Massy88

Q: Why does iOS 10 require a 2,31 GB download on iTunes and only 1,1 GB over-the-air for iPhone?

Hello eveyone,

 

Does anybody know why the download for iOS 10 through iTunes takes a 2,31 GB download while over-the-air only 1,1 GB?

 

Thank you in advance

iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.5, null

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 6:13 AM

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Q: Why does iOS 10 require a 2,31 GB download on iTunes and only 1,1 GB over-the-air for iPhone?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Michael Black,Solvedanswer

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 6:55 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 6:55 AM in response to Massy88

    OTA updates are device specific and only include what is needed for the device being updated so as to minimize the amount of free storage an iDevice needs to have in order to update. iTunes always downloads the complete universal iOS installer since the download is saved, uncompressed and run from the computer, not in the iDevice's storage.

  • by Massy88,

    Massy88 Massy88 Sep 15, 2016 7:15 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 15, 2016 7:15 AM in response to Michael Black

    Thank you for replying Michael, I think I get it know. Do you suggest using one particular method or is it just the same?

  • by Michael Black,Helpful

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Massy88

    The end result should be the same either way. The main advantage of using iTunes is that if your iDevice is low on available storage, an iTunes update may still work while an OTA update may fail with a message about insufficient space.

     

    For iOS 10 there were issues with OTA updates initially, but those have reportedly been fixed. Still, as always when making any software or firmware changes, make sure you have an up to date backup in iCloud and/or iTunes before updating (preferably use both for redundancy).

  • by Massy88,

    Massy88 Massy88 Sep 15, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 15, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Michael Black

    Thank you very much. I've just performed an iTunes update and everything worked fine.

    Maybe I can take advantage of your kindness to ask one more question: is it possibile to store a backup on both iCloud and iTunes at the same time? I thought you could only choose one of the two options.

  • by Michael Black,Helpful

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Massy88

    Sure. On the device itself turn on iCloud backup. Those will occur automatically whenever the device is plugged in, connected to wifi, and in sleep mode (one incremental backup every 24hrs).

     

    In iTunes, your device profile will show iCloud backup, but you can still enable wifi backups and you can then manually execute an iTunes backup over wifi or when plugged in. Or if you leave your computer on and iTunes running, wifi backups can occur automatically, once per day again when plugged in, in wifi and in sleep mode.

     

    Both backup systems can happily co-exist and give you redundancy in your backup strategy.  I have all my iDevices backed up in both, and my encrypted iTunes backups in turn get backed up when the computer backs up to Time Machine and CarbonCopyCloner incremental clone updates (so yes, my MacBook Pro is redundantly backed up to two separate media sources as well).

  • by Massy88,

    Massy88 Massy88 Sep 15, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 15, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Michael Black

    Hmm, ok. But how do I "manually execute" an iTunes backup over wifi or with cable plugged in? Which steps do I have to take in order to perform a complete iTunes backup once iCloud backup is enabled?

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 9:02 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 9:02 AM in response to Massy88

    If you plug the device into your computer and launch iTunes, you can just click on"Back Up Now" in the device summary view. That executes a backup to the computer.

     

    Under options on that same screen, enable "sync with this idevice over wifi". Then, whenever your device is in the same wifi network as your computer, and iTunes is running on the computer, go into

     

    settings->general->iTunes wifi sync and tap on "sync now".

     

    Doing any of those things does not affect your iCloud backups and its settings at all. The two backup methods are completely independent.  If you want the most complete iTunes backup, then turn on encryption but save the password in your keychain or password manager as without it, you cannot restore an encrypted iTunes backup.

  • by Massy88,

    Massy88 Massy88 Sep 15, 2016 9:03 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 15, 2016 9:03 AM in response to Michael Black

    Everything's perfectly clear to me now.

    You've been extremely helpful Michael, thank you very much indeed

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 9:05 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 9:05 AM in response to Massy88

    You're welcome, and keep that data safe

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 9:05 AM in response to Massy88
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 9:05 AM in response to Massy88

    You're welcome, and keep that data safe

  • by Massy88,

    Massy88 Massy88 Sep 15, 2016 9:07 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 15, 2016 9:07 AM in response to Michael Black

    I will

  • by Gerald Edgar,

    Gerald Edgar Gerald Edgar Sep 15, 2016 9:09 AM in response to Michael Black
    Level 3 (666 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 15, 2016 9:09 AM in response to Michael Black

    So you can have iTunes do the download and then update several different devices from there, without additional downloads?  I guess even in you only have 3 identical iPhones, that way would mean less downloading than over-the-air updates.

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Sep 15, 2016 9:34 AM in response to Gerald Edgar
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Sep 15, 2016 9:34 AM in response to Gerald Edgar

    The installers do get saved by device type, in your user library iTunes area. But I've not actually tired using say, the download for an iPad Pro on an iPhone, or even another iPad model?  The name of the file does include the device type connected at the time of the download, so as iOS and the hardware lineup has evolved, I cannot say for certain their may not be device specific features in an iTunes ipsw download?

     

    I've just never done that comparison, but I'd bet someone has if you search the Internet for the information. Certainly if it does work, it could make updating multiple devices in a household simpler and quicker with just one large download to wait on.

     

    My guess is, that at the very least, there are iPad ipsw files and iPhone ipsw files, and those would not work across the two families of devices (i.e. no single monolithic iOS installer for all devices).