Apple's Craig Federighi Explains Why iOS Auto-Updates Often Arrive Several Weeks Late

[MacRumors]

When it comes to downloading iOS software updates, Apple users can be reasonably divided into two camps: Those who manually seek out updates the moment Apple releases them, and those who are happy to let their device's Automatic Updates feature take care of everything in the background with minimal input on their part.

While it's generally acknowledged that manually tapping into Settings -> General -> Software Update is the faster option, Apple has never really explained why auto-updates tend to come through to users sometimes days or even weeks later – until now.

Interested iPhone user Mateusz Buda put this question in an email to Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP of software engineering. In the email, Buda explained that he had turned on auto-updates, and yet after two weeks since the public release of iOS 15.4 he still hadn't received an update notification. "What conditions must be met for this function to work?" Buda asked. To his surprise, Federighi responded and was happy to explain.

Hi Mateusz,

We incrementally rollout new iOS updates by first making them available for those that explicitly seek them out in Settings, and then 1-4 weeks later (after we've received feedback on the update) ramp up to rolling out devices with auto-update enabled.

Hope that helps!

- craig

Given the number of iPhones and iPads in the world, it's not hugely surprising to hear that Apple's software update strategy proceeds in a staged rollout. By implementing an intentional delay of between 1-4 weeks for users with auto-updates turned on, Apple adds a level of protection for its servers so they aren't easily overloaded when a new version of iOS is released.

Still, it's interesting to learn that Apple also considers its auto-update feature to be a safeguard when things go wrong: If early adopters report serious bugs with the software, Apple still has a window of opportunity to resolve any server-side issues or pull the update entirely before the wider user base has automatically downloaded it.

In a somewhat related point, made by several Redditors, Apple hasn't explained why some app auto-updates are also sometimes very late to be delivered to users, but perhaps the reasoning is the same: Server protection and an ability to action feedback before a wider rollout is complete.

Article Link: Apple's Craig Federighi Explains Why iOS Auto-Updates Often Arrive Several Weeks Late

 

[MayaUser]

So manual is for those in a hurry for the new update even if they can have issues or big issues, and auto is for those who will be detour by some "brick updates"

 

[contacos]

I thought this was about "App" updates which has never worked for me either

 

[jprmercado]

Interesting. I’d have thought that people who turn on automatic updates are the ones who would want the updates to be applied as soon as possible.

I turn off automatic updates because I want to be able to decide when I want to update, especially for major releases. [I typically update right away for minor releases, though.]

But the phased rollout does make sense from a capacity management and quality control standpoint.

 

[falkon-engine]

So in other words let the Guinea pig early adopters beta test the rollout “release” before Apple pushes it to the broader ecosystem. Forget iOS, Why is Monterey seemingly so buggy ??

 

[idmean]

So in other words let the Guinea pig early adopters beta test the rollout “release” before Apple pushed it to the broader ecosystem. Forget iOS, Why is Monterey seemingly so buggy ??

These comments are so boringly predictable.

 

[orbital~debris]

MacRumors news items with 'Tag: Craig Federighi' are always some of the best!

 

[idmean]

Interesting. I’d have thought that people who turn on automatic updates are the ones who would want the updates to be applied as soon as possible.

Though the phased rollout does makes sense from a capacity management and quality control standpoint.

The overwhelming majority of people that have auto update on (i.e. the average user) would likely never update their devices otherwise — unless prompted by a system popup maybe, but these again have always used phased rollout.

 

[MedRed]

So in other words let the Guinea pig early adopters beta test the rollout “release” before Apple pushed it to the broader ecosystem. Forget iOS, Why is Monterey seemingly so buggy ??

No. You realize that there's the whole beta program that the "guinea pig early adopters" beta test new releases well before the final release update is rolled out to the masses...right?

 

[chucker23n1]

Still, it's interesting to learn that Apple also considers its auto-update feature to be a safeguard when things go wrong: If early adopters report serious bugs with the software, Apple still has a window of opportunity to resolve any server-side issues or pull the update entirely before the wider user base has automatically downloaded it.

