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!

Initiating an OTA update for iOS is really easy. You might see a red notification badge on your Settings app to alert you to an update, or get a popup notification telling you it's ready to install, but you can always check on your own, at any time.

1. Launch the Settings app
2. Tap General
3. Tap Software Update
4. If there's nothing new, you'll be told just so. Otherwise, you'll be presented with all the details about the update.
5. Tap Download and Install
6. Agree to the Terms and Conditions
7. IMPORTANT! If you're low on juice, make sure you plug in! You don't want your battery to die mid-update!
8. Watch the progress bar! (This part depends on the speed and quality of connection. Don't be alarmed if it takes a long time, speeds up or slows down, or appears to jump around -- be patient.)
9. Once it's finished downloading, you'll be prompted to instal (and restart) your device. If you don't explicitly hit Later or Install within a few seconds, it will install on your behalf.
10. Agree to the Terms and Conditions yet again.
11. Apple will verify the install.
12. That's it!

Not only does iOS 5 update OTA, it updates in place using bit-differential (delta) files, so you should get a faster, much more efficient process. For example, there's no need to restore from backup afterwards or re-download your stuff.

Seriously, once the download finishes it's amazing quick and smooth. Apple may not have invented OTA updates (Chris swears BlackBerry has had them for ages, and Nokia likely invented them in 1812...) but if this is any indication, they're doing them right.

Running iOS 5 and iCloud and wondering how you can manually trigger a backup? iCloud will automatically backup at some point during the day when you're on Wi-Fi, but if you need to replace or restore your phone, or you know you'll be leaving for a while and want to make sure the backup is done before you go, you do have that option.

Here's what to do:

1. First tap into your Settings app and tap into iCloud.

2. On this screen you'll see a list of all the services you are syncing with iCloud.
3. Scroll down a bit further and you'll see a button labeled Storage & Backup. Tap it.

4. Scroll all the way down to the Backup sections and you will see a button labeled Back Up Now. Tap it to start creating an iCloud backup.

5. iCloud will begin creating a backup for you. It can do this in the background so you can continue using your device like normal while the process completes.

iCloud will create backups for you regularly but it will only perform a backup when you are connected to Wifi and plugged in to a charging outlet. So as a note to users on tiered data plans, if you need to create an iCloud backup manually at least make sure you are on Wifi if at all possible. If you have any other questions about iCloud backups or anything iOS in general, check out our TiPb forums for all questions related to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch!

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

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!

Initiating an OTA update for iOS 5 beta 4 is easy as fairly easy pie. Some reports even indicate badge and/or popup notifications will alert you to its availability (though we haven't seen any on our end... yet). To start it manually:

1. Launching the Settings app
2. Tap General
3. Tap Software Update
4. (If it gives you an error pop up, just try again later. The Cloud, it strains.)
5. Tap Download and Install
6. Watch the progress bar! (This part depends on the speed and quality of your 3G or Wi-Fi signal. Don't be alarmed if it takes a long time or appears to jump around. Beta means beta!)
7. Once it's finished downloading, you'll be prompted to instal (and restart) your device. If you don't explicitly hit Later or Install within a few seconds, it will install on your behalf.
8. Apple will verify the install.
9. That's it! You should reboot into iOS 5 beta 4 exactly how you left off in iOS 5 beta 3.

Seriously, once the download finishes it's amazing quick and smooth Apple may not have invented OTA updates (Chris swears BlackBerry has had them for ages, and Nokia likely invented them in 1812...) but if beta 4 is any indication, they're doing them right.

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward...)

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.

[@musclenerd]

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]

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.

Innovation

First off, the jailbreak community is extremely innovative. I'll go out on a limb here as I have many times before and insist that there are Apple employees walking around Cupertino with jailbroken iPhones in hand. Why you ask? Because they'd be stupid not to keep up with all the bright minds and ideas floating around the jailbreak community.

We already know Apple hired Peter Hajas, the creator of MobileNotifier, right before the announcement of iOS 5.

