At last, Apple has unveiled iOS 10.2 to the public, and anyone with a compatible device can give it a try. However, some of the more cautious of you may be wondering just how different this latest version of iOS is. We don’t blame you, as upgrading has often in the past led to issues which Apple did not foresee. So luckily for you, the good people at iAppleBytes managed to try it out a little earlier than the rest of us and have tested it on a range of iOS devices.
iOS 10.2 vs. iOS 10.1.1
Right now, millions of iOS device owners around the world are waiting to take their turn with 10.2. The majority wants to know if this latest version of the firmware will speed up their handset or slow it down. Unfortunately, most iOS users don’t have the luxury of testing the software on handsets they can afford to see destroyed. So they prefer to leave the testing to YouTubers who have multiple devices and the technical skills needed if all goes wrong.
Testing, Testing iPhone 5, 5s, 6, 6s and more
In the videos below, you will see that the tests have been completed on the iPhone 5, 5s, 6, and 6s. The testers also threw in the iPad Air for good measure; after all, even Apple’s tablets run on this firmware. These handsets and tablet were chosen because they represent most of the devices currently being used by the public. Each should have different results when iOS 10.2 is tested on them.
iPhone 5 and 5s: initial speed testing
They started the testing off with the iPhone 5, the oldest device featured or even capable of running iOS 10. At first, it was believed that due to its age and the fact that it has an Apple A6 chipset and only 1GB of RAM, it would perform poorly. However, to the surprise of the testers, it actually booted up a few seconds faster with 10.2, compared to the time it took with iOS 10.1.1.
The 5s did not appear to have the same speed gains of its older sibling. In fact, it took longer to boot up. However, where apps are concerned, a minor load time improvement was seen.
iPhone 6 and 6s tested
The 6, and 6s didn’t see much of a time gain at boot-up compared to the 5. Instead, the difference was discovered with app load times. The improvements were only fractions of a second, but they were improvements nonetheless. Overall performance-wise, the result could be called negligible, but whether that’s a positive depends on your mindset.
If you want to know more about how iOS 10.2 effects the entire crop of compatible devices, you are going to have to watch the videos below. However, it is probably best that you just look at the one which corresponds to your device.
iPhone 5: 10.2 v. 10.1.1
Are you an iPhone 5 owner looking to find out whether installing 10.2 over 10.1.1 will make a difference? This is your video:
iPhone 5s 10.2 v. 10.1.1
Similar to above, if you want to find out what the differences are between the two firmware versions for the iPhone 5s, this is your video:
iPhone 6: 10.2 v. 10.1.1
Check this video out if you’re an iPhone 6 owner:
iPhone 6s: 10.2 v. 10.1.1
If you’re fortunate enough to be touting an Apple A9 smartphone, then this is your video:
iPad Air: 10.2 v. 10.1.1
Have an iPad Air and want to know what difference this update could make to your tablet? Check out this video:
For us, the perfect comparison of the iOS 10 versions would have meant being able to test each version on identical devices. Unfortunately for us, we don’t have that capability right now, so this was the next best thing.
