Users Underwhelmed by iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Survey Suggests

Users appear to be underwhelmed by Apple's upcoming iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates, according to the findings of a new survey by SellCell.

iOS 15 Users Underwhelmed Feature
The survey asked 3,000 iPhone and iPad users, evenly split between men and women, aged 18 or over in the United States, what they thought of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and the naming of the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup.

Over 50 percent of all of the survey's respondents said that the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates are only "slightly" or "not at all" exciting. 28.1 percent rated the updates "somewhat" exciting, but as few as 19.3 percent are "extremely" or "very" excited about them.

Within iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, 23 percent of users said that the most exciting upgrade is ID cards in the Wallet app, 17.3 percent are most excited about enhanced Spotlight search, and 14.2 percent are most excited about new Find My features.

Very few respondents were enamored with many of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15's new features. Less than one percent of respondents thought that iMessage's "Shared with You" feature, Health app upgrades including fall-risk metrics and data sharing, and improvements to Apple Maps with more transit details and AR walking directions were the best new features. Likewise, FaceTime app improvements with Spatial Audio, screen sharing, grid view, and portrait mode, the redesigned notifications system, and Focus statuses only attracted around five percent of respondents.

When asked what features respondents thought should have been added in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, 32.3 percent said that there should have been interactive widgets, 21 percent said that there should have been always-on display features, 14.9 percent said that there should have been Pro apps such as Xcode or Final Cut Pro for the ‌iPad‌, and 13.2 percent said that there should have been better external display support for the ‌iPad‌.

iphone 13 teal with text
Beyond the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates, the survey also investigated triskaidekaphobia, a superstitious fear of the number 13, around the naming of the upcoming ‌iPhone 13‌. As many as one in five ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users said that they would be actively put off by the "‌iPhone 13‌" moniker.

Respondents were also asked how they thought Apple should name its upcoming series of ‌iPhone‌ models. Interestingly, most responses indicated that the devices should not be called the "‌iPhone 13‌." 38 percent said that Apple should call its next smartphone series simply "‌iPhone‌ (2021)," 26 percent thought that the "‌iPhone 13‌" was the best name, and only 13 percent said that they would like to see the devices called the "‌iPhone‌ 12S."

Related Roundup: iPhone 13
Related Forums: iPhone, iOS 15

Top Rated Comments

DJC631 Avatar
32 months ago
Neither update looked very exciting, and iPadOS was downright a disappointment for anyone hoping to really use an iPad as their main machine.
Score: 84 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
32 months ago
Things like “ipad widgets on desktop” shouldn’t even count. It was almost like apple purposely didn’t given ipad certain features last year just so they’d have something to provide this year.
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darcyf Avatar
32 months ago
Everyone: why can’t I add multiple destinations to a route in maps??

Apple: we’ve changed the way moonlight looks on 3D buildings!
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
32 months ago

Too early to make any judgements. Apple introduced well over 500+ changes this year come on now. Just look at the new weather and map App!


and 490 of them are minor and make no change to your daily life
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazapple Avatar
32 months ago
Let iPadOS with M1 chips run full OS X when docked with an external monitor.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TopToffee Avatar
32 months ago
52.6 vs 47.4

Amongst a group of people who will on average know very little about the upcoming OSes

It's hardly a landslide.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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