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Justin Cymbal

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 25, 2008
449
2,579
Boston, Massachusetts
Hi everyone and TGIF!

Earlier this afternoon, I opened Apple’s ‘Apple Store’ app on my iPad and was confronted with the following message (screenshot attached):

The Apple Store app has been updated.
Download the new version on the App Store​

I’ll start off by saying that I indeed update my iOS/iPadOS apps on a regular basis - every 2-3 days and prefer doing updates late at night, since I’m a night owl and don’t want to hog my family’s internet bandwidth. That being said, I think that unless there is an important reason, i.e. security fix, to commandeer my app and force me to update right then and there, then this is extremely intrusive and overbearing.

The reason that I’m starting this thread is because this is not a third-party app. This is an Apple app, on their store, subjected to their rules and guidelines. I’ve had numerous past experiences with this very issue. For example, there were times when the NBA and NFL app did this exact same thing, even though I always update within 2-3 days of an app update being released.

With WWDC right around the corner, I thought that it would be prudent to bring this discussion to the forefront. My personal opinion is that unless an app update warrants an immediate download and install, then there should be a set (and reasonable) timeframe for which a user is given, to update their app, before this type of action is forced upon them. I think that setting that timeframe somewhere between 1-2 weeks would be ample and within reason.

Users of any electronic device running software have a justified obligation to keep their software up-to-date for the benefit of not just themselves, but for everyone else as well. One only need referencing the Windows or Android platforms as an example of security fragmentation at its finest.

I think that if Apple were to implement a policy regarding these types of app messages, the user experience would improve immensely as no one wants to see that message when they are in the middle of trying to do something. Maybe they have a bad internet connection or a cellular data limit and being forced to update right then and there is inconvenient.

I believe (most) iOS users update their apps on a regular basis, within a week of updates being pushed out and would appreciate a policy like this. For users that rarely or never update, they need to change as they are unknowingly doing a disservice to both themselves and everyone else by creating security fragmentation.

This needs to be addressed and users properly informed on how and why they should and need to update their apps if they don’t already.
 

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Last edited:

Justin Cymbal

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 25, 2008
449
2,579
Boston, Massachusetts
Just posting an updated to this issue because I once again ran into the same issue today with not being able to use the Apple Store app on my iPad.

I really hope that Apple changes this policy and gives users at least a week to update their apps before forcing them to after only 2 days.
 

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