Apple has silently implemented a change in the App Store that’s likely to be well received by iPhone users with unlimited data plans.
The company now allows us to download apps and games up to 200 MB using a cellular network, reads a new report from 9to5Mac. The older limit was 150 MB, and anything larger than that required a Wi-Fi connection.
Back when downloads from Apple’s own servers were iPhone users’ biggest hits on cellular networks, the company set cellular download limits to ease the strain on carrier partners: 10MB, then 20MB, then 50MB early in the 4G era, jumping to 100MB in 2013 and 150MB in 2017.
While Apple has not revealed the reason behind the increase in download limit, it is most likely due to apps growing in size over the years, alongside the size of updates for heavy games which often cross that threshold. While the increment is not substantial, it is certainly a welcome one.
Because this update takes place on Apple’s side, all devices connecting to the App Store are getting it, so it’s not dependent on model or iOS version. You can try it out yourselves by disabling the Wi-Fi connection and starting the download of a large app on cellular.
Apple’s cellular data limit prevents iPhone and iPad users from accidentally downloading a big file, game, movie or app from the Apple Store and use up all of their limited carrier data. But a 200MB cap, with no option to disable it, is laughable in 2019. The limit leads to developers working to keep their apps under the cellular download limit, in order to reduce the chances of a user not downloading their app due to the limit.
