Barriers to Device Longevity and Reuse: An Analysis of Application Download, Installation and Functionality on a Vintage Device

Goodwin, Craig; Woolley, Sandra

Abstract

This paper contributes a methodology and analysis of application installation and function on a ‘vintage’ device. Attempts were made to download, install, open, and run 230 apps on an Apple iPad Mini tablet of approximately nine years old. The apps comprised the top 10 of each of 23 major app categories from the Apple App Store. Of the total of 230 apps, only 29 could be downloaded directly to the device and, of these, 24 were functional. Significantly, a further 140 apps could be downloaded indirectly via a newer (non-vintage) Apple device. Of these indirectly downloaded apps, 135 installed and opened on the vintage device, and 117 were functional. In summary, despite only 29 (12.6%) of top 10 apps being directly downloadable for vintage devices via the Apple App Store, a total of 141 (61.3%) were capable of functioning. These results highlight some of the difficulties experienced by vintage device users and the barriers to device longevity and, to some extent, the unnecessary and premature nature of device obsolescence. We discuss measures Apple and developers could take to prolong support for legacy devices that could prevent functional devices from becoming e-waste and prolong their use and/or reuse.

Citation

Goodwin, C., & Woolley, S. (2022). Barriers to Device Longevity and Reuse: An Analysis of Application Download, Installation and Functionality on a Vintage Device. . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08129-3_9

• Conference Name: 20th International Conference on Software and Systems Reuse, ICSR 2022
• Start Date: Jun 15, 2022
• End Date: Jun 17, 2022
• Acceptance Date: Jun 10, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jun 10, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2023
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Volume: 13297
• Pages: 138-145
• Series Title: International Conference on Software and Software Reuse
• ISBN: 978-3-031-08128-6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08129-3_9
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/437155
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-08129-3_9