Ota

How to manually update to iOS 6 over-the-air (OTA)

By Allyson Kazmucha, Wednesday, Sep 19, 2012 a 12:43 pm

iOS 6 is here -- read our complete iOS 6 review! -- and if you're itching to get your hands on it but your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch isn't yet alerting you that it's available, you can manually update over-the-air.

Follow along and we'll show you how!

How to install iOS 6 beta 4 despite "Unable to Check for Update" error

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Aug 7, 2012 a 10:42 am

After Apple released iOS 6 beta 4 yesterday, we started getting flooded with emails and tweets concerning an "Unable to Check for Update" error that was occurring when trying to install the new beta over-the-air (OTA). If you're a developer trying to install iOS 6 beta 4 and you keep getting that error, here's what you can do...

How to update your iPhone or iPad software over the air (OTA)

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Nov 10, 2011 a 2:05 pm

Curious how to update to iOS 5.0.1 -- or any future iOS update -- over-the-air (OTA) directly on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? Yes, Apple finally pulled the big switch in the cloud and you can go from one software version to the next, OTA and in-place faster than any iTunes restore past. We'll show you how, after the break!

How to manually start an iCloud backup

By Allyson Kazmucha, Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011 a 1:34 pm

Now that you're running on iOS 5 you have the ability to create OTA backups. While iCloud will do this for you automatically, you may find the need to perform one manually. Maybe you need to swap out a device or switch to a different one. Regardless the reason, creating a backup manually is an easy enough task.

Daily Tip: How to do an iOS OTA update [developers]

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Jul 22, 2011 a 11:19 pm

iOS 5 developer curious how to do an over-the-air (OTA) update to iOS 5 beta 4 for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch? Yes, Apple finally pulled the big test switch in the cloud and you can go from beta 3 to beta 4 via a svelte, under 200mb, bit differential (delta) update-in-place rather than the usual beefy 700MB+ iTunes restore of updates past. We'll show you how, after the break!

iOS OTA updates don't work if you're Jailbroken

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Jul 22, 2011 a 10:46 pm

If you're Jailbroken and trying to get iOS 5 beta 4 via over-the-air (OTA) update, you just might be out of luck according to iPhone Dev-Team member MuscleNeard:

The 5.0b4 OTA update won't work on JB devices due to an explicit check of /Applications..almost like a present from Apple

they check to make sure /Applications is a real directory, which it isn't in a stashed jailbreak (not sure how unionfs would act)

Never underestimate the resourcefulness of the Jailbreak community, but if you want to try OTA now you'll likely have to restore to iOS 5 beta stock before proceeding.

iOS 5 beta 4 is an OTA update... if you can connect

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Jul 22, 2011 a 5:37 pm

It looks like the just-released iOS 5 beta 4 is an OTA update, with Apple pushing the bit-differential/delta file over the air, over 3G... if you can connect. Lots of people can't, according to Twitter, and are getting "Try Again" errors. When it does work, however, it seems to work well.

Also, many of you are telling us you're having no luck updating via iTunes or Xcode, with "this device isn't eligible" errors cause all manner of frustration.

If you get your update on using either method, let us know!

[Thanks @naughty_ottsel, @MattAttack07]

The truth about jailbreaking and the jailbreak community

By Allyson Kazmucha, Thursday, Jul 14, 2011 a 11:45 pm

Lately we've been seeing a lot of rumors about iOS 5 and whether over-the-air updates will affect the ability to jailbreak. Regardless, I think there are some misconceptions about the Jailbreak community being spread around the blogsphere lately, even as link-bait or and well-intentioned rebuttals that take the bait and provide the links.

This isn't that. I'm not going to reward negative attention seeking. I'm just going to reiterate why I think jailbreak greatly benefits all iOS users, Jailbreak and otherwise, and trust people are smart enough and critical enough to read all the opinions and decide for themselves.

iOS 5 feature: over the air (OTA) automatic daily backups

By Allyson Kazmucha, Monday, Jun 6, 2011 a 2:42 pm

If you're tired of consistently having to sync your device to iTunes in order to back it up (I know I am), get ready for a big change. iOS 5 is bringing automatic OTA backups! The backups will be available over Wifi and will back up each day.

Backups will include -

Your purchased music (what about stuff in our iTunes that isn't iTunes purchased?)
Media (books, photos, videos)
Device settings and app data.

What does this mean for end users? It means gone are the days of having to worry about losing your data if your device gets stolen or damaged.

Get a new one, sign in with your Apple ID and there's all your data. Just the way you left it.

Excited yet?

iOS 5: software updates will now be delivered OTA (over-the-air)

By Cody Allison, Monday, Jun 6, 2011 a 2:20 pm

It looks as though Apple has decided to take all future software updates wireless and Apple will now stream all iOS updates over the air (OTA). This could be a great thing for folks who don't want to depend on a computer to have to update their devices and even better if iCloud ends up bringing iTunes to you wirelessly.

Apple is "cutting the cord," according to Forstall. New menus and a new Welcome screen will also be implemented into iOS 5 as well.

Are you excited about Apple cutting the cord on software updates or a little wary? How do you think this will effect the future of jailbreak?