This isn't very unusual or surprising. In fact, third-party developers can opt in to a similar staggered app release feature.

a new Phased Release for Automatic Updates feature allows a developer to set their app update to reach one percent of users on day one, increasing from there according to the following schedule:

Day 1—One percent
Day 2—Two percent
Day 3—Five percent
Day 4—Ten percent
Day 5—Twenty percent
Day 6—Fifty percent
Day 7—Hundred percent

This way, developers get several days to see the impact of the update (and, if push comes to shove, pull it): do more crash reports come in? Is aggregate CPU or battery use up? Is more bandwidth being used on their servers? Etc.

For Apple's OS releases, it's basically:

1. have the thousands of engineers at Apple test it internally
2. roll it out to the ~1M third-party developers as a developer beta
3. roll it out to AppleSeed (I imagine that's similarly sized)
4. roll it out to the ~10M public beta testers
5. roll it out, staggered, to the ~1B people of the general public

At any step of the way, they can pull an update. For example, a lot of developer betas never make it to public beta.

So in other words let the Guinea pig early adopters beta test the rollout “release” before Apple pushed it to the broader ecosystem. Forget iOS, Why is Monterey seemingly so buggy ??

I mean, if you want to look at it like that, yes. Early adopters are more likely to face serious bugs than late adopters. That… really isn't shocking, though. You don't have to be an early adopter if you don't want to.

 

[senttoschool]

This makes perfect sense. You can test as much as you want, but for a piece of software as complicated as iOS, real world users will still find bugs. If it's a breaking bug, at least you haven't pushed it to most people yet.

 

[dabi]

Pretty sure that's a quite standard way of doing things nowadays, I know for a fact Windows and stock Android behave the exact same way.

 

[Lwii2boo]

I thought this was about "App" updates which has never worked for me either

Of course not, auto update are always slow on ultra mainstream devices as intented, to avoid server's surcharge and collect some early feedback form early adopter.
Same applies for Microsoft and many others

 

[ThunderSkunk]

I prefer camp 3. Once a system is functional and stable, turning off updates and keeping it offline on the intranet only.

 

[Gazsi]

MacRumors news items with 'Tag: Craig Federighi' are always some of the best!

I literally loathe the guy with his ugly hair and dumb and even not funny 'jokes'. Good pair with timmy. In contrast there was Scott Forstall, I miss him sooooo much!

 

[orbital~debris]

I literally loathe the guy with his ugly hair and dumb and even not funny 'jokes'. Good pair with timmy. In contrast there was Scott Forstall, I miss him sooooo much!

I like him because he's clearly extremely knowledgeable about his craft, but also seems to be affable/personable and genuine – it shines through in his personality.

The hair stuff and Dad jokes just make him a bit more of a character.

I liked Scott being at Apple, too.

 

[antiprotest]

What is your suggestion? Not release updates until they're bug-free? Good luck with that.

This misses the point of the original "Guinea pig early adopters" comment. It is not only that the updates would be released with bugs, but Craig here has explicitly acknowledged that they release the updates with this in mind SO THAT they can get "feedbacks" BEFORE rolling out to other users. This is just a nicer way of saying those who update early are guinea pigs. You might have no problem with it, but this is what Craig is saying. As for me, I cannot disagree with those who have paid good money for their devices to think that a final release should not be a test. "Good luck with that" is not an argument, but an acknowledgment that for Apple to give us what we paid for depends on "luck," and of course, the expression just means "it's not going to happen." And the problem is, we all agree with that.

 

[chucker23n1]

I like him because he's clearly extremely knowledgeable about his craft, but also seems to be affable/personable and genuine – it shines through in his personality.

The hair stuff and Dad jokes just make him a bit more of a character.

I liked Scott being at Apple, too.

He also oversaw some massive engineering feats, like migrating all 1B+ macOS and iOS (and watchOS and tvOS and…) devices to APFS with nary a hitch.

 

[chucker23n1]

This misses the point of the original "Guinea pig early adopters" comment. It is not only that the updates would be released with bugs, they Craig here has explicitly acknowledged that they release the updates with this in mind SO THAT they can get "feedbacks" BEFORE rolling out to other users. This is just a nicer way of saying those who update early are guinea pigs.

I mean, yes, in a way, they are.

But they're not the first thousand or even the first million. Millions (perhaps tens of millions) are in the public beta these days, and all of those will have been guinea pigs before them.

Craig's statement is just matter of fact.

You might have no problem with it, but this is what Craig is saying. As for me, I cannot disagree with those who have paid good money for their devices to think that a final release should not be a test.

