Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

iPad Users May Need to Pay for OS Updates

By

Apple, Inc. is a master at getting its customers to give it plenty of revenue when it comes to operating systems. On desktops it follows a more frequent release schedule than competitor Microsoft, which means that even with cheaper licenses, it still typically ends up making as much or more money.

In the mobile sphere, Apple has become one of the first vendors to charge customers money for major updates to some of its mobile devices. While the iPhone still enjoys free updates, major OS updates for the iPod Touch must be purchased via Apple’s iTunes. The iPod Touch is built on similar hardware and can browse the internet via Wi-Fi, .

Recommended Videos

Now it looks like the iPad will become Apple’s latest OS cash cow.

Related

The news that iPad users will have to purchase some OS updates aired with the release of the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK, a software development kit compatible with Apple’s new tablet-cum-ebook reader. The documentation file, which can be found here [IPD file], contained this juicy tidbit:

Apple will provide you any iPad OS software updates that it may release from time to time, up to and including the next major iPad OS software release following the version of iPad OS software that originally shipped from Apple on your iPad, for free. For example, if your iPad originally shipped with iPad 3.x software, Apple would provide you with any iPad OS software updates it might release up to and including the iPad 4.x software release. Such updates and releases may not necessarily include all of the new software features that Apple releases for newer iPad models.

In other words, with the iPad, Apple is following a rather unique approach. It will be giving users one freebie — a single major OS upgrade. After that users will be on their own and will be forced to pay to upgrade the OS. Upgrades will likely be priced similar to those on the iPod Touch, at about $10.

Apple claims that the upgrade fees are just a necessity due to accounting difficulties with giving away free upgrades to its loyal customers. Nonetheless, if the iPad proves a commercial success as some are predicting, those upgrades could eventually sum to a nice revenue stream for Apple.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ian Bell
Ian Bell
Publisher
I work with the best people in the world and get paid to play with gadgets. What's not to like?
Another report suggests the iPhone 15 Pro will be pricier
The Apple logo on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Apple is expected to manufacture a slightly smaller number of iPhone 15 handsets compared to the iPhone 14 last year, but the company is eyeing an increase in revenue when the device launches in the fall.

How? Because it’s considering increasing the cost of the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Read more
Best Apple Deals: MacBooks, AirPods, iPads, iMacs, AirTags and more
dell xps 15 vs macbook pro 16 apple ry 14 1200x9999

Pretty much all Apple products are some of the best-in-class for their respective type of tech. However, you do pay for the privilege with many devices like iPads or MacBooks costing a little more than non-Apple variants. That's why it's so useful to find great Apple deals like the ones below. We've picked out some of the best ways to save substantially on highly sought after Apple products from accessories to AirPods and more. Take a look below at some of our favorite Apple deals right now.
AirTags (4-pack) -- $89, was $99

If you worry about misplacing items, you need Apple AirTags. With a simple one-tap setup, your iPhone or iPad is instantly connected to an AirTag so that you can always use find items via the Find My app. That could be your car keys, your bag, or anything else that you can fit or slip an AirTag into. If you misplace something, you can simply put the AirTag into Lost Mode to be notified when it's detected in the Find My network helping you pin it down. You can also play a sound through the built-in speaker if you know it's nearby but you're not sure if it's worth moving the couch to find it.

Read more
How to fast charge your iPhone
iPhone 12 Mini with charger

While they may not be some of the longest-lasting smartphones on the market, modern iPhones boast more than respectable battery life that should be able to get you through an entire day's use without breaking too much of a sweat. Of course, that assumes a lot of things — including a battery that's still relatively new and in good health, plus a usage pattern that doesn't include all-day streaming or gaming.

If you fall into either (or both) of these categories, then overnight charging isn't going to cut it, and you'll want to get your battery topped up again as quickly as you can so you can get back on the road. Thankfully, every iPhone released in the past six years supports much faster charging, but the downside is that with very few exceptions, Apple has never supplied you with the right adapter to get the best possible charging speeds from your iPhone.

Read more