Tomorrow Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will roll out the biggest changes it has made to iOS since the operating system was first launched. While this is certainly exciting for some fans, your device might need some help getting prepared for iOS 7.
Christina Bonnington of Wired and Sarah Guarino of 9to5 Mac have provided us with some great guides to follow.
Two important steps before the iOS 7 upgrade
First, it’s important to note that not all iOS devices are compatible with iOS 7. Only iPhones with the Retina display will be able to handle the new operating system. This includes the iPhone 4, 4S and 5. Of course the iPhone 5C and 5S should come with iOS 7 preloaded on them. In terms of iPads, Bonnington says the iPad 2, 3, and 4 and the iPad Mini should all be able to run iOS 7. She also says the fifth generation iPod Touch should be able to handle the new operating system as well.
After determining if your iOS device can run the new version, then it’s essential to back up everything that’s on it. Some people already do this on a regular basis, but for those who do not, it is essential to back up everything, especially your videos and photos. Those who back up their device using an OS X computer can do this with Image Capture or Preview to import them. On Windows computers, Windows Explorer enables you to view the photos and put them on your computer.
You can also back up everything to iCloud. 9to5 Mac offers very thorough instructions and photos on how to do this.
An extra optional step to prepare your device
In addition to those two optional steps, Bonnington also recommends that you do a little “house cleaning” prior to the iOS 7 update. Most of us have apps on our smartphones that we never use, and some of us don’t download updates for these apps when they’re available. Before installing iOS 7, it’s a good idea to just take care of these two things.
It’s unlikely that anything will go wrong, but she notes that those with older devices might want to wait for about a week before updating to iOS 7. She said in the past, some older devices had trouble with the initial rollout of new operating systems. She said this might apply to those with an iPhone 4 or iPad 2. Waiting a week may give Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) time to optimize the operating system for these older devices because it generally starts out optimized for newer hardware.
How to receive your iOS 7 update
9to5 Mac also explains the two different ways you can receive your iOS 7 update. Some may prefer to take the over the air update. To do this, just go to Settings, General, and then Software update.
Some may prefer to plug the device right into iTunes and run the update through the computer. There’s a button right over the Backup button, which enables you to back up the device. Just click the Check for Update button, and it will start downloading iOS 7.
After iOS 7 is installed, it will take you through a setup process, starting with asking whether this is a new device or you want to restore it from iCloud or iTunes backup. 9to5 Mac really does an excellent job with the inclusion of graphics and explanation, so if you have any questions about where to find things, check out the graphics in their post.
