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>Apple has had a related policy: they won't let you download major iOS updates over cellular data, and require wifi or USB data cable to install them. I believe
by joecool1029 9y ago
>Apple has had a related policy: they won't let you download major iOS updates over cellular data, and require wifi or USB data cable to install them. I believe this is a result of carrier lobbying, however I don't think there is an official reason (Apple rarely has one).
Common sense really. Apple would get two complaints if they didn't do this. 1. From people who blew through their data allowances pulling the update. 2. From the networks and everyone else once the network bogs down every update. (Apple doesn't stage rollout like most manufacturers do)
Related: The 11.2 update had carrier specific modifications made to wifi calling. On networks where congestion was a bigger problem, wifi calling gets preferred. On networks with coverage issues, but less congestion... cellular is preferred if it's there.
>A lot of people seem to forget that cellular bandwidth is finite, and that wireless congestion is a real problem today.
They also seem to think Tesla would get some sort of a deal from the networks for all this bulk data.
- richardknop 9y agoBut there should be a setting in iOS to disable this requirement of wifi to install updates. For people who have unlimited 4G and no wifi/ethernet. I only have unlimited 4G SIM and all my internet usage is either on my phone or through my other devices using mobile hotspot. I don't want to pay extra money to carriers for home broadband with wifi since I already have super fast unlimited mobile connection (it's fast enough for Twitch/Netflix streaming so I really don't need dedicated line). I'd like to make this configurable so people like me don't have to go to Starbucks or other places with public wifi to download updates.
- jd20 9y agoiOS doesn't lack such a setting because of an oversight for the past nine years. To carriers, there is no such thing as "unlimited" internet.
- dx034 9y agoDepends on the time. I'm happy carriers wouldn't mind downloads as long as they happen between 1am-5am. Apple could introduce a feature to allow cell downloads but only do so during off-peak hours.
- joecool1029 9y ago>But there should be a setting in iOS to disable this requirement of wifi to install updates. You missed complaint #2. While your plan says unlimited, physics doesn't work that way. It's only fast right now because people aren't pulling large update files in all at the same time. I would not want to be in a populated area trying to use the network on update day. Rush hour at train stations is bad enough...
- icebraining 9y agoIt's a pretty crude mechanism, though. A better system would have the tower tell the phone if it's overloaded or not - or, ideally, the available bandwidth - and the phone would decide whether to download it now or later.
- DRW_ 9y agoThere's more to congestion than just the particular tower you're connected to though.
- richardknop 9y agoI do find that highly unlikely though. I sometimes am using dozens or hundreds of GBs in streaming over a week and never got throttled so far. I’d assume few hundred MBs or even few GBs of updates every couple of weeks can’t be of significance. I think Netflix, YouTube and Twitch traffic are much bigger concern for carriers.
- stefanfisk 9y agoI connect my phone via my 4G router when I need to large stuff from Apple, and it hurts my soul every time
- lostlogin 9y agoWhat happens if you make a WiFi hotspot and download it to a device over that?
- richardknop 9y agoThat’s a workaround. I can connect my MacBook Pro to my iPhone hotspot over Bluetooth and download updates on desktop iTunes app because MacBook think it’s using WiFi even though in reality it’s all 4G. Then I can download and install updates to the iPhone from iTunes. Crude workaround but it’s possible.