With WWDC 2012 officially kicking off, some new iOS 6 Beta release download links have cropped up, which are links for a new build that only work on a few of the devices. Those include the iPhone 3GS, but exclude the original iPad and also exclude all iPod Touch devices except the current generation (fourth). The download links which were available before have now expired and do not function unfortunately.
No iOS 6 update for original iPad or 3rd gen iPod touch?
With the iPhone 3GS having an older and slower processor compared to the third generation iPod Touch, this is a surprise. However the reason is that the iPhone 3GS is still readily available on the market as it is still in production, and you can obtain it for free if you sign up for a 2 year contract with a wireless provider. Hence Apple can still profit from sales of the iPhone 3GS unlike its more powerful counterparts. Also, the original iPad is faster even than the aforementioned third generation iPod Touch, and has the same levels of RAM for apps, and there appears to be no real reason related to hardware for either those specific Touch models or the original iPad model to not be included in this. Particularly with the comparatively much lower specs of the iPhone 3GS hardware, which is supported. That said, those devices mentioned may later be restored in beta, though the likelihood is low as they are still in production.
According to some reports, iPodNN says that previously an earlier version of the iOS 6 beta let slip of some details to do with hardware to be seen in the next generation of iPhone 5. The Worldwide Developers Conference should include the release of this new hardware, and this is expected to see some dramatic changes across all the Apple line of devices. However just like all iPhone 5 rumors we suggest taking this one with a grain of salt.
On a side note, we are in San Francisco at WWDC 2012 right now and will continue live blogging with any new information. So stay tuned for more updates coming your way.
