That's not strictly correct. The option / control click on the Update and Restore buttons will allow you to select an .ipsw file (iClarified has a list of firmware files for most if not all of the releases, or if you're a developer you can possibly download them from there - currently they only seem to have 8.0, guess there isn't a full 8.0.2 just yet)

When you try and install a file you'll notice it verifies the update with Apple's servers, this is checking wether the version of iOS is still "signed" by Apple. A short time after a new version goes live, typically a few days, Apple stops signing the old version, which means if you try to install 7.1.2 the verification step will fail and you will not be able to install it. This is currently the case as Apple stop signing 7.1.2 yesterday.

What you could do is use something like tinyumbrealla to save the shsh "blobs" that are checked against, and then you set it to basically intercept the call to Apple's servers when you verify, and that will, I believe, allow you to downgrade. It's not automatic, so you'd nee to run Tiny Umbrella every time you upgrade the OS on the phone as soon as you have upgraded it to make sure it gets the "blobs". So if you did not have them for 7.1.2, then you cannot downgrade.

As a developer, I really do wish Apple would provide a method to downgrade devices. Sometimes you either accidentally upgrade a device, or you wish to test your app while upgrading the OS, something you don't do that often as the device is then technically sacrificed to the new update (Apple's beta read-me notes on the download page for iOS versions states this). There are times when an iOS update will change the internals of how things work, iOS 8 seems to do this, changing the locations of various paths for apps. When running on iOS 8, an app is fine, it adapts to the change without code changes, but if you link to files and upgrade from 7 to 8, paths change, the link is broken and it can result in broken functionality.

Apple could simply put in a check for the downgrade that a device is registered in a developer portal and allow the restore through Xcode (not sure about Xcode 6, but earlier versions did allow you to restore the OS,rather then using iTunes). Phones could be tricky, due to baseband changes, but if you do a full wipe, I'm sure they could downgrade everything.

 

EVERY piece of software in existence has bugs afaik the only issue is whether they cause a problem or not.

The main issue with Apple, is unlike Android, Microsoft and any apps/program companies, they know exactly the hardware that the OS will be installed on and as such have the opportunity to extensively test before launch/release. For such a wealthy company they could invest a little more in that testing.

 

have you seen how extensive testing is? Anyhow, it's the same reason Android based devices are unsupported. **** happens.

 

On the other hand its amazing that Android works on so many differing devices without any issues!

 

Children, stop with the bloody Apple/Android argument, its annoying me now (and I'm usually quite chilled!!)

I'm waiting for iOS 8 to be tweaked before upgrading, let everyone else have the headaches

 

Report the troll.

 

Reported.

 

So, is this still so buggy now? I still haven't updated yet.

 

Go for it.

 

Oky Doky, cheers.

 

8.0.2 is out today, addresses the bugs in 8.0

 

Not for me it hasn't still get 'No Service' 90% of the time.
,really frustrating

 

updated my phone earlier. It's been a bit laggy ever since. Just navigating this site in desktop mode and it's been slow, goin to click a link and thinking it hasn't actioned it (no touch evidence) and then it has etc.

Also, ever since my email is slow. When I open it, the phone receives emails and I get the received tone a few seconds after it should appear and I've even had a sort of double tone where it's got stuck.

Hope this isn't the whole 'old iPhone 4s unable to run new iOS' rubbish.

 

The 4s is cracking on. I'd be restarting it then disabling features.

 

Nice touch with the time-lapse feature. Whether you shoot for and hour or a minute your clip will be between 20 and 40 seconds long. Simple, better.

 

running 8.1 beta now , feels a lot snappier

 

Meh, my friends be running 8.2 for a while

I'll have to get a couple of devices running the beta, but from the release notes there aren't that many changes (yet). Not sure if 8.1 is where Apple Pay will appear, but I suspect it is, not that anyone outside the US will be able to use it.

I still need to get the majority of my devices on 8.0.2, no doubt 8.1 be final when I do that

 

Any indication of when 8.1 will appear? My 5 is still reall laggy

 

This made a nice difference on my iPad 2

2)Transparency can be turned off by going to
Settings---->General---> Accessibility--->Increase Contrast---->make sure that the options Reduce Transparency, Darken Colors and Reduce White point are turned off.

 

Is there absolutely no way to go back to IOS7? The missus is very disappointed in the performance of her ipad 2 with IOS8 and would like to roll back.

 

There is no way once Apple stops signing the old firmware, no more support, end of. Apple are one of, it not the worst offenders when it comes to planned obsolencence. Not even Microsoft are as bad, they continue to support older OS's such as Windows 7 and also continued to support Windows XP long after the release of its successor. With Android, granted that older versions are no longer updated, it is still possible roll back to previous version. Option is either to suck it up and stick with a plodding iPad or buy a new tablet.

 

Oh really. I'd say all of my Apple products have had an incredibly long support life. iPad 2, still supported after 4 years. 4 year old Samsung tablet, how's that working out?

 

Plodding? I've got a first generation ipad which is still working fine.

 

My contention is not the level of support but the fact that Apple engineers obsolescence in its devices with each update making them slower and less unusable. Microsoft for example made Windows 7 to be fully usable on older PCs and even those with Intel Atom processors. With my Samsung tablet, I'm able to roll back to whatever version of stock Android I like released for the device and it runs quite happily and is still fast. The same can't be said of Apple devices.

 

Not on iOS 8 you haven't.

 

Is it worth updating to 8.0.2 on my 5s or are there still bugs to be dealt with?? Still on 7.1.2 atm.

 

I dont understand all this IOS XYZ slowed my device down rubbish...


How people can claim that Apple purposely slowed their machine down so they would buy a new one is beyond me. It really is.
Software moves on, and more features normally means more power required. Windows 7 Vs Windows XP was no different, except you had to pay a lot of money for that upgrade to find out your hardware wasnt up to it.

With your Apple stuff, its a FREE update - If you dont want it, simply dont use it?

 

This isn't support - with no rollback option this is forced obsolescence. I would much rather have a device that wasn't running the latest version of the OS when the manufacturer recognises it's not up to the job - especially when core app updates are independent of the OS anyway. Provided you get security updates in the older OS, that's all that really matters.

The best option is to get both - be allowed access to the new OS, but if you don't like it be allowed to roll back. Both Microsoft and Google have adopted this technique, and it is why the missus will probably replace the now nigh-unusable (her words, not mine - I never use it) iPad with a Surface Pro 3.

 

What course of action do you suggest for those who were unaware of quite how bad the performance hit would be, and would now like to go back to the old version?

 

You should try a fresh install, my iPad 2 isn't a rocket ship but it's still doing everything well.