Updating your phone, tablet, laptop or any other smart device is essential. Unfortunately, as devices get older and updates get larger, it can be hard to easily install a new software patch.
Case in point, the Apple Watch Series 3 has reached the point where it needs so much storage space available to update that Apple now recommends you reset it every time there’s new software.
This process is obviously not a convenient solution for older device owners, but it seems Apple may be working on a solution.
Apple’s new beta updates can be installed with less storage
Apple is currently in the midst of preparing its big iOS 15, iPad OS 15 and watchOS 8 software updates for launch later this year.
This has seen a number of beta updates roll out to developers prior to the official release.
A note released with the third beta for watchOS 8 and iOS 15 says that Apple will allow for updates to be installed where there’s minimal storage available.
As spotted by 9to5 Mac, the patch notes from Apple’s Developer website read:
Resolved in watchOS 8/iOS 15 beta 3: You can now update your device using Software Update if less than 500 MB of storage is available.
It’s unclear how exactly Apple has resolved this issue, but thank god it has.
This could be a game-changer for older device owners, particularly Series 3 Apple Watch wearers, who might be able to actually update their devices thanks to this change.
Apple releases routine updates for its devices and often recommends that users install these patches immediately to deal with security flaws and the likes.
However, for those with older generations of devices, a simple update can mean an entire wipe and reset, which sometimes takes hours. This can put users off from installing these important updates entirely.
It’s not a sustainable process, so it’s promising to see that Apple is implementing these changes with its beta updates. Hopefully, these will transfer to the official software releases when they become available later this year.