Starting with iOS 5 in 2011, Apple has released a major new iOS version each fall and a notable follow-up update early in the following year. For example, iOS 6 launched in September 2012 and was updated to iOS 6.1 in January, and iOS 7, which was launched in September 2013, was updated to iOS 7.1 with CarPlay and interface improvements in March 2014. But starting with the recently released iOS 8, it appears that Apple has a different development schedule for 2015 and perhaps beyond. According to sources, Apple is already hard at work on three major follow-up versions to iOS 8: iOS 8.1, iOS 8.2, and iOS 8.3.
iOS 8.2 visits to 9to5Mac
We’ve confirmed that these major new versions are in development via two means. First, a developer of a major hardware-connected iOS application has shared with us their analytics, and this data indicates that all three versions are in testing by Apple employees in or around Cupertino, California. Second, and much closer to home, our own Google Analytics for 9to5Mac.com show that iOS users are visiting our website via iOS 8.1, iOS 8.2, and iOS 8.3 devices. iOS 8.1 hits to 9to5Mac.com started appearing even months before iOS 8.0 launched, but 8.2 and 8.3 visits only started picking up following iOS 8’s release in mid-September.
iOS 8.3 visits to 9to5Mac
While Apple works on several iOS features and enhancements over the course of several years, it typically only begins wholly testing major new releases close to the ship dates of the preceding release. Apple working on three significant follow-ups to iOS 8 is a shift from the usual development cycle, one which would normally indicate Apple to be working on just iOS 8.1 as well as iOS 9.0. It’s possible that iOS 9 is also in the works, and of course Apple is always working on nominal bug fix (x.x.1 or .2 or .3) updates, but the fact that 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 are all in simultaneous development raises some interesting possibilities:
The first possibility is that Apple is moving away from annual iOS releases in the fall that are tied to hardware. Right now, Apple releases hardware updates to its two most critical lines in the fall alongside new iOS versions: the iPhone and the iPad. While connecting the new hardware to major annual software releases is a prime marketing tactic for Apple and ensures that the latest hardware and software are well integrated, problems do occur. For example, while the hardware of the past few iPhone models (the iPhone 5, 5s, and 6/6 Plus) has clearly been ready for launch, the corresponding software releases have been buggy.
iOS 6’s inclusion of the faulty Apple Maps app left a sore in an otherwise successful iPhone 5 debut, iOS 7’s new design and feature-set remained unpolished for nearly six months following the launch of the iPhone 5s, and the iPhone 6’s launch was met with a buggy iOS 8 that included a nonfunctional HealthKit app and a botched iOS 8.0.1 update. Perhaps Apple has realized that releasing major new versions in the fall tied specifically to hardware has more cons than pros, and perhaps Apple is readying these later 8.2 and 8.3 updates as more minor releases for the 2015 iPhone and iPad models. Perhaps one of the updates is even a forked version specific to the upcoming 13-inch iPad.
Another possibility is the exact opposite: perhaps Apple is simply speeding up its iOS development process. Maybe Apple is still planning to launch iOS 9.0 around September or October 2015 alongside new hardware, and the company also plans to release significant iOS 8 feature updates throughout the first three quarters of 2015.
Our sources indicated early this year that Apple has been planning to include significant Maps improvements with iOS 8, but that the feature was pushed back due to bugs and internal conflicts. Apple has also been working on a new iPad split-screen mode for a version of iOS 8. Additionally, Apple is readying an iOS update to activate the NFC-based Apple Pay service and the company will need to release an iOS update in early 2015 to make iPhones play nicely with the upcoming Apple Watch. Perhaps those aforementioned upcoming features will be staggered across 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 across this fall and next year.
A final possibility is that Apple could be moving its iOS naming convention to an iOS 8.x system, much like the Mac operating system is marketed as OS X 10.x. It could be confusing to Apple users in a couple of years from now when iOS X/10 and OS X will co-exist. Perhaps the 8 will be to iOS what the 10 is to the Mac OS, and we’ll be living several years into the future with iOS 8.x releases. That last piece of speculation, however, seems far less likely than iOS 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 accounting for significant hardware-tied features coming across 2015.
