If you’re running a fairly new iOS device; for example, an iPhone 5 or iPad 4, you can rest assured that you’ll be reaping the full benefits of iOS 7 when it does eventually become available to the end user. However, if you’re in ownership of something a little more, shall we say, mature from the iDevice range, it’s likely some of the latest and greatest iOS 7’s treasures and niceties will be held back, due largely to lack of hardware support.
With iOS 7 having just been announced, it stands to reason that those of you on an older iPhone, iPad or iPod touch will be curious as to which features you’ll be seeing when the software update is rolled out this fall, and the guys over at The Apple Lounge have offered a visual representation of just what iOS 7 will be offering you and your device.
Apple played the same game when it rolled out Siri with iOS 5, suggesting that the iPhone 4S was the only device capable of running the voice recognition software. It makes sense, from a business point of view, for the Cupertino to leave certain features out to give consumers a gentle nudge towards the newer gizmos available on its roster, but it’s certainly a little annoying if you don’t want or need to upgrade.
Anyhow, the illustration below presents all the info you need in an easy-to-digest format, serving as a quick reference guide for anybody wondering which devices will be seeing all of iOS 7, and which will conversely only be afforded a watered-down experience.
for full image: goo.gl/7W46Y
The new AirDrop, which makes its way over to iOS having proved a hit on the Mac, is a treat reserved for those in ownership of a brand new iOS device. So the iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad mini and 5th-gen iPod touch. Do we think the iPhone 4S could cope with this new feature? Without a shadow of a doubt; and while Apple will claim the slightly older brother of the iPhone 5 will not be able to offer the kind of AirDrop experience intended, we can see through the bull.
Siri is only available to the aforementioned devices along with the iPhone 4S and iPad 3, while Panorama will only work on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and the very latest iPod touch.
Filters in the Camera app, which essentially brings Instagram to iOS devices, will only be compatible with the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5G, but filters for photos (i.e., after shot filter application) will extend to the iPhone 4 / 4S and the iPad 3/4.
Overall, I think some will be left feeling a bit short changed, but so is the culture we live in. Whether you or I like it or not, devices have a shelf life of one year, and after that, you’ll quickly find support begins to dwindle as companies look to push consumers into purchasing new devices. Ching!
(Source: TheAppleLounge – [Google Translate]) (via: CultofMac)
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