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Apple's 'Wi-Fi Plus Cellular' option in iOS 6 to keep apps syncing when WiFi networks choke

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If you've ever jumped onto a WiFi hotspot from your iPhone to grab a faster connection only to see it bog down and grind to a halt moments later, Apple feels your pain.

A new feature that appears to be making its way to iOS 6 this fall aims to automatically detect these hiccups and toggle your iPhone back to cellular data until the WiFi network clears up. This way, some of your most important data and applications will keep on syncing.

Dubbed 'Wi-Fi Plus Cellular,' the feature is listed under General->Cellular systems setting pane in the latest beta of iOS 6. If it makes it into the final release of the software, you'll be able to tell your iPhone to automatically revert back to cellular data to keep your iCloud Documents, iTunes purchases, Passbook and Reading Lists up to date.

In much the same way, it will also attempt to keep your FaceTime video conferences from dropping on an iPhone 4S or greater (the FaceTime toggle does not show up on iPhone 4 or earlier). It's not yet clear, however, how individual carriers will handle cellular data use for FaceTime, as an earlier finding from within the iOS 6 betas indicated that AT&T may charge for the capability, which is currently limited to WiFi in iOS 5.

Either way, the potential new feature underscores Apple's drive to equip customers with the best possible user experience where things 'just work.' It's joined by other additions in the latest iOS 6 beta that are similarly designed to keep users connected, including a Bluetooth Sharing feature and an option to be notified when someone subscribed to one of your shared calendars makes an update.



45 Comments

rhyde 16 Years · 293 comments

Wait, they charge me for the data and then charge me extra!

Tethering is one thing (which I'll go along with), but this seems really absurd.

ktappe 17 Years · 825 comments

OMG, I try not to fanboi too much but this is great. I cannot count how many times I've had to manually turn off WiFi to get off of a non-communicating network. Either they're out of leases, or require extra authentication, or are full, or some such. This feature alone will make me upgrade to iOS6 the day it comes out, which is saying something as I'm usually a slow adopter (I'm still on iOS5, not 5.1.)

solipsismx 14 Years · 19562 comments

This is great but it's too bad we couldn't have had this back when data plans were unlimited. PS: I tether my MBP to my iPad but I find that it's a huge PITA. Once my MBP loses the connection the Personal Hotspot option doesn't show up in WiFI any longer. I have to go into iPad Settings, go to Personal Hotspot, toggle it off and on, and then wait for it to appear back in my WiFi. Is there a way to make this connection persistent and automatic even after my MBP goes to sleep and wakes up? [quote name="rhyde" url="/t/151837/apples-wi-fi-plus-cellular-option-in-ios-6-to-keep-apps-syncing-when-wifi-networks-choke#post_2165360"]Wait, they charge me for the data and then charge me extra! Tethering is one thing (which I'll go along with), but this seems really absurd. [/quote] Did you post to the right thread?

rabbit_coach 15 Years · 1114 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by ktappe 

OMG, I try not to fanboi too much but this is great. I cannot count how many times I've had to manually turn off WiFi to get off of a non-communicating network. Either they're out of leases, or require extra authentication, or are full, or some such. This feature alone will make me upgrade to iOS6 the day it comes out, which is saying something as I'm usually a slow adopter (I'm still on iOS5, not 5.1.)

+1 !!!

Even so I sometimes could log via VPN client in to an existing WiFi network, it's usually really annoying to always enter username and password. So I just switch off WiFi etc.

 

So finally this struggle will be solved! Thank's for that Apple!

rabbit_coach 15 Years · 1114 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by rhyde 

Wait, they charge me for the data and then charge me extra!

Tethering is one thing (which I'll go along with), but this seems really absurd.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX 

Did you post to the right thread?

 

Haven't seen a thread for that post recently in this forum.

 

Maybe he jumped to the wrong forum??