On: How Fragmented Is Android?

[kevin_thibedeau]

The other point is that most Apple store apps become uninstallable on anything older than three iOS versions.

[yegle → kevin_thibedeau]

This. I'm happily using JuiceSSH in Android Q beta even though it was last updated in 2017 and was targeting Android L. Android maintained reasonably good backward compatibility just like Windows did.

So many iOS app developers would use new SDK as soon as newer iOS is out, and abandon existing users who chose to use old iOS. Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again.

[felipemnoa → yegle]

>>Worse, those app developers would choose to drop old version, release a new version that requires you to purchase again.

To be fair, one is not entitled to free upgrades forever.

[scarface74 → kevin_thibedeau]

If apps ever had a version that worked as of iOS 5, you can still download “the last compatible version”. I’ve downloaded older streaming apps recently on a first generation iPad running iOS 5.

Any iPhone released since 2013 - with the exception of the 5C can run the latest OS.