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Great read. Very interesting that Apple is already testing 8.2 and 8.3.
Isn’t it likely that ApplePay that launches next month, will come with 8.1, rather than 8.0.3?
Major new features are rarely contained in a .x.x update.
Making it so that 8.2 is the next major revision, probably coming with Apple Watch support in early 2015.
8.3 is anyone’s guess, but there are 2 good reason why 8.1 and 8.2 will be coming at early times than previous for predetermined reasons.
Thats what I was thinking but wouldn’t 8.1 come out in beta first? That means it would be unlikely to launch in October for Apple Pay.
That begs the question: Will ApplePay be beta tested? If so, you’d think the beta OS would be out now, or at the very least, VERY soon.
Something tells me it will not be beta tested at all (for better or worse).
Apple is waiting its partners to install more NFC terminals to roll out Apple Pay.
In order for something like this to work Apple really needs to expand its beta testing program. iOS 7 was a nightmare until 7.1.1 and 8.0.1 probably wouldn’t have been a problem if it went to beta testers first.
8.1 Apple pay.
8.2 Split Screen iPad apps
8.3 new maps or iPad pro
I just wish Apple would go more to the .x.x upgrades to squash bugs. I think 2 of the iOS 8 .x upgrades will be for iPads. The iPad is way over do for ui specific upgrades. One thing I’m surprised that didn’t make it to the iPad was the 6 plus’ landscape keyboard.
re: iPad keyboard….just because the iPad is big does not mean it can have that kind of keyboard layout without dramatically changing the existing keyboard.
The only reason they were able to do that with the 6 Plus is more out of necessity, which you don’t realize…..Priority #1 was not making changes to the size/layout of the keys. Due to the resolution/aspect ratio of the 6 Plus, keeping the keyboard the same left a lot of empty space on either side. Space the needed to be filled, or risk looking ridiculous. So they added the functional and useful buttons.
The extra buttons were not a priority, something that just became possible because of the ACTUAL priority.
As if prophetic, 8.1 beta launched today.
Interesting news. John Gruber expressed some thoughts about this on Twitter yesterday and I’m incline to agree that they need to polish the software to match the level of quality that we expect of them. I understand software can’t be perfect, but some of the bugs I’ve encountered seem obvious and like things that should have been fixed long before it was released to the masses. And let’s not even mention 8.0.1 from last week. Focus is key.
8.0.1 was do to Apples tight control of new hardware and not giving software testers enough time to find bugs.
The other bugs should been found in the beta testing and not present in a gm release. With all the iOS developers bugs should be squashed much faster.
To me it goes back to Apple never having enough software writers. The constant back and forth of pulling people from OS X to wrap up iOS or from iOS to finish OS X is strong sign they need more employees.
And they need more beta testers. 8.0.1 would never have been a problem if it was beta tested.
I’m mostly interested in Apple fixing the 5ghz Wi-Fi bug that kills Wi-Fi in iPads running iOS 8. Can’t believe they released a major OS update with such a serious bug,
I was able to fix this problem on my iPad Air by turning off Wi-Fi Networking. Go to Privacy, then Location Services, then System Services and then turn off Wi-Fi networking. I haven’t had any wifi issues on my iPad Air now in the past 3 days since I did this.
What is your issue? My iPad Air and iPad mini w/ Retina display have no issues on 5 Ghz network….
I have the same issue, WiFi is unusable at 5ghz. It is really slow. Need to use the iPad on 2.4ghz for wifi to work. Streaming is completely impossible as well @ 5ghz.
iOS never made it past 7.1.2 in the year it was out. iOS 6 made it to 6.1.6. iOS 5 made it to 5.1.1. And we’re suppose to believe that 8 will see not 1 major update like the past 3 OS’ but 3?
It’s simple enough to fake a user agent and appear as whatever you’d like. Mine is currently set to iOS 9. Takes 2 seconds to change.
Model specific updates for devices they did it with cdma iPhones in the past and iPad specific updates.
Do you really think people fake their agents to look cool?
In the article above, you said: “…the iPhone 6’s launch was met with a buggy iOS 8 that included a nonfunctional HealthKit app…”
Nonfunctional? Oh please. Give me a break.
