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Why doesn't Apple allow backups and upgrades without WiFi?

zorinlynx

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
Original poster
May 31, 2007
8,362
18,652
Florida, USA
This is something that's been frustrating me for a while now. I have a huge 20GB data plan. I also have rollover data, so most months I have 30-35GB of data available.

Yet iOS doesn't allow me to do these things over cellular:

- Download software updates
- iCloud backups
- Upload photos to iCloud Photo Library
- Update apps over a certain size
- Restore your phone from an iCloud backup

Is there a reason they absolutely refuse to let you do these things over cellular? Even something as simple as requiring manual initiation of the backup or photo upload, with a warning telling you it will use your data plan, will make things so much better.

I'm often on vacation with no good WiFi around for a few days; I'd love to be able to back up my photos and phone during that time!

Isn't it time Apple allowed you to override these restrictions?
 
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Part of it probably has to do with trying to avoid overloading cellular networks. Part of it might be based on things that could be somewhat dated at this point. Part of it could be to account for the "lowest common denominator", which are quite a few of typical iOS users who barely even realize that they might have limited cellular data, let alone how to track it properly or anything like that.
 
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kch50428 said:
Too many lesser "technology informed" people would blame Apple's updates for blowing through the customer's data caps causing overages... blah blah blah... and it would be a huge PR headache to explain things to those who likely would never understand.
Click to expand...

That's why I'm saying to require all cellular backup and upload operations to be manually initiated. IE, no automatic backups over cellular, but still allow them manually, with a dialog saying this may incur charges.

Apple covers their ass, and we get to still back up our stuff when away from WiFi.
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C DM said:
Part of it probably has to do with trying to avoid overloading cellular networks.
Click to expand...

Frankly, this is the service provider's problem, not Apple or the user's.

The one case where I can see this making sense is software updates. You don't want a million phones doing a software update at the same time over cellular. But if the process is manually initiated it's less of an issue.
 
zorinlynx said:
That's why I'm saying to require all cellular backup and upload operations to be manually initiated. IE, no automatic backups over cellular, but still allow them manually, with a dialog saying this may incur charges.

Apple covers their ass, and we get to still back up our stuff when away from WiFi.
[doublepost=1457984416][/doublepost]

Frankly, this is the service provider's problem, not Apple or the user's.

The one case where I can see this making sense is software updates. You don't want a million phones doing a software update at the same time over cellular. But if the process is manually initiated it's less of an issue.
Click to expand...
Apple works in partnership with cellular providers to one degree or another (and might be to more of a degree with some carriers or some regions than others), so there's likely input from those carriers/providers that they have to, or at least had to (like in the days of AT&T being the exclusive carrier for iPhones) factor in.
 
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3G Unrestrictor

2016-03-14 13.22.29.png 2016-03-14 13.22.45.png

Oh…you'll need to be jailbroken. ;)
 
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zorinlynx said:
Which is a huge hassle and not worth the trouble. Not to mention you're always a few versions behind and upgrading is a massive ordeal.
Click to expand...
I hear that a lot.

I guess my problem has always been that I prefer to have my iPhone the way I want it via jailbreak instead of always being on the newest version of iOS. Some people must always be upgrading. That's not me.

And upgrading is simply a matter of backing up, a DFU restore and upgrade and then restoring from backup. A bit longer than an OTA or connecting to iTunes and upgrading (although I could do the latter as well) but certainly not a massive ordeal to me.

If I am to include rejailbreaking and reinstalling my tweaks, well that's what PKGBackup is for.

In any case I recognize your desire to have this stock via Apple and I agree that it's something that should be stock.
 
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I would love this... I have an unlimited data plan, and it would be awesome to not have to connect to crappy hotel wifi when i'm traveling to backup my photos... I would love a "use cellular data for everything" switch!
 
This is a case of Apple protecting you from yourself. From a customer service standpoint it makes sense. I doubt there is a drastically large amount of people calmoring to have cellular backups. Conversely, getting hit with a $7,000 cell phone bill would have people knocking on Apple's door.
 
