AppleInsider Staff
Following the rollout of iOS 7 and iTunes 11.1, Apple has raised the limit for App Store downloads initiated over cellular networks, with the new 100MB per app restriction doubling the previous cap of 50MB.
The bump in over-the-air downloads comes on the same day that Apple released iOS 7, and two days prior to the iPhone 5s and 5c public launch. The new iPhone 5s in particular will likely spur development of advanced apps looking to take advantage of the handset's buffed specs.
With the new cap, Apple is likely preparing for a new breed of app expected to address the iPhone 5s' raw processing horsepower generated by a powerful 64-bit A7 SoC. Developers are already testing boundaries with titles like Infinity Blade III, which uses a refreshed graphics engine to create extremely detailed 3D environments and smooth gameplay.
As apps become more capable, their size usually increases with data for rich environments, powerful features and slick user interface tweaks.
The change is seamless and will only be noticed when attempting to download a 100MB+ app over a cellular network. As always, no cap is applied when purchasing over Wi-Fi. The App Store OTA limit was last raised in March 2012 in preparation of apps built for the third-generation iPad's Retina display.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
11 Comments
They should've added a cap on todays' iOS7 as well. People on 500Mb Internet first, drilling down to the slowest connection.
I wish they would not have a cap at all. I have unlimited data and access to LTE so the cap is nothing but a burden to me.
Thankfully, most apps are nowhere near 100MB. Then again, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is 1.84GB. And yeah, it's worth every byte of the space it hogs on your iPad.
[quote name="gwmac" url="/t/159602/apple-ups-limit-of-app-store-downloads-over-cellular-to-100mb#post_2400214"]I wish they would not have a cap at all. I have unlimited data and access to LTE so the cap is nothing but a burden to me. [/quote] There are of course other people in this world with iDevices.
Really? I never would have guessed. My point is they could very easily make an option in settings to remove that restriction or adjust it to whatever level we like. Some with low data plans might even appreciate a 10MB cap for example. Why not allow the users who know their plans best to be able to adjust it instead of this one size fits all approach.