Apple iOS 7: Which features will make it to each iOS device version
Apple's iOS 7 is a refreshing change from what the company has offered so far, but the one area it remains consistent is its fragmentation across devices.
Apple just announced iOS 7 at WWDC, with the highlight of the announcement being that it would be compatible with devices as old as the iPhone and iPad 2. While the crowd rejoiced at the announcement, many wondered what the catch was, and indeed there is one. Hope you’re sitting down for this one.
Apple is well known for its fragmentation free ecosystem, but that hasn’t been the case with iOS for a while. Every time a new version is launched, it comes to a series of devices, but not all features make it to them. Apple says this is to ensure an optimum level of performance on older devices, but sometimes it feels like a ploy to get users to upgrade to the newer iPhone or iPad. iOS 7 might be coming to all devices iPhone 4 and up, but not all the features of the new OS will be making it to all the devices.
Here’s a table that quickly references all the major features of iOS 7 and which ones will make it to a particular device.
| Device | Updated Siri | iTunes Radio | AirDrop | Panorama | Square photos | Camera filters | Photo filters |
| iPhone 4 | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y |
| iPhone 4S | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| iPhone 5 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| iPod touch 5G | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| iPad 2 | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| iPad 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y |
| iPad 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| iPad mini | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
The only feature that actually makes it to all devices unanimously is iTunes Radio, but besides that, most features become device specific. For example, the Airdrop, a feature many iOS device users have been eagerly looking forward to, will only be available on the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5G and not any other device, and not even the iPad 4.
While many express surprise over the matter, this actually comes as no shock. Every iteration of iOS has brought limited features, and even dropped support for older devices. In fact, it is surprising that iOS 7 is even coming to the iPhone 4, but then again, the only real feature that version of the iPhone will get is the new look, iTunes Radio and the photo filters. The iPad 2 will only get iTunes Radio.
iOS 7 is scheduled for a “fall” release, most probably in line with the day the next iPhone is launched.