No iPhone 4.0 for 1st Gen iPhone Owners

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gearlog.com/2010/04/report_end_of_the_road_for_ori.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gearlog.com/2010/04/repo...oad_for_ori.php</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"This could be bad news for owners of the original iPhone: Steve Jobs told an inquiring customer over e-mail that the first-gen iPhone (the EDGE-only model with the aluminum back) will not be compatible with iPhone OS 4, Engadget reports."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1271265992.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Image Credit:&nbsp;www.tolainibaldwin.com</em></p><p>What are your thoughts? Is this too soon to cut off updates for a product that has been out for three years? I'm of the opinion that it isn't based on the advances to the hardware itself.&nbsp;</p>

[Dyvim]

I see no reason why the original iPhone couldn't run 4.0 as well as the iPhone 3G can (considering that they share the same processor and memory), but I understand why they need to cut backwards compatibility at some point. As it is they need to support 4 ROMs (plus 2 more when the next gen devices ship). I'm sure they don't want to devote resources to supporting 2 more ROMs for the 1st gen iPhone and iPod Touch.

I've still got 2 original iPhones and they're still great devices and will continue working fine with OS 3.1.3 long after 4.0 is released.

That said, I'm kind of bummed because the only devices I'd risk installing the 4.0 beta on are those 2 original iPhones.

[Jason Dunn]

I don't think Apple is being unreasonable here, but nor are they being especially gracious toward the early adopters that helped make the iPhone a success. I'm not sure why they can't support it given the similarities with the hardware...the iPhone is a one-formfactor-trick-poney.

[karthur]

Forced obsolescence and market churn.