Is iOS 8 only for NERDS? People aren't upgrading to Apple's new operating system because they don't care, says developer
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Apple users have seemingly stopped upgrading to its latest iOS 8 software, which has had tech analysts wondering why.
Since it was released in mid-September, barely half of users have made the switch from iOS 7 or earlier versions, according to official Apple figures.
But now a developer has claimed that the reason is that the software is too 'nerdy', and its features simply go over the heads of regular people.
California-based Apple has been struggling with iOS 8 uptake (shown in image). Since its release in September barely half of Apple users have upgraded. Developer Andrew Clark tells Wired this may be because it's a 'nerd release'. He said many of the features may go over the head of casual consumers
As of 5 October, only 47 per cent of Apple owners were using iOS 8, which includes those using iPhone 6 and 6 Plus's pre-installed version
Speaking to Wired, developer Andrew Clark said: '[iOS 8 is] a nerd release. 'Can you think of any non-power-user features that it's worth upgrading for?'
He said that of the various features included in iOS 8, many of them were simply not of interest to casual owners.
Mr Clark continued: 'Home Kit and Health Kit are useless until all the accessory makers get on board. Extensions and third party keyboards are great, but a casual user isn't going to understand or care about them.'
In addition other planned features for iOS 8 are yet to be released.
Continuity, which allows users to switch tasks between Apple devices, comes out later this month, around a similar time that Apple's mobile payment service Apple Pay will be available.
So it might be that some are simply waiting for these new features - or perhaps the appeal of iOS 8 is just not alluring enough to tempt people to switch.
Earlier this week it was revealed the flood of people downloading iOS 8 had slowed to a trickle.
From 21 September, four days after iOS 8 debuted, the percentage of users accessing the App Store on iOS 8 had increased only 1 per cent to 47 per cent of users.
This follows various teething problems for iOS 8 after its release.
Users complained of a glitch in the updated Messages app that sent accidental selfies to contacts and the Health app had a bug that forced Apple to pull other third-party apps.
The iPhone 6 (shown) had record-breaking sales during the first days of its release, but users on other phones have been hesitant to adopt the new iOS 8 platform as numerous bugs and glitches have been reported. Apple was forced to kill an early update after it stopped the fingerprint sensor from working
The first update to iOS 8 was worse, with software that stopped the fingerprint sensor from working and prevented users from making calls.
Apple was forced to kill that update in the first few hours and offer a way for people to downgrade to a previous version.
However it was reported by Huffington Post that the method the company uses to measure users, tracking when they visit the App Store, is 'very unscientific'.
This may account for the seemingly slow uptake by users.
MacRumors reported that the iOS 7 adoption rate was 69.7 percent 20 days after the update was launched back in 2013.
WHAT'S NEW IN IOS 8 - AND SHOULD YOU UPGRADE?
The search function on Apple's Photos app (pictured) has been improved to make it easier to find photos, based on location, dates or album name. Users can fine-tune edits, and the latest smart composition tools automatically straighten horizons, and crop images
PHOTOS
The search function on Apple's Photos app has been improved to make it easier to find photos, based on location, dates or album.
Users can fine-tune edits, and the latest smart composition tools automatically straighten horizons, or crop the image.
The Messages app takes on Whatsapp by letting users capture sounds to send in conversations, including voice notes, ambient sounds or music
There are also smart adjustments that modify the overall light and colour in a photo to balance exposure, brightness and contrast.
Apple has now added time-lapse video modes, accessible through the Record button on the Camera app.
MESSAGES
The Messages app in iOS 8 takes on Whatsapp by letting users capture sounds to send in conversations, including voice notes, ambient sounds or music.
To play these sounds, users can either press the Play button, or hold the device up to their ear and listen like a phone call.
The new Messages app additionally lets users send videos, start group conversations and enable Do Not Disturb to hide group notifications until a later time.
Elsewhere, users can send their location to friends, which appear on a interactive map, and send multiple photos and videos from the Camera Roll.
There is also a Snapchat-style self-destruct button for video messages.
INTERACTIVE NOTIFICATIONS
One of the stand-out features mentioned by Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, at iOS 8's unveiling in June was the Interactive Notifications tool.
This feature let users reply to texts, emails, accept calendar invites, tweet and send Facebook messages straight from the notification banner.
This means they don't have to open the specific app, or leave the app they were already using.
With iOS 8, pressing the Home button twice opens the multitasking menu.
Along the top, users will now see the faces of people they've recently talked to, and by swiping to the right, their favourite contacts. This means they can call or text these people with one tap.
And when contacts send calendar invites, for example, they can be added to the diary from the top of the screen.
QUICKTYPE
In iOS 8, Apple has added support for more third-party keyboards and improved its own keyboard to add predictive text.
In iOS 8, Apple has added support for more third-party keyboards and improved its own keyboard to add predictive text (pictured)
As a user types, they'll see a choice of words or phrases the software thinks they will type next, based on past conversations and writing style.
The software can also distinguish between informal languages uses in the Messages app, for example, and more formal language when using the Mail app.
It also adjusts the style based on the person the user is communicating with, because their choice of words is likely more laid back with a spouse than with a boss.
FAMILY SHARING
With Family Sharing, up to six people in a family can share purchases from iTunes, iBooks and the App Store without sharing accounts.
This means family purchases can be paid with the same credit card, and a child's spending has to be approved from a parent's device.
Photos and family calendars can also be shared more easily, and everyone on the account can contribute photos to shared albums, for example.
HEALTH
The new Health app on iOS 8 features a dashboard showing all the user's health and ļ¬tness data.
Apple has also created a tool for developers called HealthKit, which syncs other health and fitness apps together.
The Health app puts all heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, and cholesterol information in one place, and blood type and allergy information can be accessed from the Lock Screen, in case of an emergency.
Apple has also improved its Spotlight tool, (pictured) which searches for files and information on the device, and the web.The app now considers the answer, and uses context to provide the most relevant choices
SPOTLIGHT
Apple has also improved its Spotlight tool, which searches for files and information on the device, and the web.
The tool now considers the answer, and uses context to provide the most relevant choices.
When searching for a person, item or term, a Wikipedia snippet will appear. The new Spotlight identifies hot topics, and knows what's trending.
And typing the name of a restaurant reveals the closest branch, including phone number and opening hours, for example, too.
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