We can debate all day why Apple made that move but I personally see a striking similarity between the new iOS 5 notification system and Peter Hajas' design for MobileNotifier. Notification Center gestures are also quite similar to the InfoShade feature of the popular jailbreak app, LockInfo.

Free R&D

Let's face it, the jailbreak community has had a lot of great ideas. A lot of these same ideas end up trickling down into later iterations of iOS. Sometimes Apple manages to make them their own. Other times, they are blatantly copied, like Wifi Sync. Greg Hughes, the creator of the jailbreak version of Wifi Sync, had submitted his version of the app to the official App Store well over a year ago. It was rejected and then quickly found its way into Cydia. A year later, we see Apple unveil their version of wireless syncing. This time, they didn't even bother to change the icon. What you see on the left is Greg Hughes' Wifi Sync icon compared to Apple's. See any similarity?

Apple is a secretive company. They can't and won't publicly test future versions of iOS years in advance. With Jailbreak, they get hundreds of thousands of people testing all sorts of apps, interfaces, and experiences, and Apple can see which ones work, and cherry pick all the best and brightest and most successful ideas.

Warranty out

It has been implied on several occasions that jailbreaking will completely screw up your device and Apple will be stuck eating the cost when you bring it in for warranty repair.

I really can't begin to point out how many things are wrong with that statement. Let's start with the obvious.... Apple will not service a jailbroken iPhone. They will simply turn you away. I do not know many jailbreakers that aren't aware of this fact. That is their right and jailbreakers understand this.

Next, there is nothing a simple restore won't wipe away. I have never seen an iPhone, iPad, or iPod rendered useless from a jailbreak gone wrong. I've seen some that get stuck in a recovery loop but sticking it into DFU mode and doing a stock restore always fixes the issue. I run a small tech company locally and we offer jailbreak and unlock services. We also troubleshoot tons of devices a week. We actually receive just as many users with stock issues as we do with jailbreak issues if we want to be honest here.

Freedom of choice

I can't speak for the entire jailbreak community but I can speak for myself and those I know that jailbreak. I do not pressure others into jailbreaking. I don't want to and frankly I don't need to. We may joke about it around the forums and have #TeamJailbreak and #TeamPure battles during podcasts but that's as far as it goes. In fact, I am always hesitant when someone asks me to help them jailbreak due to the amount of questions I'll probably get for the next several weeks. I know many others who sometimes feel the same. I'm not saying I'm never willing to help but I do believe users who want to attempt jailbreaking should at least have some basic knowledge or technical understanding of iOS.

Bottom line, if someone sees Jailbreak, they know if it interests them and if they want to try it, and they know if it looks difficult or stressful and want no part of it. To think otherwise gives them far too little credit.

Jailbreakers buy software too

Sadly, I can't say piracy doesn't happen. It does. On iOS. With music and movies. It happens. But it doesn't mean all jail breakers steal any more than it means all PC users steal (PCs come already jailbroken, that makes it even easier, right?).

Most of the Jailbreak users purchase apps just like stock users do. They not only purchase applications from the App Store like the rest of the population, but from Cydia as well.

There are tons of developers that will tell you that jailbreakers that steal apps make up a very tiny portion of their user base. Ironically, a lot of the jailbreakers I know end up being some of the biggest sticklers about not stealing applications and money out of developers' pockets.

Why? Because most of them are developers as well.

Apple benefits in the end

Not only does Apple get a pretty large user base to test on, they have an extremely talented group of developers to keep their eye on. I don't think Peter Hajas will be the last jailbreak developer to join Apple. Nor will iOS 5 be the last iteration of Apple's latest and greatest to "borrow" ideas from the jailbreak community.

I do not see Apple going out of their way to block out jailbreakers in future iterations of iOS. Will they close exploits? Sure they will. For the safety and privacy of their users in general. The jailbreak community will always find a way in. If it's coded by a person, it can be cracked by a person. And the game will continue. Until people grow bored or Apple gives us all the functionality we desire.

The main goal of the jailbreak community has always been to provide more options to power users who would like more control than Apple would like to give us. In return, we may deal with a little bug here and there or a few resprings. If you choose not to deal with that, that's okay too.

