I am on AT&T. I still don't get auto app updates over cellular but they work no problem when I'm on WiFi.
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Automatic updates only working when connected to WIFI
- Thread starter MoonageDaydream
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I am on AT&T. I still don't get auto app updates over cellular but they work no problem when I'm on WiFi.
Yeah it could be much more widespread and people aren't noticing it because they constantly have wi fi enabled, whereas we don't.
When I said carrier specific I meant that it may be that the carrier is blocking it for some reason, your carrier could be and so could mine even though they are different carriers/country...theoretically we could be on the same carrier and one of us is blocked whilst the other isn't if that makes sense
Yup. I have two more data points:
I asked my cousin (on AT&T in the US) to check if his iP5 auto-updated over cellular data. He says it always does. I told him I bet him it wont work and told him to turn of Wifi for two days. Turns out I was right, it wouldn't update and he only thought it updated because when he left his home every morning and turned off his wifi, it still says "updated....". It updates over wifi at home and he never notices it.
Did the same test to my SO (Verizon) and doesn't auto-update either. I'm starting to think it doesn't work for all iPhone users, period. It's just no one gives a darn cause 99.999% of iPhone users has wifi either at home, at work, or a cafe nearby. Whereas I don't so i have to go into the app store and update every morning, what i've been doing since 2007. Thanks, Apple for the false advertisement. Just my 2 cent rant.
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I have it turned on and have seen it work.
Here are my observations :
- iOS 7 will always prefer to auto update if its on a wi-fi connection
- iOS 7 will initiate an auto update if it's been >~2 hours on Data, its on LTE, have at minimum 4 bars and there are other notifications coming through and most of the time the screen was on (at least when it initiated the download)
It seems they are quite strict with the criteria for when it will auto-update via data, I have weirdly seen it auto-update on data when my battery was less than 20%, twas a small update, but I was surprised it updated considering how strictly power sensitive all the other hurdles are.
After having it on for 3-4 weeks now, I've become more patient for my updates, I've realized that I don't care about updates for 95% of the apps I have anyways as I only use them maybe once a week or less and would only update them to get rid of the jarringly ugly badge icons of iOS 6 and before. The only updates I truly care for are ones that fix something that's broken (that I'm experiencing) or updates that change the UI or add features or update to iOS 7 (looking at you WhatsCrApp).
Nonetheless I'm so glad I don't have to see as many badges on my home screen, although it was never my badges that bothered me the most, I got rid of them quickly by updating, it was my friends' phones who would have like 50 updates that they never got around to updating that would drive my OCD wild, lol.
Here are my observations :
- iOS 7 will always prefer to auto update if its on a wi-fi connection
- iOS 7 will initiate an auto update if it's been >~2 hours on Data, its on LTE, have at minimum 4 bars and there are other notifications coming through and most of the time the screen was on (at least when it initiated the download)
It seems they are quite strict with the criteria for when it will auto-update via data, I have weirdly seen it auto-update on data when my battery was less than 20%, twas a small update, but I was surprised it updated considering how strictly power sensitive all the other hurdles are.
After having it on for 3-4 weeks now, I've become more patient for my updates, I've realized that I don't care about updates for 95% of the apps I have anyways as I only use them maybe once a week or less and would only update them to get rid of the jarringly ugly badge icons of iOS 6 and before. The only updates I truly care for are ones that fix something that's broken (that I'm experiencing) or updates that change the UI or add features or update to iOS 7 (looking at you WhatsCrApp).
Nonetheless I'm so glad I don't have to see as many badges on my home screen, although it was never my badges that bothered me the most, I got rid of them quickly by updating, it was my friends' phones who would have like 50 updates that they never got around to updating that would drive my OCD wild, lol.
Very interesting! Thanks for the observation. I will try to observe more. However my LTE only goes as high as 3 bars and according to your anecdotal prerequisites, that isnt enough. I can confirm that 5 bars on 4G will not auto-update my apps though. Who's your carrier?
I posted this same issue a few months back. I also have this problem. When I leave my wifi on at night my apps get updated automatically. When I have LTE on and I wake up in the morning I see a badge on the AppStore which means I have app waiting to be updated. And if I connect to wifi they begin to updated automatically. Not sure why it's doing this. I'm using T-Monile here in the US.
There is no issue with automatic updates just certain criteria need to be met for them to initiate that's all.
As the Apple website says: "Intelligently scheduled updates: iOS schedules updates during power-efficient times. Like when your device is on and connected to Wi-Fi. So your battery isnt drained unnecessarily."
My app updates often take place overnight when I'm sleeping and my iPhone is charging.
As the Apple website says: "Intelligently scheduled updates: iOS schedules updates during power-efficient times. Like when your device is on and connected to Wi-Fi. So your battery isnt drained unnecessarily."
My app updates often take place overnight when I'm sleeping and my iPhone is charging.
Whilst you may not be seeing the issue, it certainly exists.
Also the part that you quote from the apple website is about updating the content within apps, not updating the apps themselves.
I have left an app that needs updating for 3 weeks now and it still hasn't updated on its own over cellular.
If it was only supposed to auto update over wifi there wouldn't be an option to have it do it over cellular!
Auto updates work fine when I have wifi (they happen as soon as I turn on wifi regardless of battery,being plugged in etc) It's just not happening at all over cellular even when plugged in and with full strength signal.
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You clearly did not read this entire thread. I don't have wifi, period (at work, at home, and no cafe near by, etc.). I have had 4G connections with all 5 bars, and LTE connections only as high as 3 bars. I haven't had ONE auto-update over data since iOS7 came out. There are a few apps I manually updated because I really needed it, but others I've left alone to see if the auto data update would work.
We've already established it's not carrier specific as TMO, AT&T, Verizon, and even in the UK have had this problem. I've also concluded no one cares about this topic except the 6-8 people on this thread who don't have wifi because 99.99% of everyone who owns an iPhone has wifi at home, at work, or a cafe near by, so they have it autoupdated frequently.
The only thing that might be holding me back is not getting 4-5 LTE bars, per @singhjeet29's post.
So that leads to this question: @CelestialToys and others who are having this problem, do you guys have 4-5 LTE bars? and it's still not updating?
I don't have LTE at all (my carrier doesn't have LTE until early next year) I do however have full signal on HSPA+
I guess it could be a requirement to have full signal on LTE but I would find that a bit odd as not everyone has LTE and you don't need maximum signal to get good steady data connections.
I'm still stumped, gonna wait to see if there's any change with the next iOS update and if not I'll start phoning apple/my carrier to see if there's an explanation.
I guess it could be a requirement to have full signal on LTE but I would find that a bit odd as not everyone has LTE and you don't need maximum signal to get good steady data connections.
I'm still stumped, gonna wait to see if there's any change with the next iOS update and if not I'll start phoning apple/my carrier to see if there's an explanation.
I just stayed at a hotel for about 4 days and the hotel didn't offer WiFi for me (You need elite status for WiFi). So I had LTE connections with 4-5 bars the whole 4 days I stayed there. Nothing auto-updated.
So I guess we will debunk the LTE 4-5 bars theory.