When updating apps, does it download the entire app again?

[Siderz]

I've always thought it just downloaded the necessary files to update it, but I'm starting to wonder whether or not it simply installs the whole app again?

Because the recent GTA:SA update is 1.63GB, the App Store lists it as 1.5GB. The changes aren't huge.

 

[Twimfy]

I've always thought it just downloaded the necessary files to update it, but I'm starting to wonder whether or not it simply installs the whole app again?

Because the recent GTA:SA update is 1.63GB, the App Store lists it as 1.5GB. The changes aren't huge.

It's always a whole new version.

 

[Siderz]

It's always a whole new version.

That seems like such a waste to me.

Presumably it's more of a limitation with iOS? OSX can just download the update files rather than the whole thing?

 

[maflynn]

Yep, the whole app is downloaded. There is no facility with iOS to apply a patch or process a delta - the whole program is downloaded.

 

[Twimfy]

That seems like such a waste to me.

Presumably it's more of a limitation with iOS? OSX can just download the update files rather than the whole thing?

From a developers point of view I actually prefer the way it is.

 

[Siderz]

From a developers point of view I actually prefer the way it is.

Why? From a consumers POV I'd rather not since it means waiting longer for updates to download and generally just a waste of my broadband data. 1.6GB is quite a bit for such a small update.

 

[jonasdamn]

It could depend on application because i had real racing 3 update and it downloaded not more than 200mb.

 

[fardeenah]

all new versions are new

 

[benfica88]

Apps have to be designed for delta updates.

 

[nightstalkerz]

Apps have to be designed for delta updates.

This is correct.

Everyone who says the updates will download the entire app are wrong.

This article explains what should be done by developers to take advantage of the delta updates: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/qa/qa1779/_index.html