Re:Anti-iPhone iPhone game makes it past Apple's review process
by sjs on Tuesday September 13, 2011 @11:31AM
(#2991892)
It's not sad, that's simply the reality of how fast mobile technology is currently changing. We're doing more and more with our "phones" each day and thus are demanding more power from them.
Even if you only play games and such the old phones don't have gyroscopes, compasses, and all the other goodies that newer phones have.
Anecdotally I have a Nexus One and it feels just as dated as an iPhone 3GS (which I previously owned). To me that indicates it's not a problem with any manufacturer, it's the industry moving forward at breakneck speed.
Re:Anti-iPhone iPhone game makes it past Apple's review process
by 0x12 on Tuesday September 13, 2011 @11:48AM
(#2991968)
Not being able to run certain apps is not the same as your mobile phone manufacturer no longer supporting the hardware you bought with updates.
Re:Anti-iPhone iPhone game makes it past Apple's review process
by jonnathanson on Tuesday September 13, 2011 @12:13PM
(#2992090)
At a certain point, supporting the old install base detracts from your ability to build newer and better product. Everything you design is forced to conform to the lowest-common-denominator standards of the oldest hardware models. Alternatively, you are forced to maintain staffing and resources to continue supporting old devices. This can be a serious roadblock to innovation.
Mobile hardware technology is moving so rapidly that it's almost inevitable to see shorter refresh cycles than you would in a more mature space, i.e., in laptops or desktops.
Re:Anti-iPhone iPhone game makes it past Apple's review process
by gdilla on Tuesday September 13, 2011 @12:25PM
(#2992140)
Well they do know that the unchangeable battery will be dead to useless in 3 years. At least they use incremental innovation in every rev to get you something new. Also, if they didn't use this strategy, they'd be more vulnerable to competition.
Re:Anti-iPhone iPhone game makes it past Apple's review process
by r00fus on Tuesday September 13, 2011 @01:35PM
(#2992471)
Anecdotal evidence to the contrary: My original 2G iPhone (now a heavy iPod touch for my daughter) is working fine and actually lasts longer than my 3GS unless it's on Netflix all day.
Of course the turnover in the mobile phone world is a lot higher than with 'general purpose computers' but imagine if the whole electronics industry had a three year time to replacement.
Pretty sad. Especially since the biggest component of a smartphone is the software. The argument that newer phones have faster hardware is a non-starter for me because I believe that it should be possible to comfortably get the kind of functionality that a typical phone displays to the user out of something a lot more anemic than the kind of hardware found in the average phone.
Manufacturers that push for their users to upgrade their phones before they die due to unfortunate events are all guilty of pollution and resource depletion.