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One drawback I see with automatic app updates

N

ndpitch

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
278
24
The forums are moving so fast, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

With automatic app updates, how will we know when an app has been updated? Also, how will we know what new features the update brings if we don't even know that the update occurred? I envisioned an app like Netflix updating in the background with some new feature, and I never notice what that new feature is because I didn't read about it on the release notes in the app store. Maybe we'll be alerted that an app has updated, and we can then read the release notes in a push notification?
 
ndpitch said:
The forums are moving so fast, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

With automatic app updates, how will we know when an app has been updated? Also, how will we know what new features the update brings if we don't even know that the update occurred? I envisioned an app like Netflix updating in the background with some new feature, and I never notice what that new feature is because I didn't read about it on the release notes in the app store. Maybe we'll be alerted that an app has updated, and we can then read the release notes in a push notification?
Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood.

They meant realtime updates within the app running in the background (such as a web page loading, maybe Facebook News Feed updating, Weather app updating, etc), not downloading and installing updates from the App Store.

EDIT: Nevermind, looks like I am the one who misunderstood.
 
Last edited:
DDustiNN said:
I think you misunderstood.

They meant realtime updates within the app running in the background (such as a web page loading, maybe Facebook News Feed updating, etc), not downloading and installing updates from the App Store.
Click to expand...

Sorry bro. You're wrong. OP is right. Apple said they were gonna be doing automatic app updates when a developer brings an update to their app.

I see another problem with this where an app has released a version I don't want, ie. introduced adds. I've even had the odd app where they've said 'don't upgrade' this update might damage the functionality wait until a new one comes. That woud blow if you didn't know that was the case an go to use your favourite app to find it doesn't work.
 
seble said:
Sorry bro. You're wrong. OP is right. Apple said they were gonna be doing automatic app updates when a developer brings an update to their app.

I see another problem with this where an app has released a version I don't want, ie. introduced adds. I've even had the odd app where they've said 'don't upgrade' this update might damage the functionality wait until a new one comes. That woud blow if you didn't know that was the case an go to use your favourite app to find it doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Ah, well that sucks then. I like updating apps on my own time, and actually reading the update notes... bah...

Thanks for the clarification.
 
I have a video app that's been sitting with an update that will disable several file formats once I update. App couldn't get licensing for certain extensions. This happened to another video app that is useless after the update.
 
applesith said:
I have a video app that's been sitting with an update that will disable several file formats once I update. App couldn't get licensing for certain extensions. This happened to another video app that is useless after the update.
Click to expand...

Sadly, you'll eventually be forced to update it or find another. Cause eventually apps are required to run under a certain firmware or they won't run.

With all of the changes of iOS 7 I can surely see that happening.
 
Sometimes the apps update notes of certain apps warn me to back up the data within the apps before updating. So I'd personally would like to see an option to disable auto updates.
 
ndpitch said:
The forums are moving so fast, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

With automatic app updates, how will we know when an app has been updated? Also, how will we know what new features the update brings if we don't even know that the update occurred? I envisioned an app like Netflix updating in the background with some new feature, and I never notice what that new feature is because I didn't read about it on the release notes in the app store. Maybe we'll be alerted that an app has updated, and we can then read the release notes in a push notification?
Click to expand...

Like Android, you'll probably get a notification that an app has been updated, and the notification will likely give you the choice of going to the app to see what's changed or the notification itself might have the change log in it.
 
It will probably only be over wifi anyway and have the same disable ability like iTunes does for auto purchase downloading so you don't cane your bandwidth.
 
fraggot said:
Sadly, you'll eventually be forced to update it or find another. Cause eventually apps are required to run under a certain firmware or they won't run.

With all of the changes of iOS 7 I can surely see that happening.
Click to expand...

Yes and the quest for a universal video player will continue on :(
 
ndpitch said:
The forums are moving so fast, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

With automatic app updates, how will we know when an app has been updated? Also, how will we know what new features the update brings if we don't even know that the update occurred? I envisioned an app like Netflix updating in the background with some new feature, and I never notice what that new feature is because I didn't read about it on the release notes in the app store. Maybe we'll be alerted that an app has updated, and we can then read the release notes in a push notification?
Click to expand...

Good point!

I hope there is an option to turn that off, and I can imagine how it would affect battery life.
 
If anyone wants to go to the keynote where this is mentioned quickly, it's at 106:55 with Eddy Cue.
 
Given how ****** pandora went from 4.1 (barely usable) to 4.3 (overloaded with ads) I am not too thrilled about auto updates.

Thank god I am slow when it comes to updating media apps.
 
Can't imagine they won't let you turn it off. There are a variety of reasons why people might need to.
 
ndpitch said:
The forums are moving so fast, so maybe someone already mentioned this.

With automatic app updates, how will we know when an app has been updated? Also, how will we know what new features the update brings if we don't even know that the update occurred? I envisioned an app like Netflix updating in the background with some new feature, and I never notice what that new feature is because I didn't read about it on the release notes in the app store. Maybe we'll be alerted that an app has updated, and we can then read the release notes in a push notification?
Click to expand...

One other problem is if there's bugs you can't hold off the update or some apps have an overhaul and ditch the old game for a new one with ads.
 
There should be a toggle for this thing! Automatic update is nice, but you really can't tell that the App's updated version works pretty well compared to its current version.
 
Probably just an "UPDATED" sash on the icon. Similar to the "NEW" sash that you get when you install a new app.
 
It would be nice to have a push notification '5 apps have been updated' overnight, which leads you to a 'Recently Updated' section in the App Store.
 
I bet someone will make a application that crawls appstore for changelogges and pushes them to your device. Does Appstore Apps have access to the application list? or I don't think they have since there is a library in cydia for this exact thing :(

Maybe you need to tick off apps you are interested in.
This shouldn't be very hard to make.
 
chembox said:
It would be nice to have a push notification '5 apps have been updated' overnight, which leads you to a 'Recently Updated' section in the App Store.
Click to expand...
Mac OSX showed lockscreen notification that apps had been updated. iOS probably will have similar.

3bs said:
Hopefully there will be a way to opt out of automatic updates but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Click to expand...
There is a toggle to disable automatic updates.
 
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