iOS 7, Android 4.3 Server Log Sightings Continue

News
By Kevin Parrish
published

Both iOS 7 and Android 4.3 continue to show up on server logs.

TechCrunch reports that Onswipe, a mobile site conversion company that uses HTML5 to deliver tablet-optimized websites, has recently seen a huge spike in traffic at partner websites from devices running Apple's rumored iOS 7. The devices are reportedly iPhones and iPads based in Cupertino and San Francisco, and account for 17.9 percent and 18.75 percent, respectively, of the iOS traffic on Onswipe-enabled sites. May 2 saw the highest iOS 7 traffic to date, representing 23 percent of the unique iOS visitors.

As TechCrunch points out, Apple typically tests new versions of its operating system internally before launching the platform as a developer preview. After another few months of testing, the software is released to the general public. With Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) just about a month away, the rise in traffic possibly indicates that the company is getting ready to release the revamped platform to app developers.

Recently, unnamed sources claimed that the platform may be delayed due to the complete overhaul in the interface and core apps. These sources said that internal deadlines for submitting features to be tested have been set later than past releases. Thus, Apple may be pushing to compile enough of the system to preview at WWDC in June, and then will possibly release the platform in September already installed on the new iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models.

Meanwhile, Google's Android 4.3 "Jelly Bean" has been spotted in the wild just days before its expected reveal at Google I/O next week. SlashGear reports that the unannounced platform hit the site 17 times on May 5, stemming from an unknown source. The platform reportedly began showing up on server logs last week, bearing the letter J (JWR23B) rather than K, indicating that Google is sticking with the "Jelly Bean" label with this build.

The Android 4.3 sighting first began with AndroidPolice, but then Android Authority also chimed in, reporting that the unannounced Jelly Bean also showed up on its server logs. "We can easily spot a bunch of Nexus devices including the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 running a variety of Android 4.3 versions including JWR25C, JWR24B, and JWR29/JWR29B," the report states. "We also notice a Nexus 4 running build JDQ39 (Android 4.2.2) which is identified for some reason as Android 4.3."

With all that evidence in hand, there's no question as to what Apple and Google plan to release during their respective conferences. There's a good chance Google will still showcase Android 5.0 "Key Lime Pie" during the show, but the company will likely make the new Jelly Bean installment available to the Android masses. As for iOS 7, Apple will need to show something new during WWDC next month, and despite the talk about delays, that will probably be the icing on the iPhone 5's cake.

Kevin Parrish
6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • stevejnb
    You know, after Android 4.0 - which was admittedly great - I haven't seen anything *really* huge pop into this OS. Do we really need to make a big deal about this now that the updates seem to have gone from huge (2 to 3 to 4) to incremental and relatively small improvements?
    Also, iOS... Who cares? Likely playing catchup anyways.
    Reply
  • falcompsx
    "the company will likely make the new Jelly Bean installment available to the Android masses."
    right. The masses, meaning only nexus devices because HTC, Motorola, etc... rarely release OS updates with any sort of urgency. 4.4 will be just around the corner by the time 4.3 has begun to roll out to most devices.
    Reply
  • lockhrt999
    Phew. That was me with my custom user agent. Busted.
    Reply
  • wildkitten
    10783382 said:
    "the company will likely make the new Jelly Bean installment available to the Android masses."
    right. The masses, meaning only nexus devices because HTC, Motorola, etc... rarely release OS updates with any sort of urgency. 4.4 will be just around the corner by the time 4.3 has begun to roll out to most devices.
    It's not that these OEM's don't want to, but the carriers have final say over when Android updates are released. Apple doesn't face this because the one thing Apple did right was to retain control over when iOS updates are released. Google needs to push back against the carriers and stand up for their OEM partners.

    Reply
  • Vladislaus
    10783670 said:
    It's not that these OEM's don't want to, but the carriers have final say over when Android updates are released. Apple doesn't face this because the one thing Apple did right was to retain control over when iOS updates are released. Google needs to push back against the carriers and stand up for their OEM partners.
    An carriers also have a say when updates are launched on SIM unlocked phones? No, they don't! Yet the problem remains.
    Reply
  • wildkitten
    10783946 said:
    10783670 said:
    It's not that these OEM's don't want to, but the carriers have final say over when Android updates are released. Apple doesn't face this because the one thing Apple did right was to retain control over when iOS updates are released. Google needs to push back against the carriers and stand up for their OEM partners.
    An carriers also have a say when updates are launched on SIM unlocked phones? No, they don't! Yet the problem remains.
    And in comparison to subsidized phones through the carriers, there really is not many of them out there. You will always have slow development for any product where there is not many of said product.

    Now it can be argued as well that perhaps each OEM has way to many phones. Apple has one phone, the iPhone, yet are continually bashed for bringing out a new one about once a year. But look at Motorola. They released the Bionic, then a couple months later, the Razr, then a couple of months later the Razr Maxx, then the Razr HD, the Razr M. If each OEM concentrated on one, maybe 2, models, that could also help the update issue, but still, not much when you have carriers forcing them to do 10 version of each update to make sure the bloatware is all in there.

    Reply