Do I need multiple downloads for multiple devices?

[jnachbar]

I'm not entirely sure where to post this question and have had a hard time finding the answer...

I have a mac mini and a macbook air, between me and my girlfriend we have two iPhone 6's. I'm losing my unlimited internet so have to use verizon wireless which of course charges by the Gig. I really don't want to have to download every app and system update twice for both computers and the same goes for both iPhones. How can I just download the updates once and share it either between the macs or between the iPhones. (I do know I can't mix iOS and OSX)

In the "old" days before app stores you would just download it, either a dmg or installer file and copy that between machines and then run. I really don't want to have to pay for a data plan that needs to download the same thing twice all the time....just the iOS 8.02 update is 2G, which means I could have to use over 4G of my plan to get it on both phones, not to mention all the OSX updating I'm doing on the macs...

I hope what I'm asking is moderately clear?

 

[Pharmscott]

You can use Home Sharing and only download the file once. I do this with my wife often. We each have separate iTunes accounts. I've authorized her mac with my account (and hers) and vice versa. I download an app, then import (different than straight copying) from my mac to hers. Then, next time she syncs, she has the app. It's legit and supported by Apple. It works with apps, music, etc.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3819?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

 

[glenthompson]

The only way I know of doing this is to setup a Mac with the server app and enable the cache server. You could do this on the mini. It caches updates for both IOS and OS X.

 

[jnachbar]

You can use Home Sharing and only download the file once. I do this with my wife often. We each have separate iTunes accounts. I've authorized her mac with my account (and hers) and vice versa. I download an app, then import (different than straight copying) from my mac to hers. Then, next time she syncs, she has the app. It's legit and supported by Apple. It works with apps, music, etc.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3819?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

I think the problem with home sharing is that we need to use the same apple ID, which we don't for numerous reasons, plus it only shares iTunes purchased apps, not regular apps purchased from the app store, and it still doesn't solve the issue of all the multiple system updates for both macs and both iPhones. iTunes apps (iOS) updates aren't really that big, not too worried for the very few iPhone apps we share common interest in. Thanks though for the suggestion.

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The only way I know of doing this is to setup a Mac with the server app and enable the cache server. You could do this on the mini. It caches updates for both IOS and OS X.

I'm afraid that is a little over and above my skill and knowledge. Can you suggest any good resource for reading about how to do this?

 

[jnachbar]

Ok,,,starting reading how to implement OSX Server. Did you see the Apple support note about:

OS X Server: Caching service doesn't cache the iOS 8 update

The Caching service of OS X Server doesn't always cache the iOS 8 update. The service continues to cache iOS content including apps, books, and iTunes U course materials, as well as OS X updates.

This document will be updated as more information becomes available.
Last Modified: Sep 26, 2014

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6456

So I can just add the app to my mac mini running mavericks?

 

[Pharmscott]

I think the problem with home sharing is that we need to use the same apple ID, which we don't for numerous reasons, plus it only shares iTunes purchased apps, not regular apps purchased from the app store, and it still doesn't solve the issue of all the multiple system updates for both macs and both iPhones. iTunes apps (iOS) updates aren't really that big, not too worried for the very few iPhone apps we share common interest in. Thanks though for the suggestion.

No, please re-read. We have separate Apple IDs. And it works for apps, music, whatever.

 

[monokakata]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if you lived in my town I'd invite you over, have you log in the iPhones, the Air and the Mini on my network, and use my network and my unlimited (cable) internet access to get out to the App Store . . . no wireless charges for you, no cost for me . . . everybody wins.

Maybe you know somebody who could do this for you?

 

[jnachbar]

No, please re-read. We have separate Apple IDs. And it works for apps, music, whatever.

Thanks for getting back to me...I did check out home sharing a bit more and it does have some cool features for using our home network. I still see you can only set up homeshare with one apple ID at a time and you must choose witch ID the library you are sharing is on...Fun to play around with. it does transfer apps but not app updates and it is limited to iTunes and iTunes apps. so still no way to share say a iMovie iOS App update without downloading it onto both phones. I'm actually not too worried about iTunes and most apps are not big data hogs, with the exception of apple's products, which are good products, they just have large updates.

But still looking for solution to sharing OSX system updates, iOS system updates, Mac Appstore apps and updates. those are the major data hogs that seem ridiculous to have to download multiple times and use my data.

I was really frustrated last night when the iOS 8.02 update download kept stopping after a partial downloads and required me to start over from the beginning. It took at least three attempts once when one that stopped was nearly done.

I figure just between two iphones the update to iOS 8.02 chewed through nearly 7G of data. Who can afford this type of approach on Verizon's data plans? Kinda frustrated here....

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Maybe I'm missing something here, but if you lived in my town I'd invite you over, have you log in the iPhones, the Air and the Mini on my network, and use my network and my unlimited (cable) internet access to get out to the App Store . . . no wireless charges for you, no cost for me . . . everybody wins.

Maybe you know somebody who could do this for you?

Hawaii here I come!!

Thanks, I know I can go look for public wifi to do this, and even the Verizon store said I could come in and use their wifi for updates anytime. I live in the country and simply don't have any good broadband internet options. Fiber is supposed to be here one of theses days, but winter is coming so, next year at the earliest....Just miss the old days when you could manually update this stuff by downloading once onto a usb drive or something and share it around....