Why to update to iOS 8.1

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Update your iPhone6 to iOS 8.1.2

Update iPhone 5 to iOS 8.1.2 

Apple continues to push out tweaks and improvements for its iOS 8 platform, with the recent iOS 8.1.2 update fixing some unspecified bugs and solving an issue that caused downloaded ringtones to disappear.

The release coincided with data showing that 63 percent of iOS devices are now using iOS 8, a three percent increase on the last set of data, as iPhone and iPad owners continue to slowly move on to the newest version of the OS.

Reaching this point has taken far longer than may have been expected, as many users were clearly still unsure whether upgrading from iOS 7 would be worth the hassle, especially given the bad memories caused by the move to iOS 7. Problems with iOS 8 won't have helped matters. Even the fixes needed fixes.

However, the release of iOS 8.1, the most major update to iOS 8, appears to have solved most of these problems, and the recent iOS 8.1.1 update brought more improvements, including speed and stability fixes for older iPhones and iPads.

Upgrading to iOS 8.1 is simple, but there are a few handy things to know before you begin which we've listed below in this guide.

Check your device is compatible

The following devices can be upgraded to iOS 8: iPhone 4S and above, iPad 2 or later, iPad Mini and above, and iPod Touch fifth generation. The iPhone 4 cannot upgrade to iOS 8.1 although, given the problems iOS 7 caused for iPhone 4 owners, Apple was probably right to leave the phone stuck on iOS 7.

Back-up

Yes, we recognise that telling you to back up having just assured you that nothing has gone wrong with iOS 8.1 yet is somewhat contradictory, but backing up your devices before a software upgrade is good advice regardless of the platform.

So make sure you put your most precious documents and photos in your cloud platform of choice, or plug into your laptop and upload it all to the hard drive. This should mean that, if the worst happens, your most important data is still safe.

Check your storage

Updating to iOS 8.1 will require a lot of storage. If you’re already on iOS 8, 8.0.1 or 8.0.2 it will be as much as 2.2GB and if you’re still on iOS 7 it will be even more. It's a good idea to check this before you start.

You can find out how much storage you have by going to Settings > General > Usage. The ‘Manage Storage’ button will let you see which apps and services are taking up the most room.

This is a good way of doing some house-keeping by removing apps you never use or trimming the number of photos and videos stored on your device.

Over the air

If you're carrying out the update 'over the air', make sure you're on a good, stable WiFi connection and the phone or tablet has plenty of battery. To download in this way, simply go to Settings > General > Software Update and wait for the update screen to appear.

Use iTunes

You can always use iTunes to download iOS 8.1. Yes it’s not the nicest software to look at and updating over WiFi is a quicker and easier, but using iTunes dramatically reduces the amount of storage required for the update. 

Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed and that your laptop has enough battery so it won’t conk out half way through the update.

Why you should update

Updating devices can be time-consuming and a chore but it’s a good habit to get into as it should mean you’re fully protected from any software security holes as the most recent version will have all the necessary fixes.

The iOS 8.1 ipdate contains many fixes related to security and more general stability issues such as video crashes and orientation problems. The move to iOS 8.1 is recommended if your handset suffers from any of these problems.

The return of the Camera Roll is also welcome, while for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners it means that when Apple Pay arrives at some point next year you'll be ready to take advantage of the new feature straight away.

Furthermore, most major apps have already been upgraded to take advantage of the features in iOS 8.1, particularly those on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, so the entire ecosystem around your device is also improved by upgrading.

Got an old useless smartphone, check 7 ways to use old 

useless smartphones.