iOS 5 To Offer iPhone Owners "Over The Air" Software Updates?
by Joe White
May 5, 2011
According to "multiple sources," Apple is planning on offering "point updates" for iOS 5 "over the air," provided the company can get carriers on board. Apparently, Apple has been discussing the launch of this new feature with Verizon Wireless since early this year. As of this moment, we're not sure if the guys from Cupertino have given AT&T a call, too.
The feature would launch in iOS 5 - meaning the initial version of iOS 5 (iOS 5.0) would not be delivered wirelessly. However, the plan is that future software updates (iOS 5.0.1, etc.) could be delivered over the air - so long as Apple can get carriers to agree to pushing the data (which is a heavy 500+ megabytes) to iOS devices.
9to5Mac speculates that Apple would have to reduce the size of its software updates in order to deliver them to iOS devices wirelessly. Furthermore, the website claims that - if iTunes is out of the equation - an online, Cloud based wireless backup system would be required, just in case something went wrong during the updating process.
These sound like sensible ideas to me. For a while now, Google Android smart phones have been able to download software updates over the air - and Apple TV (the company's set top box) is even in on the fun.
Undoubtedly, this is something iOS device owners would appreciate. Not only would it be more convenient, but it would also remind people to update to the newest version of the iOS - something not everybody does.
We'll keep you posted. And, if you have an opinion on this, let us know in the comments.