But going against the grain doesn't make this community evil or snide. It just makes us different. We are aware that we make up a very small portion of iOS users. We're okay with that and never pretend to be the majority.

We don't need to use link bait in order for Apple to pay attention to us. You can safely bet they already are.

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?

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?

With rumors that Apple might be exploring over-the-air (OTA) updates for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in iOS 5, we're going to take the opportunity to go over how OTA updates work, what the advantages and disadvantages are (there's always a mix of both), and why they should matter to you.

For the answer, follow on after the break.

Currently if you want to update iOS, you need to plug your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into iTunes via the USB dock cable, hit the Update button, and watch as your iOS device is backed up, a roughly 500MB firmware file downloads to your Mac or Windows PC, the firmware completely replaces the contents of your iOS device, and then your data is restored from the previous backup and your content is synced back from your iTunes library. It's a great, tested and true process that results in backups for users, fresh installs for Apple (which are typically more reliable), and a device that is completely updated and restored to exactly its previous data state for the user.

The OTA advantage

If the current iTunes-based update process just works. So why OTA? What's wrong with the current process?

1. It requires you to get to a PC with iTunes. And not just any PC, but the "one" PC that contains your iTunes library or you won't be able to re-sync your content (thanks Hollywood!). If that PC with iTunes isn't handy, you can't properly update.
2. It requires full firmware replacements. That means even if Apple only needs to fix a single Safari exploit or location database bug, you need to download a roughly 500MB firmware and go through the same update process, detailed above, as if you were updating to a completely new OS, like going from iOS 3 to iOS 4.

OTA updates would mean you could update anytime, from anywhere, without having to tether to your iTunes PC. If you're at work -- or on vacation -- you don't need to wait until you're home.

It also means that Apple could, if they chose to, do smaller and more frequent patches when security issues arise or when critical bugs are found.

In fact, Apple's already doing them in 2 instances:

1. Apple TV (2010). It runs iOS, but rather than plugging into iTunes, it handles iOS updates right on the device. However, it is always plugged into AC power, and it's always on Wi-Fi or Ethernet. (We'll address why that's important later.)
2. Carrier Setting Files. Since iOS 4, Apple has been updating the files that determine, for example, tethering and mobile hotspot availability, group SMS functionality, and other carrier-specific settings.

Competitors like Google's Android and HP/Palm's webOS based phones have been doing OTA updates as well. But it's not without its problems.

The OTA disadvantage

Since other smartphones have been doing OTA, we can see some of the problems that have arisen:

1. 3G/cellular data. Once you start allowing OTA updates, users might really expect them to be available everywhere, including when they're away from Wi-Fi and on 3G connections. If Doing them over 3G can mean longer download times, the possibility of hitting up against data caps (if you're on a 250MB plan, you couldn't even download the firmware once), and carriers refusing to allow large downloads (like they do now with the 20MB iTunes/App Store limits.) Apple's install base scares the network out of them. Likewise, If 3G updates are allowed, and if someone accidentally does a large update while roaming, their bill could be excessive. Conversely, if someone doesn't have 3G but gets stuck on EDGE, GPRS, or 1xRTT (see our networking glossary) they could be painful to the point of impossible.
2. Delays/rollouts. When Google or HP roll out an Android or webOS update, not everyone seems to get it at once. Indeed, it took my Nexus One a couple weeks to pop up the OTA update for Gingerbread. iTunes delivers updates the instant Apple releases them. Why other platforms have used rollouts instead of just releasing their updates all at once, I'm not sure, but if the same factors (and/or carrier demands) force rolling updates for iOS, people who aren't used to waiting may not be happy about waiting.
3. Restores/Re-syncs. As mentioned above, currently iTunes backs up and restores your iOS device while updating the full firmware. (Apple TV OTA updates don't do this because it's streaming-only and so doesn't have to worry about local content). Handling a roughly 500MB firmware update is one thing. Handling up to 64GB of content backup and restore is another. Of course, Apple might switch from full firmware backups to a patching system, or require iTunes for major updates (iOS 4 to iOS 5) and do patches for minor ones (iOS 4.1 to iOS 4.2, or iOS 4.1.1 to iOS 4.1.2). This would result in smaller updates and remove the need to backup and restore. Except for...
4. Failed updates. If something goes wrong and you're connected to iTunes, in the worst case scenario you can just restore (or even go into DFU mode and restore). If you're out and about, doing an OTA update, and something goes wrong, your device is effectively dead unless and until you can get back to your iTunes PC.