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lordofthereef said:
This is a case of Apple protecting you from yourself. From a customer service standpoint it makes sense. I doubt there is a drastically large amount of people calmoring to have cellular backups. Conversely, getting hit with a $7,000 cell phone bill would have people knocking on Apple's door.
Click to expand...

Well said.
And not only protecting you from yourself and protecting your wallet that this feature could destroy your monthly data plan for that month with overages. And then you'd be fighting back and forth with your carrier and also blaming Apple.
It also could potentially take forever or never finish and fail and lead to very bad user experience and lots of wasted battery life. Imagine trying to do an icloud backup or photos, videos, complete ios .ipsw and other things that could take many GB's of data.
You'd be there forever trying to upload/download over carrier data.
That's like back in the day where I accidentally hit update on my navigon appstore app using 3Gunrestrictor on my JB iphone like Eric above. Was trying to update navigon a 1.3GB app over 3G. That was a big mistake:D
 
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So if each backup is 3 gb and you backup every other day you'd have 45 gb of data just from backups. There aren't very many people who have that much monthly backup let alone that many GB left over after everything else is done.

The lawyers would love it as they all would sue Apple and ISP's for all the data, etc.
 
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Applejuiced said:
That's like back in the day where I accidentally hit update on my navigon appstore app using 3Gunrestrictor on my JB iphone like Eric above. Was trying to update navigon a 1.3GB app over 3G. That was a big mistake:D
Click to expand...
Try that mistake on Sprint! ;)
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CTHarrryH said:
So if each backup is 3 gb and you backup every other day you'd have 45 gb of data just from backups. There aren't very many people who have that much monthly backup let alone that many GB left over after everything else is done.

The lawyers would love it as they all would sue Apple and ISP's for all the data, etc.
Click to expand...
Unlimited Data plan. ;)
 
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eyoungren said:
Try that mistake on Sprint! ;)
[doublepost=1457993476][/doublepost]
Unlimited Data plan. ;)
Click to expand...

Well said:D
Even on unlimited data plan though, Tmobile, Sprint and AT&T Throttle past 22-25GB per month on congested towers.
Verizon is the only one that doesnt throttle their unlimited plans.
So with backups being that huge and other icloud items you could rack up some serious data usage and on certain providers you could be stuck on throttled speeds for the rest of the month even on unlimited data.
 
Applejuiced said:
Well said:D
Even on unlimited data plan though, Tmobile, Sprint and AT&T Throttle past 22-25GB per month on congested towers.
Verizon is the only one that doesnt throttle their unlimited plans.
So with backups being that huge and other icloud items you could rack up some serious data usage and on certain providers you could be stuck on throttled speeds for the rest of the month even on unlimited data.
Click to expand...
The important word here being "congested". Not that I'm backing up 3+GBs each night. I tend to do a once in a while backup, but even if I were pushing the limit that's where congested towers come in to play. Any backups or things of that nature I'd be running off at 2am or so when no one is on the towers.

But I get your point.

Frankly, although I do have UD my wife and I collectively (including two iPads) have yet to break 11GB each month.
 
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CTHarrryH said:
So if each backup is 3 gb and you backup every other day you'd have 45 gb of data just from backups. There aren't very many people who have that much monthly backup let alone that many GB left over after everything else is done.

The lawyers would love it as they all would sue Apple and ISP's for all the data, etc.
Click to expand...

The iPhone uses differential backups. It doesn't upload the entire backup every time, only what's changed. It might only be a few megabytes in some cases.
 
Meh. I've been to many third world countries and their internet is just as good as we have it in the states. I guess I just don't see the big problem here
 
John Mcgregor said:
You can download 60 MB app over 3G/LTE, but not 60 MB iOS software update. Makes no sense.
Click to expand...
The timing nature of it might play into that--when an update is released there's more likelihood that more people will try to obtain it at more or less the same time which would put a strain on the available bandwidth of a shared cellular network.
 
I'd say, if they were to download this in the background via cellular, people would be arm in arms by apple using up their quota without asking. Could they do this w/o automatically downloading the update, of course but they prefer pushing it too you.

Even when its not downloaded yet, the argument holds, while I agree it should be an option, for those that don't have to worry about the quota, its just apple being apple I guess.
 
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