OnSwipe

iOS 7 hints at growing interest in Apple pre-release software

Whenever Apple releases new software, consumers rush to give it a try. Now the average Apple user wants in on pre-release software once the domain only of developers and others paid to ensure everything is in order.

There has been such interest in the changes made to iOS 7 that this so-called 'beta' software is being adopted at a faster pace than test versions of iOS 6, one company noted Tuesday.

More than twice as many iPhones are online with the beta version of iOS 7 than was the case when the pre-release version of iOS 6 was made available to developers, according to a company which optimizes websites for mobile users.

Why the heightened interest in software declared not ready for mass use? How is Apple responding to this trend?

iPad users prefer landscape mode, late night Facebooking

A new report on how tablet users view their devices and at what times reveals several interesting preferences. Among the most notable discovered by one web application: iPads remain the most-used tablets, particularly in landscape mode at around 10pm during the weekdays. The findings also show tablets other than Apple's device attracting usage in the single-digits...

Four days later, 26% of iDevices run iOS 6.1

Apple acknowledged in a press release Monday that there are now more than 300 million devices on iOS 6.0 and above, concluding it “may be the most popular new version of an OS in history”. Logs and various other data points support Apple's data. OnSwipe, a service which presents traditional web sites in a format better suited to touch screen devices, found iOS 6.1 installed on nearly 21 percent of iPad and iPhone devices in less than 24 hours following its release.

By comparison, it took a week for 44 percent of users to update to iOS 6. The firm on Friday re-analyzed their logs comprised of thirteen million monthly active users, reporting that iOS 6.1 adoption has now passed the 25 percent mark in the first four days of availability...

iOS 6.1 gains 22% adoption in under 2 days

Apple's recent update to iOS 6.1 may be important more for what it says about users and the never-ending competition with Android than what new features were added to the software running iPhones, iPods and and iPads. Released earlier this week, iOS 6.1 could become the most-quickly adopted version of Apple's mobile software. Nearly 22 percent of iOS users have installed the update in less than 48 hours, one developer claims.

Apple's iPhone users were the fastest to adopt iOS 6.1 with nearly 24 percent installing the updated software in less than one day. Tablet users were only a bit slower with one-fifth of iPad owners installing 6.1 by the 20-hour mark. By comparison, it took a week for 44 percent of users to update to iOS 6...