But he isn't saying that it's "a test". He's stating a simple reality: the later you install an update, the more likely it is to be battle-tested by the many, many people before you.

So, you might argue "well, then they should release it later", but releasing it without any bugs is impractical, so really, we're only arguing concrete numbers.

"Good luck with that" is not an argument, but an acknowledgment that for Apple to give us what we paid for depends on "luck," and of course, the expression just means "it's not going to happen." And the problem is, we all agree with that.

Is your problem here that you're reading Craig's statement as callous? Because otherwise, I don't really get it.

Offering the update to everyone the same day would result in lower quality. It would also be an increasingly unorthodox way of going about it.

 

[sinsin07]

No. You realize that there's the whole beta program that the "guinea pig early adopters" beta test new releases well before the final release update is rolled out to the masses...right?

Its the beta after the beta.
That why this:

"Hi Mateusz,
We incrementally rollout new iOS updates by first making them available for those that explicitly seek them out in Settings, and then 1-4 weeks later (after we've received feedback on the update) ramp up to rolling out devices with auto-update enabled.
Hope that helps!"

 

[Gazsi]

He also oversaw some massive engineering feats, like migrating all 1B+ macOS and iOS (and watchOS and tvOS and…) devices to APFS with nary a hitch.

erm, wasn't it also him who oversaw all the bugs of the past dunno how much years?

 

[Gazsi]

This misses the point of the original "Guinea pig early adopters" comment. It is not only that the updates would be released with bugs, they Craig here has explicitly acknowledged that they release the updates with this in mind SO THAT they can get "feedbacks" BEFORE rolling out to other users. This is just a nicer way of saying those who update early are guinea pigs. You might have no problem with it, but this is what Craig is saying. As for me, I cannot disagree with those who have paid good money for their devices to think that a final release should not be a test. "Good luck with that" is not an argument, but an acknowledgment that for Apple to give us what we paid for depends on "luck," and of course, the expression just means "it's not going to happen." And the problem is, we all agree with that.

my faith in humanity restored.

 

[Gazsi]

I mean, yes, in a way, they are.

But they're not the first thousand or even the first million. Millions (perhaps tens of millions) are in the public beta these days, and all of those will have been guinea pigs before them.

Craig's statement is just matter of fact.



But he isn't saying that it's "a test". He's stating a simple reality: the later you install an update, the more likely it is to be battle-tested by the many, many people before you.

So, you might argue "well, then they should release it later", but releasing it without any bugs is impractical, so really, we're only arguing concrete numbers.



Is your problem here that you're reading Craig's statement as callous? Because otherwise, I don't really get it.

Offering the update to everyone the same day would result in lower quality. It would also be an increasingly unorthodox way of going about it.

you've proved my previous point and the quoted guy's points while I assume you wanted to disagree. the problem is exactly that two level beta test. even small companies shouldn't do that but hey, it's Apple. you may argue that there are no bug free softwares but still let us expect some more from Apple after we've spent a couple of thousand dollars to a work machine. not every Apple user is a book writer-influencer-bloggervlogger in a Starbucks. edit: Apple could do it in the past so I am not asking something impossible.

 

[Superhappytree]

I literally loathe the guy with his ugly hair and dumb and even not funny 'jokes'. Good pair with timmy. In contrast there was Scott Forstall, I miss him sooooo much!

Scott Forstall was a lot better of a software engineer than Federighi. People just like Craig because of his personality and because he’s more likeable. iOS has gone to the dumps since Forstall left and Craig took over. It’s been a disjointed mess since iOS 7 with all the stuttering janky animations, UI glitches and questionable UI and UX decisions. It needs knocking down completely and rebuilding, but the last time they made such a drastic change we got iOS 7 up to now so I really don’t have much faith with the current Apple.

 

[Gazsi]

Scott Forstall was a lot better of a software engineer than Federighi. People just like Craig because of his personality and that he’s more likeable. iOS has gone to the dumps since Forstall left and Craig took over. It’s been a disjointed mess since iOS 7 with stuttering janky animations, UI glitches and questionable UI and UX decisions. It needs knocking down completely and be Iliad ing but the last time they made such a drastic change we got iOS 7 up to now so I don’t have much faith with the current Apple.

couldn't agree more especially as an iOS developer. I am also sad that Swift didn't [instance function: parameter] but that may have nothing to do with him and is my personal problem