Apple's iOS 9 will fix old features, not debut new ones: report
Apple's new focus with iOS 9 appears to be on 'fixing bug, maintaining stability, and boosting performance.'
A Target customer looks at the iPhone 6 display on Black Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, in South Portland, Maine.
AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty/File
Apple engineers working on iOS 9 have changed their focus from adding new features to improving functionality, according to the Apple news site 9to5Mac. Sources tell the website that Apple has put a “huge” focus on “fixing bug, maintaining stability, and boosting performance for the new operation system.”
Rumors also point to Apple working toward keeping the OS size “manageable,” so that it will easily install even on devices with 16GB of storage.
As Forbes reports, this upcoming version may seem rather lackluster compared to other iOS updates, but the company has decided it needs to reclaim the quality and stability that seems to have gone missing in recent versions of the OS.
IOS 9 will roll out along the same timeline as the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. As Forbes went on to say, it is typical of S-generation phones to look the same on the outside, but get sizable internal hardware changes. It expects the new devices will get major memory upgrades.
The last major update, iOS 8, had a very rocky launch. At first, it caused cell service disruption and disabled Touch ID. Apple was forced to retract one update after an hour. While iOS 8 continued to face issues, Apple has released iOS 8.1.1, iOS 8.1.2, and iOS 8.1.3 to address some of core problems, but it still frustrates others.
Though iOS 8 had an embarrassing beginning, it is hailed as one of Apple’s most ambitious projects and gave app developers much more freedom and tools for creation. IOS 7 began the dramatic shift in Apple’s software updates, which Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook called, "the biggest change in iOS since the introduction of the iPhone," and introduced iTunes Radio and Control Center.
Forbes expects that there will likely be a split over the acceptance of the new system. Owners of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, who have had an overall good first impression of the smart phone, will likely not see much of a difference. The main winners of this update will be iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C users, who have experienced Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, battery and calendar problems.