Not having the latest iPhone or iPad

[someguy]

Hi

I've got an iPhone 4 and it's under contract with the phone company I'm with so I can't upgrade it until late 2012.

I don't yet have an iPad. I'd like to buy an iPad soon but I understand the iPad 3 is coming out early next year.

Would I be at a disadvantage with developing iOS apps without the latest versions of the hardware? I've been busy with university study this year so I've fallen behind on learning iOS programming.

Thanks.

[debleek63]

Depends which sort of applications you want to develop. New devices have new features, supported by new ios-es. The more applications make use of those features, the more people will buy new devices Apple encourages to use new features.

From the other side, if developing/testing on a new device, you have a big chance that your application will be unusable/slow/etc. on older devices. This is the reason, why I develop on iPod 2-nd generation!

[CharlieEvans]

Originally Posted by debleek63

Depends which sort of applications you want to develop. New devices have new features, supported by new ios-es. The more applications make use of those features, the more people will buy new devices Apple encourages to use new features.

From the other side, if developing/testing on a new device, you have a big chance that your application will be unusable/slow/etc. on older devices. This is the reason, why I develop on iPod 2-nd generation!

Yeah I'd say you're better off developing with an older device than the brand new ones. That being said testing with all devices really is key if you want to make sure your app is bug free. ( I have for example ran into an issue playing movie files where the iPhone 4GS did something weird while no other iPhone did)

[someguy]

Originally Posted by CharlieEvans

Yeah I'd say you're better off developing with an older device than the brand new ones. That being said testing with all devices really is key if you want to make sure your app is bug free. ( I have for example ran into an issue playing movie files where the iPhone 4GS did something weird while no other iPhone did)

Seeing as I don't have the latest iPhone would it be enough for me to rely on others for beta testing? I've got both the iPhone 4 and an iPhone 3G although only the iPhone 4 is registered with the Apple iOS Developer program. My iPhone 3G is off contract and doesn't have an active sim card.

I'm assuming it's best I wait for the iPad 3 to come out for testing apps on it. Although to be honest even an iPad 2 would help me cut down on clutter with not having to carry so much paper around. I take down client notes on an paper pad in a folio but it drives me nuts sometimes when I have to look things up in it. I'd like to have an iPad even just to help me with that.

Thanks.