When you understand both these two items, then you understand the subject.
1. A release is NOT just the patches alone - it's EVERYTHING in OS
2. Only the Apple releases are monolithic - they include everything
Android, Linux & Windows do NOT release as a monolith.
As such, they're continually updated, upgraded and hotfix patched.
Once you understand this, then you can _begin_ to understand why it's a
lie when people tell you Apple release support is longer than Windows,
Linux or Android.
It's not.
Why not?
Read this...
Apple's description of UPDATES, UPGRADES & RAPID SECURITY RESPONSE releases
Once you understand what a release entails, you'll realize the truth.
Apple's full release support is (by far!) the shortest in the industry.
https://screenrant.com/apple-product-security-update-lifespan/
"The support document notes that only the latest releases provide full protection from security vulnerabilities. "Because of dependency on architecture and system changes to any current version of macOS (for
example, macOS 13), not all known security issues are addressed in previous versions (for example, macOS 12)," the Apple document says. Essentially,
this means that the security updates Apple issues to older operating system versions are not fully protected. Using that logic, the iOS 15.7.1 update
may leave security vulnerabilities unaddressed that have been patched in
the iOS 16.1 updates. This means that although Apple issues security
updates to older operating systems, users should only expect their devices
to be secure during the typical five to six-year software upgrade support window."
https://hothardware.com/news/apple-admits-only-fully-patches-security-flaws-in-latest-os-releases
"Old versions of operating systems of Apple devices do not get complete security patches. The emphasis in the document is that there is a
difference between Upgrade and Update, at least in the Apple lexicon."
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/apple-clarifies-security-update-policy-only-the-latest-oses-are-fully-patched/
"Despite providing security updates for multiple versions of macOS and iOS
at any given time, Apple says that only devices running the most recent
major operating system versions should expect to be fully protected. Throughout the document, Apple uses "upgrade" to refer to major OS releases that can add big new features and user interface changes and "update" to refer to smaller but more frequently released patches that mostly fix bugs and address security problems (though these can occasionally enable minor feature additions or improvements as well). So updating from iOS 15 to iOS
16 or macOS 12 to macOS 13 is an upgrade. Updating from iOS 16.0 to 16.1 or macOS 12.5 to 12.6 or 12.6.1 is an update. In other words, while Apple will provide security-related updates for older versions of its operating
systems, only the most recent upgrades will receive updates for every security problem Apple knows about."
Note that a release is more than a kernel.
A lot more.
Most people who "think" Apple releases are supported longer than, oh,
say, Windows or Android, are wrong because they don't understand how
Windows and Android releases their software. Mainly, neither is a
monoslab like Apple.
Windows is supported for so many years, the machine will fall apart
before the support ends, and even then you get a free upgrade to the
next version.
So is Android, although the support varies for Android from a mere five
years to much longer than that for the underlying components (which is
why the Apple people can't understand that Android is supported for over
10 years due to the fact that the _components_ are supported for that
long).
The problem is Apple-only owners don't understand what a "release" entails. It's not just the kernel. It's more than that. A _lot_ more than that.
Only was iOS a monoslab. No other operating system. Only iOS.
As a direct result of that monoslab, iOS is ten times more exploited. https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
But things are improving for chipping away at the Apple monoslab.
While Apple's iOS is _still_ mostly a monoslab (e.g., the messenger is a
key component integral with the monoslab only on iOS - and no other OS),
the new-to-iOS-16 abiltity for a "Rapid Security Response" is good news!
UPDATE monoslab vs UPGRADE monoslab vs RAPID SECURITY RESPONSE patch: https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/about-software-updates-depc4c80847a/
RSR patches:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201224
UPGRADES:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222
Note that there is more to a release than just the bugfixes (e.g.,
Android is updated every day over the Google Play Services update mechanisms), but the bugfixes are important to be rolled out as soon as
they possibly can.
Windows runs those bufixes every "patch tuesday" for example, not
waiting for a monoslab to be created (which would take three to six
months to do).
Hence, I congratulate Apple for joining the rest of the world in adding
this new ability to reduce the monolithic slab a tiny bit, with the RSRs.
RSR: (only available in iOS 16 which is no longer a single monolithic slab) RSR: (Only available in macOS 13 which never really was a single monoslab).
Apple's description of UPDATES, UPGRADES & RAPID SECURITY RESPONSE releases
I thought Apple's updates and etc go only so far as their hardware is supported...
since you are paying for the hardware and software to work in
harmony. Since hardware is as much as software for apple, once hardware
is deprecated apple tells you go buy new thing.
Microsoft loves backwards compatibility because thats their modus
operandi. If they break BC then people will leave and use a VM like VMware.
Android releases are kind of tied to the hardware yet not really so you
can support android longer than apple's rotten os.
Linux is linux and as such can be supported indefinitely if you want to.
Once you understand this, then you can _begin_ to understand why it's
a lie when people tell you Apple release support is longer than
Windows, Linux or Android.
Nobody uses the Microsoft Store.
My last MS store fun was trying out their new Windows Android emulator
but was somewhat disappointed. Maybe it'll get better in the future.
Neither ChromeOS nor iOS allow anything useful outside the store.
I'm looking at a button in settings on my new Chromebook tablet. If I
push it I get the "Linux development environment: Run Linux tools,
editors, and IDEs on your Chromebook" Should I push it? Will I be
outside the Store... 8-O
and Apple software won't run on the version
from a couple of years ago.
Apple also exerts more control over software. So even if
Mac developers wanted to offer support, they often can't.
Apple don't deal with corporate customers generally.
And
there's really no such thing as in-house, custom software.
| When you understand both these two items, then you understand the subject. >| 1. A release is NOT just the patches alone - it's EVERYTHING in OS
| 2. Only the Apple releases are monolithic - they include everything
|
| Android, Linux & Windows do NOT release as a monolith.
| As such, they're continually updated, upgraded and hotfix patched.
|
Any truth in that is not really related. It's a matter
of business model. Apple's customer base is wealthy
consumers, many of whom are groupies, most of
whom are happy for an excuse to buy something new.
Microsoft's customer base is corporate. They sell to
individuals only to maintain their monopoly and for
use as a free beta testing army. If MS business customers
can't run their in-house software, they won't update.
That's why VB6 runtimes from 1998 are still pre-installed
on Windows and Apple software won't run on the version
from a couple of years ago.
Apple also exerts more control over software. So even if
Mac developers wanted to offer support, they often can't.
Apple don't deal with corporate customers generally. And
there's really no such thing as in-house, custom software.
In short, Apple's business model is to break often, add 6
more cameras, have slaves in China build it, then charge through
the nose for the result. The AppleSeeds then line up outside
the Apple Church to get the new product. Go figure. The MS model
is to sell updates as often as possible, but to include backward compatibility for both software and hardware, so that they can
get big corporations to pay through the nose for thouands of
new copies of Windows.
Once you understand this, then you can _begin_ to understand why it's
a lie when people tell you Apple release support is longer than
Windows, Linux or Android.
Android depends on the vendor of the device and most vendors stop
supporting their devices after 1-2 years. New Android version cannot be installed most times, until the users install themselves
vendor-independent versions of Android.
It's surprising that ChromeOS copied Apple's limiting strategy at all.
When I think of ChromeOS I think of only a slight improvement on iOS.
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