So...will 4.2 be FREE for iPad users?

[gentlefury]

I'd be outraged. Google doesn't do that. Blackberry doesn't. Windows doesn't. And there is no charge for upgrades on my iMac accept of course going from leopard to snow leopard.

Actually every OS charges for major updates. 3.0 to 4.2 would be pretty much like Leopard to Snow Leopard. So technically if they didn't originally intend for the iPad to run 4.0 you would be paying for the update....and you will pay for 5.0 update...just like you will pay for Lion and you will pay for Windows 8.

 

[SweetPoison]

I understand that. However, rather than being dismissive by saying it is surprising anyone would think otherwise I can see why someone that doesn't have a chronological list in front of them regarding Apple's upgrades and pricing structure might ask the question.

True. We were being dismissive. At least I was. Kinda.


Sorry!

I did ask my daughter if she ever paid for updates on her iPod and and she said no.

 

[Tinman]

True. We were being dismissive. At least I was. Kinda.


Sorry!

I did ask my daughter if she ever paid for updates on her iPod and and she said no.

The main reason I was surprised was because Apple said explicitly during the 4.2 announcement that it was free. Not surprised so much by the OP but the reply or two assuming it was going to cost.

(Yes I am pissed today because I thought there was some great new thing from iTunes and all we got was the Beatles. Peachy. )



Michael

 

[slothead]

Previous major iOS updates were $9.99 for iPod Touch and free for the iPhones......(as iPhones were subsidized by AT&T)

Really!!?? They never cost me anything! I guess I got lucky.

 

[Holly]

My understanding is the first major upgrade on each device is free. the next you pay for.

 

[iPadCharlie]

With my 1st generation iPod Touch and I think I paid $20 (but it might have only been $10, but it sure wasn't free!) for one of the iOS upgrades, but that was the only time... and hopefully the last time!

 

[SweetPoison]

(Yes I am pissed today because I thought there was some great new thing from iTunes and all we got was the Beatles. Peachy. )



Michael

You are pissed today, huh? I am so sorry!

 

[DaveSt]

True. We were being dismissive. At least I was. Kinda.


Sorry!

I did ask my daughter if she ever paid for updates on her iPod and and she said no.

I don't know why that first line made me laugh, but it did.

I think perhaps Apple might have seen that charging for the 2.x to 3.x firmware might have been a bad business decision. I do believe they made the upgrade free at a later time, but perhaps I am mistaken on that point. Many apps that came out just after the upgrade required OS3.x and it doesn't do Apple any good for people to not be able to purchase those apps. It would be an even worse decision to charge for the 4.x upgrade when you take a closer look at things. What is one of the real major things coming with OS4.x? iAds! Yipee!! It is in Apple's best interests to get every single person to upgrade to the newest OS so they can start bringing in more and more revenue through their own advertising engine that is built in (Flash is evil, all embrace iAds .. sorry, couldn't resist). The potential revenue lost on a fee for the OS upgrade will quickly be made back through more creative ways.

 

[Seadog]

Apple is pretty good about keeping the upgrades low budget. 4.2 was always classified as a free upgrade because it had a lot of important features that was not ready when the iPad came out. Major updates are rarely free for any vendors, but in some cases, they will not even allow upgrades on earlier models.

 

[Hudmaster]

There is no doubt in my mind that iOS 4.2 will be free

 

[iwhat]

There is no doubt in my mind that iOS 4.2 will be free

As he said,attest 4.2 will be free. If it isn't then apple wouldn't have signed my restore to 4.2GM even though I am not a registered dev or anything. Then again if apple starts charging for 4.2 then most likely you'll find free copies somewhere in the dark corner of the Internet world as always,but I think all the 4.x series for iPad will be free as its the os iPad was supposed to have out of the box.

And one more thing,I never received any WinMo update ever,well there was an unofficial update(winmo6.5) for my winmo device but sadly I had to collect it from one of the forums,and the latest updates(winmo7) doesn't even support my device. In that way apple is far better and a little charge for an update is better than no update and tears after you see that the next major update will not support your device despite your device being only half a year old model. As we all know nothing is free in this world,no firmware update is free,for example,most of the devices that came out with winmo 6.1 will never get an update to winmo7 as they are not supported,so you actually have to buy a new device,incase of other os(not android, but other popular ones),there won't be any update after say 1 year or so from the release of that device,hence to get all the goodness you must buy a new device. If all that is summed up then I think a little charge for an update is better and cheaper than buying a whole new device for the features that the latest update provides.

Thanks

 

[Tinman]

I think perhaps Apple might have seen that charging for the 2.x to 3.x firmware might have been a bad business decision. I do believe they made the upgrade free at a later time, but perhaps I am mistaken on that point. Many apps that came out just after the upgrade required OS3.x and it doesn't do Apple any good for people to not be able to purchase those apps.

It was worse than that. You could buy the app, just not be able to install it. There was no way to still download the old version unless the app came out with a different name and ID for OS 3.x--which would have pissed off buyers who did in fact update to 3.x.

Worse yet, if you already owned an app, that was later updated to need OS 3.x, you would be out of luck if for some reason you needed to reinstall it and iTunes already had the latest version downloaded.

Methinks since developers would have gotten the most complaints Apple rethought the decision to charge. Let's face it, 4.x was arguably a bigger update than 3.x and it was free--even for 2G Touch users who did not pay to update to 3.x.



Michael

 

[gentlefury]

No, again. The iPad was supposed to run iOS 4 at release, but it wasn't ready...so rather than delay release by almost a year they released it with 3 and promised 4 as a free update. That is all there is to it. You will have to pay $10 for 5 just like we had to pay for 3.

 

[Tinman]

No, again. The iPad was supposed to run iOS 4 at release, but it wasn't ready...so rather than delay release by almost a year they released it with 3 and promised 4 as a free update. That is all there is to it. You will have to pay $10 for 5 just like we had to pay for 3.

I don't think so at all. In fact I would wager no fee for upgrading to 5.0. Apple would rather put features in iOS 5.x that current iPads can't run to entice you to upgrade to a newer device. That is a carrot approach whereas charging for it is a stick. Not to mention the whole app upgrade nonsense that can render apps unusable on a non-updated device.

Moreover, in the iOS arena, that is taking what Apple does for the Touch, on average a considerably less expensive device than the iPad and one that has no 3G version, and applying it to the iPad.

Also, both 2.0 and 3.0 had to be purchased for the original iPod Touch, and of course 3.0 for 2G Touch. So the argument that only the first update is free makes little sense when they did just that for both the 2G and 1G Touch. And then... no charge at all for 4.0?

Let's not forget the iPhone either. Only the original iPhone had revenue sharing with AT&T. Since the 3G there is none, not to mention iPhones sold outside the USA. So the argument that Apple doesn't charge for iPhone updates due to revenue from AT&T is false.

Seems to me Apple has abandoned that upgrade fee policy for iOS devices. They merely make it more and more attractive to move to a new device--I certainly wouldn't want to be using my original iPhone anymore when all the good stuff is on iOS 4.x.




Michael

 

[Hudmaster]

Michael is absolutely right. Apple does have its ways of getting every extra dime it can. But like I said earlier, a lot of you guys are just freaking out over hypothetical fees. The reality is is that Apple will release 4.2 for free. Ironically, I'd be willing to bet on that.