Apple iOS 8 update causes some problems
Early adopters of Apple’s iOS8 have been suffering from a number of teething troubles. It appears that the new health software has been particularly troublesome to some user’s mental health. Major new versions of Apple’s, and other firms, OS software are often temperamental and canny users often wait and see until a couple of software patches have been released before going ahead with a major upgrade. If you wait you get to avoid most teething problems and benefit from faster download of the update thanks to less demand on Apple’s servers.
Tim Cook reveals iOS 8
Install woes
Starting ‘chronologically’ even being able to install the update has been an uphill battle for some – as the update, weighing in at nearly 6GB, requires that much spare capacity and more to get installed on your iPhone or iPad. If you have a low-ish storage version of an iDevice – with just 8GB or 16GB you might find yourself having to be severe with the deletion of some of your backed-up music, videos and photos to show horn iOS 8 on. Some have joked that they don’t have room for iOS 8 update because of the free U2 album all iTunes users got to celebrate the launch of the iPhone 6.
Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
HealthKit – not fit for purpose
Apple’s HealthKit, to work with the burgeoning range of wearables with biometric sensors has been removed from iOS 8 as Apple tries to fix serious bugs in the software. Billed by Apple as “the beginning of a health revolution,” it is now scheduled to launch as an update on its own. Developer apps that rely on Healthkit obviously aren’t very useful right now.
iOS 8 Health App
Your iPhone 4S will struggle
If you have an Apple iPhone 4S the considered opinion of sites like Gizmodo and Ars Technica is that you should wait and see for other user feedback on iOS 8 experiences with your device. There’s a combination of ‘issues’. First of all there’s lots of things in iOS 8 that ye olde iPhone 4S doesn’t handle like; Touch ID, AirDrop, and the new Metal graphics API. Then the feel of the OS will make your smartphone feel pretty slow.
Perhaps, again, wait and see if the mobile OS gets optimised and issues ironed out to make it run better on your old smartphone. Your patience will depend on how attractive you find the new iOS 8 features such as alternative keyboards, widgets and health (eventually).
Please share your experiences on your iPhone or iPad, old or new. I haven’t updated my iPad Air yet, I’m the wait and see type – after I considered iOS 7 to spoil the performance on my original iPad mini.
