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Is It Worth It To Upgrade To iOS 6 On an iPhone 4?

I was excited about iOS 6, but when I did some really good research about it, I found out that the bulk of the features are not available for iPhone 4, which I have. Just wanted to know if it’s worth it to upgrade. Without some of these features, I really do feel cheated in a way. What good is this new upgrade for a phone that can’t do half of what the upgrade offers, which I’m sure it is very possible for most of it to do on the iPhone 4?
In some way I feel that I am better off waiting until next summer when I’m due for a phone upgrade from my cellular carrier and getting whatever new iPhone model is available and I’m sure several iOS improvements/fixes will be available as well.
Thanks,
—–
Adam Kurtz

Comments: 11 Responses to “Is It Worth It To Upgrade To iOS 6 On an iPhone 4?”

    12 years ago

    Is the glass half empty, or half full?
    You say that "What good is this new upgrade for a phone that can’t do half of what the upgrade offers."
    How about the half it does offer?
    Would you rather Apple have simply not made the update available for the iPhone 4 at all? If you don't update, then that's what you are doing anyway.
    And the upgrade will become more valuable every day that goes by: as app you may want require iOS 6 to work.
    Remember, the update is free. So why not?

      Adam Kurtz
      12 years ago

      Gary,

      Thanks! You have some good points. I guess I was really bummed that some of the included features that are in the update I couldn't have, like Siri. Plus, my first generation iPad not getting the IOS 6 update at all, however, that's a different topic. But, yes there are features and improvements that might come in handy, like the new call features. So, I'm going for it.

      That's for the advice. Love the site and your insight, reviews and how-to's!

    Steven Fisher
    12 years ago

    I updated a 3GS to 6.0.

    I like the improvements.

    So stop bellyaching. :)

    John M. Hammer
    12 years ago

    I have an iPhone 4 (32gb) and updated to iOS 6. I'm very happy with the new features, and the one supposedly lost feature, Google Maps, is still 100% available through the Mobile Safari interface at http://maps.google.com – just create a homescreen bookmark for it.

    The only thing I can't do is Facetime over cell data (couldn't anyway because of AT&T's restrictions on my data plan), AirPlay (woop-de-doo, I have no need at this time), some bells and whistles in Maps, and Siri (couldn't do it with iOS 5, either). I don't feel the least bit left out, as my phone can do pretty much everything its more-than-two-year-old hardware permits.

    In any case, iOS 6 is a free update, so if you don't think it offers enough for you, don't upgrade. I don't see any reason not to upgrade, though...

      Mary Woodsen
      12 years ago

      OK ... so ... how again do I get Google Maps? I can't even open Safari ... every time I click on the Safari icon, it just takes me to the iPhone user guide for Safari. Am I hopelessly clueless? Meanwhile on my iPad, I can see Google Maps in Safari, but without the soooo-helpful traffic flow colors that have been so helpful in the past.

    Fotodirk
    12 years ago

    But the question is not completely irrelevant. Yes indeed by upgrading you get still half of the features. But a counter side of such an upgrade might be that your device gets slower. So the older your iPhone is, the wiser it is to wait a short time and see responses from other users if it works well.

    My iPad 1 does not get iOS6 but it sure looks that he got quit a bit slower already with iOS5.

      12 years ago

      That has been true in the past. But not so much anymore -- often it makes older devices faster. And if it prevents you from using updated apps and perhaps even getting new security features, then I wouldn't hesitate in upgrading for this reason.

    Caraline
    12 years ago

    I upgraded my 3GS (while I wait for my new 5) and am happy with what I got.

    Mike
    12 years ago

    I haven't updated yet, I have my iPhone jailbroken and I would miss Activator, delete word, switcher mod, fakeclokup, i use them in a dayly basis, i dont download cracked apps, i support devs, but I will upgrade once there is a jailbreak.
    hey Gary what do you think about this that is going on about ios6 maps?

      12 years ago

      What about it? People cried for turn-by-turn spoken directions. Google didn't do it. So Apple created their own maps system that has it. But it is version 1 and people are comparing it to version X of Google Maps. They complain about inaccuracies, but Google maps has plenty too.

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