General Reported app sizes in App Store a sham in some (many?) cases.

[FirePhantom]

I tried downloading Real Racing 3 last night to check it out and came across this dialogue for the first time:

Huh. That's strange, considering the reported size is just 716 MB and I have more than twice that available:

After deleting Infinity Blade (1) in all its 945 MB glory, I was able to download and install Real Racing 3, only to discover it isn't 716 MB, but rather it's a 1.8 GB beast:

 

[nepalisherpa]

I tried downloading Real Racing 3 last night to check it out and came across this dialogue for the first time:

Image

Huh. That's strange, considering the reported size is just 716 MB and I have more than twice that available:

Image

After deleting Infinity Blade (1) in all its 945 MB glory, I was able to download and install Real Racing 3, only to discover it isn't 716 MB, but rather it's a 1.8 GB beast:

Image

You do realize that "download" size is different than "install" size? Downloads are compressed. When installed, they are expanded. Plus, as you start playing, gameplay and other new data are created/stored.

 

[cyks]

As mentioned, compression and saved data take up additional space.

The number listed is the amount of data downloaded, not how much space is needed.

Looking at your screen caps, Angry Birds grew to nearly 10x it's original size.

 

[FirePhantom]

You do realize that "download" size is different than "install" size? Downloads are compressed. When installed, they are expanded. Plus, as you start playing, gameplay and other new data are created/stored.

Thing is, the App Store doesn't specify which figure it's telling you (it's just listed as "size"), and gives no helpful indication whatsoever how much space one needs to clear to install an app, leaving one to aimlessly delete stuff and try again, and again, and again until by chance it succeeds.

The App Store should give both figures, or at least tell you how much space you need to clear when it gives the "Cannot Download" dialogue.

Furthermore, this system means one can never really fully fill up one's iOS device with apps, since one always needs extra space for installation (and with these big apps that extra space can be quite large).

 

[alexander25]

You do realize that "download" size is different than "install" size? Downloads are compressed. When installed, they are expanded. Plus, as you start playing, gameplay and other new data are created/stored.

there's no way you can compress 1.8gb to 700mb.

 

[cyks]

there's no way you can compress 1.8gb to 700mb.

A 2.5:1 compression ratio is not that high and is easily attainable.

 

[Tinmania]

As mentioned, compression and saved data take up additional space.

The number listed is the amount of data downloaded, not how much space is needed.

Looking at your screen caps, Angry Birds grew to nearly 10x it's original size.

It's often not even compression that is causing this; it's the fact that it is packaged in the first place. So you need to download the package (the ipa) which when extracted is often close to its original size. But in order to download extract and install you need twice the space on the iOS device (plus a little extra for breathing room).

But I agree with the OP that Apple should listed how big the app is (to download and after installation). In addition they should shed resources that do not apply to the device it is installed on. No point in having to store retina images for Angry Birds on an iPad 2--yet they take up about half the storage space the app consumes when installed.




Michael