Roger Fingas
A new Apple support document about Wi-Fi Assist attempts to address complaints about the iOS 9 feature, which some user have said can cause monthly cellular data use to grow dramatically.
"Because you'll stay connected to the Internet over cellular when you have a poor Wi-Fi connection, you might use more cellular data," Apple cautions in one part of the document. "For most users, this should only be a small percentage higher than previous usage."
Wi-Fi Assist is turned on by default, and is meant to ensure a smooth Internet experience. Because it switches over to cellular whenever it decides that a Wi-Fi signal is weak and not simply absent, however, this can potentially cause people to exceed carrier data caps without realizing.
The document notes that certain limitations have been applied to the feature. It won't switch on while data roaming, for example, and only applies to foreground apps rather than background downloads.
Likewise, not all apps can take advantage. It shuts off for some unidentified third-party apps that stream audio or video, as well as some email apps, since they might download large attachments.
Apple's own apps typically do make use of the technology, including Mail, Maps, Safari, Apple Music, and others.
To shut off Wi-Fi Assist, iOS 9 users must go into the Cellular menu in the Settings app, and scroll all the way to the bottom to find the toggle button. The option is missing on some older Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, and the first-generation iPad mini.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
31 Comments
Based on what happens right here in AI forums anything Apple does or doesn’t do, activates or doesn’t activate by default will piss somebody off. I’d bet some good money that this predicament is discussed by Apple management every time something like this is implemented. They try to balance who will appreciate the feature versus who it will piss off. And of course the average user doesn’t dig around to find the toggle switch for such features. All some of them know is their data usage went up after they installed iOS 9 so they complain. They also complained about Wi-Fi coverage before the feature was available. As I said somebody is always going to be pissed off.
I think the problem for many users is that this setting is all the way at the BOTTOM of that long, long page so they don't even know it exists. Perhaps Apple should put the setting before the long, long list of applications.
Given the spotty nature of my university's WiFi I LOVE this feature, I get the best data connection possible all without my having to futz with manually turning WiFi on and off as the signal strength waxes and wanes to force reversion to LTE and back.
I have unlimited data. I LOVE this new feature.
Ditto!
" And of course the average user doesn't dig around to find the toggle switch for such features" The feature was OFF on my iPhone6 when I got an iOS9 update.