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Sunday, March 27, 2011, 01:15 pm
Rumor: Apple may not release cloud-based iOS 5 until this fall
According to a new rumor, Apple plans to release iOS 5, the next major update to its mobile operating system, at a later-than-usual date, arriving this fall with long-rumored cloud-based features for online storage of music, photos and video.According to sources that spoke with TechCrunch, Apple allegedly will not unveil the latest version of iOS this spring, a timeframe it has followed in the past to preview its mobile operating system update to developers. Instead, Apple is said to be hard at work on a "major revamp" of the platform that will arrive this fall.
Apple could decide to preview the next version of iOS at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, likely to be held in June. Author MG Siegler said he has heard nothing about the iPhone 5, which is typically released at WWDC, but speculated that Apple could release its next-generation handset running a version of iOS 4 rather than a new release.
The report also said that iOS 5 would arrive alongside a rumored iPad 3, a rumored expansion to the iPad product line. That would run counter to speculation that stemmed from Apple declaring 2011 the "Year of the iPad 2," potentially suggesting that no upgrades are planned.
Apple's iOS 5 upgrade is rumored to have major integration with cloud-based services. This would include a digital "locker" to hold users' music, a service that would allegedly also launch this fall at Apple's annual music-themed event.
But the report claimed that Apple will preview much of its future cloud-based offerings at this summer's WWDC. One of those features is said to be a location-based service for finding out where friends are, something that was hinted at in a beta build of iOS 4.3.
The latest report runs counter to a separate rumor from earlier this month, which claimed that Apple plans to introduce iOS 5 at a media event to be held in early April. That would be the same timeframe as last year's event for the iOS 4 developer preview.
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Previous Comments View All
If iOS 5.0 will be heavily tied to their new data center and that or it's SW services won't be ready in time then it certainly makes sense to delay the release. I don't think sales of the iPhone 5 would be hindered over its lifetime by a delay in iOS 5.0, and potentially even help to spread out the sales by those opting to wait for iOS 5.0 to arrive before committing.
I don't know about a cloud based mobile OS, data charges are still so high. Unless it was an optional form of cloud storage, and everything that's normally on iOS is still there locally.
It was rumored the iPad 2 would be delayed until June. Ended up coming out a few weeks earlier than Apple's normal 1 year cycle. If April comes and goes without iOS 5 preview, then I guess the rumors are true.
It's impossible to believe that 2011 will be the year of the 2 iPads. It is entirely possible to believe that all of our stuff will be migrating to the cloud beginning in 2011.
I disagree. I do see why anyone would think all your data will migrate to a remote site. I do think that there will be better services for accessing data via the cloud, but local storage for media will NOT be going away. I see something akin to how Dropbox and Time Machine works, delta encoding and sparse bundles that only updates changes into a log file once the content is on the server in some form. This would mean that you dont actually upload your music to the cloud or, worse, everyone with the same song having a separate upload for it on the server. It would be a single file that all users are tied to because the content is exactly the same. This is how Dropbox works and its brilliant!
Apple worry me with their tendency to delete data during data migration and sync.
Do I want them to try doing that with more of my data?
Lotsa other goodies in the pipeline till fall.
I don't know about a cloud based mobile OS, data charges are still so high. Unless it was an optional form of cloud storage, and everything that's normally on iOS is still there locally.
Of course it would be optional.
TechCrunch's track record with rumor mongering is very mixed.
the "standard model" would have Apple release iOS 5 with iPhone 5 in June, and then the iPad version of iOS 5 in the Fall. the rumor may be picking up on only the second part of that sched.
Apple TV 2 was also released last Fall, so it could get its iOS 5 update at the same time as the iPad. we might also see Apple TV 3 then, with the new A5 chips. that would make sense especially if there are further expansions of AirPlay in iOS 5.
Apple has updated the iPod line in the Fall for years, ahead of the Holiday sales season, and there is no reason for that to change. that could include bringing iOS 5 to the iPod touch.
and if Apple were ever going to release an iPhone Nano, the Fall would also make sense. because it would likely be some version of an iPod combined with a very simplified iOS phone, and the Holiday sales season would be best for it. we keep hearing rumors about that too ...
so plenty of "routine" stuff could happen to make this Fall a big deal for Apple and iOS 5.
but shifting to a Fall sched for the leading iOS annual updates would make no sense. a big selling point of new model iPhones each Spring is their simultaneous fresh iOS update. why would Apple screw that up?
the standard model would also have Apple fully unveil OS X Lion at WWDC for release in Summer. that is the obvious best big hype moment for it, to focus on it in full detail. why would Apple screw that up too?
so that leaves only the launch of the new MobileMe/iTunes cloud thing. we know for a fact Apple stopped signing up old MobileMe subscribers in February in anticipation of it. why would Apple wait 4 months then to launch the new one? we also know on May 5 the old version of iCal in MobileMe will simply stop working completely! so it is pretty obvious something technical is going to happen by then that makes it technically un-workable. it is not hard to add 2 and 2 together here and come up with an April launch of the new Apple cloud, as rumored elsewhere.
Apple rumor reports are like trying to envision the proverbial elephant inside a totally dark room. they feel just one part of the animal and then speculate on the nature of the whole beast. usually badly.
TechCrunch's track record with rumor mongering is very mixed.
the "standard model" would have Apple release iOS 5 with iPhone 5 in June, and then the iPad version of iOS 5 in the Fall. the rumor may be picking up on only the second part of that sched.
Apple TV 2 was also released last Fall, so it could get its iOS 5 update at the same time as the iPad. we might also see Apple TV 3 then, with the new A5 chips. that would make sense especially if there are further expansions of AirPlay in iOS 5.
Apple has updated the iPod line in the Fall for years, ahead of the Holiday sales season, and there is no reason for that to change. that could include bringing iOS 5 to the iPod touch.
and if Apple were ever going to release an iPhone Nano, the Fall would also make sense. because it would likely be some version of an iPod combined with a very simplified iOS phone, and the Holiday sales season would be best for it. we keep hearing rumors about that too ...
in general, shifting to a fall sched for all iOS annual updates would make no sense. a big selling point of new model iPhones each Spring is their simultaneous fresh iOS update. why would Apple screw that up?
the standard model would also have Apple fully unveil OS X Lion at WWDC for release in Summer. that is the obvious best big hype moment for it, ot focus on it in full detail. why would Apple screw that up too?
so that leaves only the launch of the new MobileMe/iTunes cloud thing. we know for a fact Apple stopped signing up old MobileMe subscribers in February in anticipation of it. why would Apple wait 4 months then to launch the new one? we also know on May 5 the old version of iCal in MobileMe will simply stop working completely! so it is pretty obvious something technical is going to happen by then that makes it technically un-doable. it is not hard to add 2 and 2 together here and come up with an April launch of the new Apple cloud, as rumored elsewhere.
Apple rumor reports are like trying to envision the proverbial elephant inside a totally dark room. they feel just one part of the animal and then speculate on the nature of the whole beast. usually badly.
You make a lot of good points. The only thing Id question is your questions as to why Apple would screw that up. While I dont think this rumour rings true (at least not yet), its possible that they have no intention of purposely screwing things up, but circumstances beyond their control have pushed the release of iOS 5.0 back a couple months. Id say its better to get a later release than a half-baked release just to meet a self imposed time table.
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It's impossible to believe that 2011 will be the year of the 2 iPads. It is entirely possible to believe that all of our stuff will be migrating to the cloud beginning in 2011.