I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System?

[VRBeauty]

I'll admit to being pretty much a total luddite. This past April I finally admitted that it was time to get a cell phone. I was in a shopping mall when hit with this epiphany and took the path of least resistance - I walked into an Apple store and bought myself an iPhone 5c. I'm using it primarily for basics - texting and phone calls, photos, occasionally web-surphing when out and about, and youtube for music when out and about.

When I charge it via my computer I get a message about the availability of iPhone software version (8.1). Should I update my iPhone operating system? Should I just do this routinely when new systems become available?

Thanks!

 

[alexah]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

IMO... Stick with 7.
Part of my husband's job is IOS development and he's told everyone that's asked him to not update... at least not yet... until all the 'bugs' are worked out with 8 ( there have been quite a few problems with 8 ). And there's really no rush. Believe it or not, I'm still running 6 on my iPhone 5 because I like it best (I have 7 on my iPad mini though). I don't plan on downloading 8 for awhile...

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

I love 8. I don't think I would run it on the 5c. I have the iPhone 6 and no problems at all. One son is Apple Store manager and the other an Apple iOS developer. They are not seeing the bugs you speak of. I just don't think the 5c has the hardware to support the 8.

 

[kenny]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

I don't have a smartphone, in fact nothing about me is smart, which is why I'm going to give some advice here.

Major updates? I'd wait many months while other suckers act as their guinea pigs to work out the bugs.
Minor updates? I accept them because they are often fixes to their mistakes or security updates to protect from viruses and malware.

By major update of the operating system I mean 8-something replacing 7-something.
Minor updates do not change that first number, for example 8.02 replacing 8.01.

 

[Maria D]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

The iPhone 5c should be able to update to iOS8; I have the 4S which is a few models older and was able to update.

You should update eventually, but waiting a bit won't hurt, especially as you're not yearning for any of the new features. But there will come a time when, if you don't update, something that you want to do may not be compatible.

The only issue I've had in going from iOS7 to iOS8 are compatibility issues with AppleTV. This is only a problem at work, where many AppleTVs are connected to one wireless router. It's likely a compatibility issue between iOS8 and the Cisco routers and Apple hasn't resolved it yet.

 

[Alistra]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

You can update. Apple has a list of compatible devices on their website: https://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/

I wouldn't though. I just got a new iPhone 6. Overall I love it, but it does have a few quirks. The most annoying is that my phone won't stay paired with my car's bluetooth. It wasn't an issue with my 4S. Based on your description of your usage, I don't see any reason to update at this point.

 

[VRBeauty]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll take it, and disable that pesky update reminder!

 

[facetgirl]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

Just be sure to back up your photos and contacts.... i know people who lost one or the other with their upgrade.

 

[ame]

Re: I Have an iPhone 5 - Should I Update My Operating System

You will have to eventually because a lot of apps have been updated to the point where they only work on 8. My mom got to that point, and then found out she had too much on her 16GB 5S to do it. So I had to do some creative backing up (I logged her in to my dropbox which is like a bottomless pit of space since it's a business account) and got all her stuff off of the phone, and we had to do it tethered (as in plugged in to the computer). That was her only option without deleting apps. We also deleted a TON of old texts she didn't need. Those do take up space. My MIL has a 5C and has almost nothing on it, so her's was easy to do.