iOS 9.1 Web Activity Tapers Off After Surfacing in July

Even as we await the public launch of iOS 9 in September, Apple is already looking ahead to iOS 9.1. During a two week span in July, Apple engineers appear to have focused their attention on developing the first major update to iOS 9, as seen in the MacRumors visitor logs from Apple IPs.

Beginning on July 21, we started seeing a small number of hits from devices running iOS 9.1. Visits picked up on July 22 and peaked in the dozens on July 28, before dying down as August approached. The majority of hits we received came from an iPad or iPad mini-sized device, while the rest came from a device the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus. It is not clear if the visits came from existing iOS devices or from new devices that are in testing, including the iPhone 6s Plus and the iPad mini 3.

ios_9_1_jul2015

Visits to MacRumors.com via Apple's networks from devices running iOS 9.1

Visits from iOS 9.1 devices have since tapered off, suggesting Apple's iOS team is once again working on getting iOS 9 ready for launch. It is not known why a two week period was spent on iOS 9.1, but it's possibly related to testing on the iPad Pro or iPad mini 4, both of which may already be in production or entering production soon.

We don't know what features will be introduced in iOS 9.1, but logic dictates it may be an update that's designed to launch alongside the larger-screened 12.9-inch "iPad Pro," which has been rumored to be coming in October or November. We did not, however, see visits from a device that corresponds to the rumored 2732 x 2048 display size of the iPad Pro.

For the past several years, Apple's iPads have debuted during the fall, launching in October or November at an event separate from the annual iPhone event. This year, there's been a rumor suggesting the next-generation iPads, namely the iPad mini 4, could debut in September alongside the iPhones, but it is not yet clear if this is Apple's plan.

BuzzFeed's John Paczkowski, who shared the event date for the 2015 iPhone 6 launch, believes new iPads are a possibility, but called the iPad Pro a "wildcard" for the event. Given how little we've heard about the device in recent weeks and the lack of part leaks, it seems unlikely the iPad Pro is ready for a September debut.


A standalone October or November launch date for the device seems more likely, and that launch could correspond to the iOS 9.1 update that is in the works. The iPad Pro may include several new features that will require a dedicated update, such as a pressure sensitive Force Touch display, a stylus, and a USB-C port that could support peripheral devices.

Related Roundups: iPad mini, iPad Pro
Related Forums: iPad, iOS 9

Top Rated Comments

bbeagle Avatar
109 months ago
Wow...already?
Most people don't understand software development.

You have people working on all different versions at the same time.

15 developers working on 9.0 (code that will be done by September)
5 developers working on 9.1 (code that might take 2-3 months to develop)
5 developers working on 9.2 (code that might take 5-6 months to develop)
2 developers working on 10.0 (code that will take 1 year to develop)
....

Then when 9.0 is released, 12 developers go on to 9.1 work.... while 3 stay back to fix bugs with 9.0

So you have this in October....
3 developers working on 9.0 (bug fixes)
15 developers working on 9.1 (code that might take 2-3 months to develop)
5 developers working on 9.2 (code that might take 5-6 months to develop)
2 developers working on 10.0 (code that will take 1 year to develop)
2 developers working on 10.1 (code that will take 15 months to develop)
....

it's just the way that software is developed. (These are just made up examples to show in lay-man terms what happens)
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sorinc03 Avatar
109 months ago
Oh my god, Apple is going to have an update to iOS 9. How cool is that, everyone?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
109 months ago
How to not increase secrecy: visit a site dedicated to rumors about your products on a product running unreleased software.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nezr Avatar
109 months ago
why would they continue to visit mac related sites when they know they can be tracked?
or they just don't care?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tampageek Avatar
109 months ago
Why do I feel like  is getting way too much like another company we know (MS...cough) with constant updates because they can't get it right the first time.

I never use to worry about a MAC updates. Now I feel like I have to let the guinea pigs play with it first to find out if it breaks more things than it fixes.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MentalFloss Avatar
109 months ago
How to not increase secrecy: visit a site dedicated to rumors about your products on a product running unreleased software.
Out of curiosity, what is the big secret that is given away by visiting a website with a device running iOS 9.1?

If that kind of thing is a secret to you, then I will tell you the huge headline-making life-changing secret that will make you go "What?? I can't believe it!!" right now:

Here it is:

Wait for it:

You're in for the big shocker now:

In 2016, Apple will release iOS 10.

Unbelievable that this huge secret leaked out even after Tim Cook promised to double down on secrecy. Half the people here will say that someone at Apple will get fired over this, while the other half will state that Apple leaked this information on purpose to get more publicity. Tomorrow's headline all over the tech news will be "Surprise! iOS 10 confirmed for 2016 release!"

I could now tell you everything I know about when iOS 11 will be released, but that kind of secret would make people's heads explode. :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16 4 Web Push

Apple Confirms Governments Using Push Notifications to Surveil Users

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:06 am PST by
Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users by tracking push notifications that move through Google's and Apple's servers, a US senator warned on Wednesday (via Reuters). In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from the tech giants to track smartphones. The traffic flowing from apps that send push notifications...
best buy snowflakes

Best Buy's New Weekend Sale Has Record Low Prices on MacBook Pro and MacBook Air

Friday December 8, 2023 7:37 am PST by
Best Buy's month-long holiday sale continues this weekend with multiple all-time low prices on Apple's line of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers. In addition to Apple notebooks, Best Buy's event has discounts sitewide on home appliances, TVs, video games, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive...
iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
beeper mini

Apple Puts a Stop to Beeper Mini's iMessage for Android Feature

Friday December 8, 2023 2:24 pm PST by
Apple appears to have closed the loophole that Beeper Mini used to bring iMessage to Android, putting a stop to blue bubbles from Android devices. Beeper Mini quit working earlier today, with users receiving "failed to lookup on server: lookup request timed out" error messages. Beeper said on Twitter that it is investigating the issue, but Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky told TechCrunch that "all ...
maxresdefault

Review: Two Months With the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Thursday December 7, 2023 12:04 pm PST by
Apple's iPhone 15 lineup came out in September, and while most reviews are done shortly after a new device launches, we like to follow up with a longer term review that gives us an opportunity to provide a deeper dive into what it's like using these phones on a day to day basis for months. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been...
apple watch black friday

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Hits New Record Low Price of $699, Alongside Series 9 and SE Sales

Friday December 8, 2023 8:55 am PST by
Amazon has a few big discounts on Apple Watch today, headlined by a new all-time low price on the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Many of these watches can be delivered by Christmas, with delivery dates around the middle of next week for most models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 May Reuse Existing iPhone 14 Battery

Wednesday December 6, 2023 1:17 pm PST by
Recently, MacRumors has received details on the battery currently being tested on the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE, and the information corroborates previous findings in relation to the device. The iPhone SE 4, known by its device identifier D59, is expected to use the exact same battery found in the base model iPhone 14. Partially assembled prototypes of the next iPhone SE have been ...
iOS 17

35 Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 17.2 Coming This Week

Wednesday December 6, 2023 5:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 35 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released in mid-December. 1....