Introduction
The world is dominated by Apple’s mobile devices, with the iPad being one of their most popular offerings. With each new version of iOS, Apple introduces new features and improvements that make it an essential tool for developers to stay ahead of the curve. However, keeping track of which version of iOS your users are currently using can be challenging.
Why Knowing What Version of iOS Your Users Are Using Matters
As a developer, knowing which version of iOS your users are using is crucial for several reasons:
- Compatibility: Different versions of iOS have different capabilities and limitations. By knowing which version your users are running, you can ensure that your app is compatible with their device.
- Performance: Each new version of iOS comes with performance improvements. Knowing what version your users are using allows you to optimize your app’s performance for that specific version.
- Feature Availability: Certain features may only be available in certain versions of iOS. By knowing which version your users are running, you can ensure that your app is taking full advantage of all the features available to it.
- Security: Each new version of iOS comes with security updates and patches. Knowing what version your users are running allows you to prioritize updates and ensure that your app remains secure.
What Versions of iOS Are Currently Being Used by iPads?
As of August 2021, the latest version of iOS is iOS 15, which was released on September 16, 2021. However, not all users have upgraded to this version yet. According to a survey conducted by Statista in July 2021, the most widely used versions of iOS are:
- iOS 14 – 38%
- iOS 13 – 27%
- iOS 12 – 24%
- iOS 11 – 9%
- iOS 10 – 6%
How to Determine What Version of iOS Your Users Are Using
There are several ways to determine what version of iOS your users are running:
- App Store Connect: Apple’s App Store Connect provides a dashboard that shows the number of devices running each version of iOS in your app’s user base. You can use this information to optimize your app development process based on the most common versions of iOS used by your users.
- Analytics Tools: There are several analytics tools available for developers, such as Google Analytics and Mixpanel. These tools allow you to track user behavior and device information, including the version of iOS they are running.
- Code-Based Solutions: You can also use code-based solutions to determine what version of iOS your users are using. For example, you can use conditional statements in your app’s code to check for specific versions of iOS and provide different experiences based on that information.
Optimizing Your App Development Process Based on User Version of iOS
Once you know which version of iOS your users are running, you can optimize your app development process by:
- Prioritizing Updates: If a new version of iOS is released with security updates or performance improvements, you should prioritize updating your app to take advantage of these updates.
- Testing on Multiple Versions: To ensure that your app works seamlessly across all versions of iOS, you should test it on multiple devices running different versions of iOS.
- Providing Different Experiences: Depending on the version of iOS your users are running, you can provide different experiences in your app, such as optimizing performance or providing new features.