Apple Says iOS 26 Can Reserve Space for Automatic Software Updates

[MacRumors]

iOS 26 can dynamically reserve space for automatic updates, according to Apple.

"Depending on the amount of free space available, iOS might dynamically reserve update space for Automatic Updates to download and install successfully," says Apple's release notes for the first iOS 26 developer beta.

This change will ensure that iPhone users who have Automatic Updates turned on in the Settings app actually have enough storage space available for those updates to download and install. However, Apple has not shared any further information about this capability at this time, so it is unclear exactly how it works.

Article Link: Apple Says iOS 26 Can Reserve Space for Automatic Software Updates

 

[jz0309]

iOS 26 can dynamically reserve space for automatic updates, according to Apple.

"Depending on the amount of free space available, iOS might dynamically reserve update space for Automatic Updates to download and install successfully," says Apple's release notes for the first iOS 26 developer beta.

This change will ensure that iPhone users who have Automatic Updates turned on in the Settings app actually have enough storage space available for those updates to download and install. However, Apple has not shared any further information about this capability at this time, so it is unclear exactly how it works.

Article Link: Apple Says iOS 26 Can Reserve Space for Automatic Software Updates

Interesting, I think if one “needs” that, you’re on dangerous ground to begin with, aka maxing out your storage capacity. Not saying that doesn’t apply to (a lot of) people, but still.
My preference is to get storage sufficient to last me for the lifetime of the device, so far I’ve done ok (eg im using about half of my iPhones capacity after 2.5 years) but also realize that is not universally applicable

 

[gleepskip]

I hope this feature magically works on my mother-in-law's 32 GB iPad.

 

[sw1tcher]

"Depending on the amount of free space available, iOS might dynamically reserve update space for Automatic Updates to download and install successfully," says Apple's release notes for the first iOS 26 developer beta.

This change will ensure that iPhone users who have Automatic Updates turned on in the Settings app actually have enough storage space available for those updates to download and install. However, Apple has not shared any further information about this capability at this time, so it is unclear exactly how it works.

Cheaper than increasing iPhone storage capacity by making 256GB the minimum across all iPhones and not just the Pro Max

#margins

 

[Jay Tee]

Interesting, I think if one “needs” that, you’re on dangerous ground to begin with, aka maxing out your storage capacity. Not saying that doesn’t apply to (a lot of) people, but still.
My preference is to get storage sufficient to last me for the lifetime of the device, so far I’ve done ok (eg im using about half of my iPhones capacity after 2.5 years) but also realize that is not universally applicable

Have you heard the story about the lady pumping gas into her engine, mistaking it for “engine oil”?
"People."

 

[iPay]

Eh, even with Apple we're less and less the user and more and more the product.

 

[Delivered]

Eh, even with Apple we're less and less the user and more and more the product.

Thanks. I was going to say I’m thankful they’re doing this I was beginning to enter the delusion I owned my phone or something.

 

[Yr Blues]

Eh, even with Apple we're less and less the user and more and more the product.

We've added a new feature. Your iPhone will automatically purchase the next iPhone for you. I hope you like this innovation as much as we do!

 

[Delivered]

We've added a new feature. Your iPhone will automatically purchase the next iPhone for you. I hope you like this innovation as much as we do!

I don’t know if I should laugh or cry reading that.

 

[svish]

Interesting. Have not kept automatic updates on my devices turned on. I always wait a couple of days at least before updating to see if there are any major problems reported.

 

[Mousse]

Here's a crazy idea. Add an microSD slot to the iPhone/iPad for stuff like photos and videos. You don't need super high speed storage for the thousands of photos that lives on you devices. Save that fast storage for apps. You'll have plenty of space available for OTA updates.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Interesting. Have not kept automatic updates on my devices turned on. I always wait a couple of days at least before updating to see if there are any major problems reported.

I keep auto update enabled on my devices. It takes a few days to a week before they install.

 

[Yr Blues]

I don’t know if I should laugh or cry reading that.

I'm pretty sure there's already a way you can do that.

 

[BelgianChoklit]

Same kinda of automatic updates as the App Store's automatic updates that only updates apps 17 years after they're made available?

 

[DailySlow]

And on my mother-in-law's son-in-law's 32GB iPad mini 6

 

[ifxf]

Maybe they will just delete Apple Intelligence data.

 

[ifxf]

Interesting. Have not kept automatic updates on my devices turned on. I always wait a couple of days at least before updating to see if there are any major problems reported.

Wish Apple provided a single button revert like Windows.

 

[paulcons]

Griffin iMic

I hope this feature magically works on my mother-in-law's 32 GB iPad.

Most likely not, I have 8G free on my phone and it will NOT install iOS 18 unless I ditch more stuff. My guess is 26 may need north of 12G, but maybe more because I doubt 26 is going to be "smaller." Wild ass guess, but I'd put my money on 16-18G "reserved." What's the min storage of an iPhone these days?

 

[johnediii]

Wish they would do this with Macs. We give out 256GB MacBook Airs to out students and faculty and you wouldn't even believe how many of them are shocked with they fill up their disk. Like do you think computers have infinite storage space?

 

[munpip214]

this used to be fixed, but seems that it’s broken again. A 1GB update now requires 12 GB free on my phone…

 

[jlwarlow]

Or make the iPhone dump a huge chunk of “system data” that you can’t clear manually. That would free up plenty of space for an update.

 

[sdf]

Simple enough process: purge applications that can be easily restored by downloading from the store, but not any local/changed data. Games are an obvious candidate. iCloud Photos would help a lot, too.

 

[AppleFan1998]

Glad this will be a feature, can update that ole iPhone.

 

[klasma]

We've added a new feature. Your iPhone will automatically purchase the next iPhone for you. I hope you like this innovation as much as we do!

They will reserve part of your balance for automatic iPhone upgrades.

 

[klasma]

Interesting. Have not kept automatic updates on my devices turned on. I always wait a couple of days at least before updating to see if there are any major problems reported.

I tend to only update in late August/early September.