Could 4, 2011: Reviews flow into that Apple is negotiating with carriers to carry over-the-air updates to iOS, starting with iOS 5.
Such a transfer would free iPhone homeowners from utilizing iTunes to get updates for his or her units. Meaning no extra plugging an iPhone into a pc through USB to obtain the newest model of iOS.
The primary over-the-air iOS replace
As I’ve famous earlier than in “As we speak in Apple historical past,” the method of upgrading to the newest software program has gotten immeasurably simpler over time. Again within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, Mac updates got here on floppy disks or, later, CD-ROMs. These demanded premium costs, even once they weren’t full releases. This additionally meant Apple issued fewer updates due to the bodily prices concerned in delivery out the software program.
From the beginning, customers may obtain iOS updates as a result of working system’s smaller file measurement in comparison with the Mac working system. (iOS was additionally accessible at no cost to iPhone customers. iPod contact prospects paid $10 for the primary couple of updates.)
Nonetheless, getting the newest iOS replace through iTunes proved a cumbersome course of. Android, against this, provided over-the-air updates way back to February 2009.
iOS 5.0.1 brings ‘PC-free’ updates to iPhones
In the long run, the rumors of OTA iOS updates circulating on Could 4, 2011, turned out to be proper on the cash. In November, Apple issued iOS 5.0.1, its first “PC-free” replace for its cellular working system.
All in all, 2011 proved fairly a major 12 months when it comes to how Apple issued all its software program updates. That 12 months’s Mac OS X Lion marked the primary time Apple didn’t initially announce bodily distribution on CD or DVD-ROM of a brand new Mac working system.
As an alternative, customers downloaded the working system at residence. Alternatively, they may do it via an in-store obtain at an Apple retail location. Later, Apple gave customers the choice to purchase a preloaded USB flash drive on-line.
Nowadays, after all, Apple pushes out free variations of iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS, in addition to firmware updates for units like AirPods, HomePods, Apple Pencils and even battery packs.
What are your most memorable software-updating reminiscences? Do you keep in mind iOS earlier than over-the-air updates? Depart your feedback under.