There is a very good reason for Apple to not rush the release of HealthKit. Unlike any other app created by Apple, HealthKit will be closely watched by government agencies such as the FDA for a number of reasons, including potential privacy issues related to HIPAA. Apple knows very well that it must be extremely careful to avoid a potential thunderstorm of criticism or worse. The healthcare industry is extremely conservative and protective to a fault. Even the slightest imagined error will rain down a torrent of screaming from pundits, bureaucrats and industry know-it-alls.
Guys, I know you’re overly caffeinated and you always WANT IT NOW. But life does not work that way, especially when healthcare apps are concerned. More than ever, Apple has to measure twice, and cut once. But you want both utter perfection and you want it yesterday. Given that you are bloggers, not software developers, you clearly don’t understand what’s at stake with Apple in getting Healthkit right out of the starting gate. Apple, unlike any other corporation, has ridiculously high expectations placed upon it, expectations no other company on earth has to face. I just wish you would understand that.
When I read articles like yours above, my eyes roll in their sockets. Please, stop acting like 16-year-old bloggers and start looking at this with a more mature viewpoint. If I want immaturity, I can always read something from Business Insider or BGR. Personally, I would rather spend my time learning something valuable by visiting your site. If not, I will move on.
A tip: don’t rush to publish. Put your draft down for a day and look at it tomorrow. Maybe then you will find the gaping flaws in your writing. Better yet: hire a professional editor. There was once a time that a journalist would submit a draft to an editor, who, upon reviewing it, would summarily stuff the draft down the journalist’s throat with extreme prejudice, and order him/her to re-write the draft. You could learn something from that.
Measure twice, cut once.
Unless it comes with an update to bring back the Camera Roll, I don’t care!!! Forcing us to organize and use the photos the way Apple wants is not ok. I want the Camera Roll back, that Samsung S5 is looking mighty good right now.
Wow, you’d switch to an inferior phone because of Camera Roll?? That’s funny.
You know you can switch to the Photos tab and see ALL your photos right? They simply have date range dividers, but it’s still a scroll-able list of all your photos in one place. If you can’t handle that, then just wait how frustrated you’ll be with a Samsung S5.
I would like quarterly releases. That would keep people excited for new features all year long. They could work on iOS 9 at the same time. We know they were working on the iPad Air for three years while rolling out minor upgrades to the iPad, so they can easily multitask on developing minor upgrades at the same time they are working on major upgrades.
Imagine every three months getting a new version of iOS.
I don’t think that’s the case though. I would say Apple Pay and Apple Watch have something to do with it. They could possibly be launching a new version with the new iPads. iOS 4.2, 5.1, and 7.0.3 were all timed with new iPad hardware.
There could also be a release to coincide with Yosemite. They are tied closely together, and a lot of things like SMS from the iPad have been delayed until then.
That’s insane! Apple has problems putting out yearly updates that don’t seem like very early betas. iOS 7 didn’t become stable until 7.1 and I’m still having issues with Mavericks at 10.9.5. Apple isn’t taking its public beta program seriously enough.
Even tho i like the last one i think the second to last is the right one.
ps i really want split screen on my ipad air :)
8.1 – ApplePay
8.2 – Photos
8.3 – Maps
Oh…to me. iOS 8 is really just iOS 7.2 Don’t really feel a lot of changes.
so iOS 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 is just iOS 7.2.1 ~ 7.2.3
When will 8.3 be here??… STILL having major problems with 8.2!!! Wi-fi won’t stay connected on my iPad!!! Come on Apple.. Sort it out quickly!!!
The 8.2 has made the iPad a very unpleasant device to use. I sure hope they find a way to fix it as I don’ t enjoy using the iPad as much as I did before the update.
I think you mean 8.0.2. Try reinstalling as new and then restoring from a known good backup. 8.0.2 was doing all sorts of weird things to my 5s and doing that really cleared things up well.
Updated to 8.0.2 and lost the link to my emails. Tried deleting and reconnecting but no good. Pleased to see 8.2 and updated again but still can’t access my emails without going through Google. What’s going on? (Ipad 3)