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iOS 8.2 Update: 10 Things to Expect

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Apple’s new iOS 8.3 update is grabbing all of the headlines but it probably won’t be the company’s next upgrade for iOS 8 users. No, that honor will likely fall to the iOS 8.2 update that currently sits in the company’s beta program. With an iOS 8.2 release rumored to be just a few weeks away, we want to take a look at what we expect from the update itself and from its release.

In September, Apple released its iOS 8.0 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update, which followed the company’s iOS 7 update, delivered a number of new features, fixes and enhancements. It also delivered a series of iOS 8 problems, problems that Apple’s been trying to fix in the weeks after the operating system’s initial release.

Apple’s released six iOS 8 bug fix updates aimed at squashing these iOS 8 problems. The latest is the company’s iOS 8.1.3 update which arrived nearly two weeks go to tackle a few of the lingering issues on board the iPhone and the iPad. It’s a large update, for an incremental iOS release, though Apple has at least two more iOS 8 updates in the pipeline for the future.

One of those updates is iOS 8.3, a brand new update that Apple just today popped into the beta program. The update is set to deliver several new features including wireless CarPlay support. The other is iOS 8.2, an update that’s been in the beta process since last year, and one that’s expected to be released fairly soon.

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As we’ve pushed onward towards the Apple Watch release, we’ve started to hear a lot more about the iOS 8.2 update. And with iOS 8.1.3 problems mounting for iPhone and iPad owners, iOS 8 users are starting to keep a watchful eye on Apple’s next big iOS 8 update.

Today, we want to set the stage with some of our own iOS 8.2 expectations. Apple rarely releases information ahead of time so iPhone and iPad users can use these expectations as a sort of guide as we approach the upcoming iOS 8.2 release date.

One More Beta, If That

The iOS 8.2 update is currently in its fifth beta. That’s a ton of betas for an incremental update to the iOS operating system. Apple’s iOS 8.0 upgrade, by comparison, saw six public beta releases (including the GM). The iOS 8.0 beta 6 was released to carrier partners but not to the general public.

With iOS 8.2 sitting on its fifth beta, it’s clear that we’re getting closer and closer to a public release. And with a release rumored to be just a few weeks away, the window for more iOS 8.2 betas is starting to close. At this point, we would expect there to be no more than one or two iOS 8.2 betas between now and the public release.

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So if you want to try the iOS 8.2 update ahead of the public release, you’re probably going to want to get on that and get it on it soon. It’s not necessary for most of you but those that are curious are safe to do so right now.

iOS 8.2 Release Date in March

Two separate reports point to an iOS 8.2 release in March. The iOS 8.2 release date itself hasn’t been nailed down but signs point to a release by the second week of March. While that could certainly change, we’re expecting Apple to release iOS 8.2 next month, ahead of the Apple Watch release.

It’s clear that the two are tied together and with an Apple Watch release set for sometime around April, Apple will need to get this update out. We wouldn’t be surprised if the company left a bit of a buffer between the update’s arrival and the arrival of the Apple Watch. Similar to what it did with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iOS 8.0.

Familiar iOS 8.2 Release Time

Expect Apple to release the iOS 8.2 update in and around the same time that it always releases its iOS updates. Historically, the company’s released iOS updates around 10AM PST. If an update doesn’t arrive by 10:30AM PST or so, then it’s probably not coming.

We expect the iOS 8.2 release to follow in the footsteps of iOS updates before it and become available in and around 10AM PST, or 1PM on the east coast of the United States.

Easier Installation For Those on iOS 8.1.3

If you update to iOS 8.1.3 update ahead of the iOS 8.2 release, we expect your installation to be a little bit easier. One of the fixes that came aboard the iOS 8.1.3 update was for the amount of storage needed to install Apple’s updates Over-the-Air. This has been a pain point for sometime, especially for those touting 16 GB iPhones and iPads.

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It’s not clear how large the iOS 8.2 will be though we suspect that it’s going to be bigger than your standard iOS bug fix update. And with iOS 8.1.3 on board, you probably won’t have to go through the hassle of deleting files or installing the update through iTunes to escape these storage issues. It’s just one of the reasons why you should think about installing the iOS 8.1.3 update today.

Apple Watch Support

Expect iOS 8.2 to be the update that delivers support for the Apple Watch. This is an important upgrade because without iOS 8.2, you’re probably not going to be able to take full advantage of the Apple Watch’s capabilities. This will be done through the company’s WatchKit solution. If you plan on buying the Apple Watch, you’ll almost certainly have to install iOS 8.2.

iOS 8 Bug Fixes

The iOS 8.2 change log isn’t out just yet but we expect it to contain at least a few bug fixes for iOS 8 problems. It will certainly be focused in on Apple Watch compatibility but we’d be surprised if Apple failed to include fixes for some of its lingering iOS 8 issues. We probably won’t see the laundry list that some users are after but there’s good reason to expect a few different solutions on board Apple’s next iOS update.

iOS 8.2 Problems

We also expect iPhone and iPad users to run into iOS 8.2 problems after making the move to Apple’s next update. It doesn’t matter how many betas Apple uses, we always see problems pop up for iPhone and iPad users after a release. Battery life, problems with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and installation issues are a few of the most common iOS problems. Most of the time, the issues are isolated.

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We expect these problems to be a problem for some iOS 8.2 users as well. We do not, however, expect iOS 8.2 to deliver massive, catastrophic problems to iOS 8 users. We’ve been through too many iOS 8 updates for that to happen now. There will almost certainly be a few bugs but we expect a fairly clean release from Apple later on this year.

iOS 8.2 Jailbreak

We don’t expect to hear much about the iOS 8.2 jailbreak, if there is an iOS 8.2 jailbreak, in the buildup to the iOS 8.2 release date. Developers have stayed quiet in the days since the iOS 8.1.3 update busted the iOS 8.1.2 jailbreak and we expect that to continue, if only to keep Apple at bay. iOS jailbreaks are a game of cat and mouse between jailbreak devs looking to exploit the software and Apple engineers looking to patch those exploits up. If we do see an iOS 8.2 jailbreak, we expect it to arrive around the iOS 8.2 release.

Few Surprises

We don’t expect iOS 8.2 to bring any huge surprises to iOS 8 users. Don’t expect any big unannounced features. Don’t expect the biggest bug fixer that you’ve ever seen. Don’t expect Apple to throw in anything crazy. Don’t expect a release on the weekend or at night. Don’t expect Apple to release tons of early details about the update’s release.

iOS 8.3 Release to Follow

Finally, expect the iOS 8.2 update to replaced by something other than the iOS 9 update. Apple’s confirmed an iOS 8.3 update for arrival, it’s currently in its first beta, and we expect it to be the next iOS 8 update in line.

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We expect there to be a bug fix update or two somewhere in between the release of iOS 8.2 and iOS 9 and it looks like we might see an iOS 8.4 update roll out before everything is said and done. iOS 8.2 won’t be the last in line, that’s for sure. Whether we see two more major updates or just one remains to be seen though.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Bgf

    02/14/2015 at 6:22 pm

    Like Ebola, I’m back

  2. Ryan

    03/14/2015 at 11:28 am

    This article’s headline is what to expect from 8.2 but you don’t mention anything. This is just you rambling in a big circle. What an idiot.

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