So you're eagerly awaiting
iOS 6
in the fall, but you'd like to know just how many features you'll end
up skipping if you cling on to your existing iPad, iPhone or iPod touch
for one more generation. Apple has gone to the trouble of alerting
would-be upgraders just what features they'll get when they check for
the update this fall, and we've compiled it in a chart for an
at-a-glance view of what you'll need. The short answer: you'll want an
iPhone 4S
if you're craving every iOS 6 feature. Some feature gaps are defined by
obvious differences like the absence of cellular hardware, but the
performance limits of the iPhone 3GS or fourth-generation iPod touch
turn their upgrades into a patchwork. There's also a pair of questions
about iPod touch support and whether or not "iPhone 4 or later"
explicitly rules out the media player; we'll update should we know more.
Either way, it's evident that Apple is bending over backwards to
support
burgeoning markets, but also that anyone who bought in 2010 or earlier is feeling the pressure to pick up
something new -- especially original iPad owners, who can't upgrade at all.
| | | iPhone 3GS | iPod touch | iPhone 4
| iPhone 4S | iPad 2 | iPad (2012) | |
| Chinese service integration | | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Facebook integration | | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| FaceTime over 3G/4G | | - | - | - | X | - | X | |
| Flyover and turn-by-turn GPS | | - | - | - | X | X | X | |
| Guided Access | | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Made for iPhone hearing aids | | - | - | - | X | - | - | |
| New content stores | | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Offline Reading List | | - | ? | X | X | X | X | |
| Passbook | | X | X | X | X | - | - | |
| Phone replies and reminders | | X | - | X | X | - | - | |
| Safari tab syncing | | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Shared Photo Streams | | - | ? | X | X | X | X | |
| Siri | | - | - | - | X | - | X | |
| VIP list, flagged/VIP mailboxes | | - | ? | X | X | X | X |
