes a bluetooth DRM update to PS3s every year still.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#28

Post by bastawhiz »

mrandish wrote: post #7

I'm not a fan of Apple's walled garden mindset and resistance to inter-operating with other platforms, but this degree of legacy support is a case of Apple doing a good thing and deserves praise. Note: I'm not saying that Google/MSFT et al are much better than Apple, but they're not quite as bad.

I'll never argue that updates like this are a bad thing, but arguably the best thing Apple could have done is offered a jailbreak for phones after so many years. If you're still using the same ten year old phone, the risks to you opting into the ability to flash a new OS maintained by someone who cares are pretty small. It's not as though those folks are more than a rounding error in sales numbers anyway. Someone buying a new phone every 20 years instead of 15 isn't going to cause anyone to lose their Christmas bonus.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#29

Post by augusteo »

snovymgodym wrote: post #27
augusteo wrote: post #8

tokyobreakfast is right that this is just a certificate fix, not a real software update. But it's still notable. Lots of old devices become paperweights because of expired certs or backend shutdowns. The fact that Apple even bothered to push this to a 13-year-old device is unusual. Most companies wouldn't.

Kind of how Sony pushes a bluetooth DRM update to PS3s every year still.

Wow I didn't know that. That's impressive.

Re: iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

#30

Post by garciansmith »

trelane wrote: post #19
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know folks that have 18-month-old flagship Android phones, that can’t get the latest Android releases. When they ask me what Android phones to get, I always say a Pixel, because they will at least get the latest OS support in a timely fashion. They are also excellent phones.

> I always say a Pixel, because they will at least get the latest OS support in a timely fashion. You can also install e.g. GrapheneOS after Google stops supporting them. https://grapheneos.org/faq#supported-devices

GrapheneOS only updates Pixels for as long as Google does. All their supported devices currently receive the stock OS updates from Google. LineageOS is different in that regard.
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