iOS 8 – success or failure?

The announcement and delivery of any Apple related product or service, whether it’s a new iPhone or an upgrade in the operating system is always highly anticipated by analysts and consumers alike. With Apple releasing their latest upgrade to their iOS operating system (8) last month, the focus of todays blog is to highlight whether it can be deemed a success or failure at this stage. Lets find out more…

Touted as Apple’s biggest iOS release, the upgrade to the operating system offers a refinement to the user interface and allows developers more options with regards to control. By giving developers added flexibility, Apple are signaling to the world that it too can offer customisation that can rival the Android operating system. One such example of added third party control is the option for users to install third party keyboards such as Swype.

Another measure of success can always be determined by the uptake of users migrating from an older operating system such as iOS 7 to the new operating system. For example, information released from Apple recently suggests that iOS 8 can be found on 46% of devices to date. In comparison, iOS 7 fell to 49% which suggests that users are keen to migrate to the latest operating system by Apple and take advantage of a smoother user experience.

However, even though iOS 8 has received good publicity over the last few weeks, it is also important to take note of the negative press that Apple has attracted due to recalling iOS 8.0.1 and also the “bend gate” fiasco.

Firstly, after releasing iOS 8, Apple released an enhancement in the form of iOS 8.0.1 just one week later. As a result of this enhancement a number of issues were picked up and reported by disgruntled iPhone 6 owners who discovered deficiencies in the Touch ID as well as cellular radio. Apple were quick to withdraw the update for iPhone users and provided a temporary solution before releasing iOS 8.0.2 which has remedied the issues and provided further bug fixes.

For a company famed for its excellence and its strict quality control procedures this was a real embarrassment as it highlighted shortcomings in their internal processes. But overall, this episode does not appear to have harmed the uptake in iOS 8 which still enjoys adoption of 46% on Apple devices.

The second controversy around the release or iOS 8 and the new iPhone 6 centered on the “bend gate” internet stories that appeared to show users inadvertently bending their new iPhones. As this story developed and was further investigated by Apple, the actual issue only affected 9 out of 10 million users who complained to Apple. To remedy any negative press around their latest iPhone 6, Apple invited media experts to their test facility to demonstrate how robust their latest product was. Under normal conditions the iPhone 6 performed better than the likes of the HTC One when it came to maximum deformation pressure.

Overall, it has been a challenging few weeks for Apple with the release of the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, coupled with controversy around “bend gate”. However, with these issues firmly behind Apple, it is well worth migrating to the new operating system to get the most out of your Apple device.

With smartphone popularity growing at an exponential rate there has never been a better time to take advantage of the mobile landscape. To find out how your business can benefit from an iPhone app please contact us today.