[tr3ntg]

Not a new trend. Many places I’ve worked at (whose business models center around iOS apps) routinely plan to drop old iOS versions, yearly, as the new ones come out.

It gets increasingly more expensive to support older and older iOS versions. These “new features” you’re talking about wrapping in if statements aren’t here and there. Many upgrades are pervasive, and would eventually make every file a branching mess.

Now, you could argue that that should still be the chosen route. I can empathize with that. I like software that just keeps working forever.

[ryandrake]

At the very least, when they stop releasing updates supporting older OS versions, they should at least leave the old apps already installed on the old devices alone to continue to work. I wouldn’t mind if I never get an app update again, but don’t send a final “update” that disabled the app and tells me to buy a new phone.

[tr3ntg]

Agreed. There should be a warning to those that will be left behind soon, instructing them not to upgrade if they don’t plan on updating, or can’t update iOS.