Why are there so many updates lately? I seen a while back we wouldn’t need to keep downloading if we updated one s couple of updates back but it seem to be quite often! Updates taking up more memory than my own stuff I download!

There aren't any more updates with iOS 15 than there were going back to iOS 8.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_version_history#iPhone_OS_3

Once you have installed the update the ipsw file that was downloaded should be deleted and so far there isn't a significant size difference between iOS 15.0 and iOS 15.2

deggie wrote:

The dates on the updates refer to approval dates and not when they were released. Perhaps you need to make a Genius Bar appointment and have you iPhone looked at. I’ve never seen that behavior.

For Gmail it said "Version 6.0.211226 3d ago". But the page with available updates showed nothing.

kymishue wrote:

Why are there so many updates lately? I seen a while back we wouldn’t need to keep downloading if we updated one a couple of updates back but it seem to be quite often! Updates taking up more memory than my own stuff I download!

You've never owned a Windows pc or laptop before?

The dates on the updates refer to approval dates and not when they were released. Perhaps you need to make a Genius Bar appointment and have you iPhone looked at. I’ve never seen that behavior.

For whatever reason, app updates sometimes accumulate where they don't pop up as an update that adds to the number of updates. Maybe something like an app update that says it was available a month ago. I've heard about updates being available, and the only way I could update them was to search for the app in the App Store, and only there would I be able to manually choose to update.

Can't say why that happens, but it does happen.

I believe the OP is referring to iOS updates and not app updates. I've never seen a case where and app update was available but one had to manually search for it and then update. How many times have you personally had it happen to you.

deggie wrote:

I believe the OP is referring to iOS updates and not app updates. I've never seen a case where and app update was available but one had to manually search for it and then update. How many times have you personally had it happen to you.

Not sure how often. I've definitely had times where all of a sudden several updates pop up as available, and the updates were released weeks ago. A few times I opened an app and the app kept on popping up messages that they recommended the latest update but I didn't see it available for updates until I manually searched for it.

I just saw it for the Gmail app. I had no available updates listed under Account, but when I searched for it, it flashed quickly from OPEN to UPDATE. The App Store says the last update was 3 days ago.

Are you using a VPN.

In all the time I’ve been here I’ve seen posts about not being able to update which is most often space problems or apps acquired under a different account but I’ve never seen on like yours. So again maybe it is an issue with your phone or account.

But I do think the OP is referring to iOS updates not apps.

No VPN. No issues with space per se. Just a collection of apps that seem to show up as available for updating in bunches well after they were listed as released. See the same thing on an iPad Mini 4 with a lot of available storage. It doesn't bother me really. Just brought it up because I thought it might be what the OP was asking about.