iOS 6: Apple upgrade or downgrade?

Apple's new map application.

Apple launched its new mobile device operating system earlier this week to give iPhone fanatics a small taste of what is to come with their upcoming launch of the iPhone 5. This update, being of no cost to the user, includes an entirely new map system designed by Apple in the place of the Google Maps application that was featured in all previous Apple products. In addition to the new map provider, the updated also includes;

• The ability to FaceTime without Wifi
• The expansion of Siri's abilities such as sports scores and posting on social networking sites
• The ability to upload multiple photos to a photo stream
• The panorama feature in the camera app

Passbook

Within the 24 hours after launch, over 15% of iOS users have upgraded to the new operating system. Unfortunately, users of the original iPad, 3rd generation iTouch, and any iPhone before iPhone 3S will be left out of this upgrade as Apple no longer will support upgrades for those devices. This rush of downloads in a period of under a day made the wait time for this upgrade a major pain, some users having to wait over 3 hours. The upgrade can be done without having to connect your device to your PC but it is suggested that you keep your device on a charger so that you do not lose power during the download. After the download is completed the device will reset itself and reboot as if you were turning it on for the first time. Following the reboot, you will go through a few introductions screens and then you will be returned to your familiar homepage. On your homepage the only change you may notice is the addition of the Passbook application which now allows you to store movie tickets, airplane tickets, store cards, and coupons all in one place Upon closer inspection of your device, you will begin to notice minor style changes to the system, such as background fading, that makes the overall flow of the device seem more visually impressive. You are now able to use any sound file in your iTunes as the audio for your alarm clock which will be incredibly useful to many users who are tired of waking up to the nuclear warfare siren from Cold War Era.

Melting Hill

Unfortunately with every technological innovation this early in release, problems and glitches will not be far behind. The new map application that Apple designed to rival Google Maps become a minor internet sensation, and not in the good way. Issues such as incorrect locations and misguided directions have been plaguing users for the last 2 days as in some cases the application will say that it is several hundred yards off from where the physical location actually is. Along with the misguided directions, the satellite images of some major geographical locations show up as broken or swirled as if they had been painted on by Edvard Munch.

Overall Apple has once again taken a step forward in increasing the overall efficiency and productivity of their mobile devices. A few problems and glitches were expected upon launch as they are prominent in any launch of this magnitude. However with the release of the iPhone on the 21st, you can expect to see fixes and updates available to you within the next few weeks.

Cited
Lowensohn, Josh. "iOS 6 already on 15 percent of devices, firm says." CNET News (2012): n.pag. CNET. Web. 20 Sep 2012. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57517129-37/ios-6-already-on-15-percent-of-devices-firm-says/>. 
Anderson, Rory, and Brandon Griggs. "Users: Apple iOS 6 maps are a mess." CNN Tech (2012): n.pag. CNN Tech. Web. 20 Sep 2012. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/20/tech/mobile/apple-maps-complaints/?hpt=hp_c3>.