The Jailbreak factor

When Apple began doing carrier file updates OTA, it became an immediate concern for unlockers. While that hasn't turned out to be a real-world problem yet, it doesn't mean it won't.

Since Jailbreak depends on exploits to inject code, and updates patch exploits, more frequent and more targeted updates could kill existing Jailbreak exploits faster.

Conclusion

OTA updates are a bright, shiny future for iOS. It would further dismantle the iTunes tether, give more freedom to users, and more flexibility to Apple. But with great power comes great responsibility -- to make it an easy, robust, and mainstream friendly solution. Apple is usually great at solving these riddles, but online has never been their forte. And OTA device updates need to be nailed.

(Yes, we really made it all the way through this article without once mentioning the giant new Apple Data Center in North Carolina -- can you believe it? Oh, wait...)

Mark Gurman from 9to5Mac is hearing that Apple and Verizon are discussing over-the-air (OTA) software updates for iOS 5. Google's Android and HP/Palm's webOS have been doing OTA OS updates for a while now, and Apple has done OTA carrier file updates, but when it comes to iOS the only option thus far has been complete firmware updates via iTunes.

Multiple sources say the new feature will debut in iOS 5, meaning iOS 5 will not come over-the-air but following point updates to it will. Just like tethering in iOS 3, Apple has the technology but cannot just unleash it everywhere. Apple and Verizon Wireless are said to have been in talks over these wireless software updates since early this year. Sources could not comment on whether or not Apple is negotiating similar deals with AT&T or international iPhone carriers.

And according to Chronic Dev-Team founder, Chronic, it may have been in the works for a while:

I can say quite a bit of code to allow OTA updates has been on the OS for awhile

Chpwn adds:

MobileSoftwareUpdate.framework has been there since iOS 4, but is only "fleshed out" with daemons, etc on the Apple TV.

And iH8ns0w:

there is strong evidence that OTA updates could be coming. Ramdisks have been getting shipped w/o encryption. The AES engine is disabled when it reaches kernel state. So, it cannot decrypt images in iOS.

Apple TV (2010) already does OTA updates for iOS, though it's secured to a power source at all times. Apple provided Mac OS X Lion's developer preview via the Mac App Store, so it's not inconceivable that future iOS updates could come via the iOS App Store either.

Step by step Apple has been dismantling the iTunes tether dependency. Could OTA updates be the next big leap?

[9to5Mac, @chronic, @chpwn, @iH8sn0w]

What finally made Apple and Steve Jobs relent on their previously locked-in-stone $0.99 single price for single songs iTunes business model? Many suspected it was the lure of DRM-free music, which the record labels (except EMI) had been withholding from Apple and providing competitors like Amazon MP3 in an attempt to break the iTunes juggernaut.

Maybe not, however, according to Ars Technica (referencing the Associated Press):

the key negotiating component was over-the-air downloads for the iPhone. The record companies held out on allowing users to download songs on the 3G and EDGE networks (instead of just WiFi) until Apple relented.

While this might seem strange, technically many users probably don't care (or don't even know about DRM) unless they run into the old 5-machine limit or try to move their protected music outside the iPod ecosystem. However, anyone hitting the iTunes icon on the iPhone and getting the message to switch to WiFi likely suffers a bad user experience. Then again, strange is normal in a strange industry filled with strange old media dinosaurs, innit?

Higher prices, according to the article, are also intended to make discounted song bundles seem like better values.

How important is 3G or EDGE downloads to you? Worth the potential cost bump for premium "hot" singles? Mitigated at all by the thought of cheapo bundles of the same? Let us know!