Starting today, iPhone users will slowly start seeing more free storage on their devices

posted by Paul K. / Oct 06, 2015, 8:04 AM

Starting today, iPhone users will slowly start seeing more free storage on their devices

Remember “App Splicing”? It was one of the new under-the-hood improvements for iOS, aiming to optimize the way apps use up the precious, unexpandable storage on your iDevice. Here's a quick reminder – App Splicing allows developers to flag various app assets as needed only on specific devices. For example – if you are downloading a game on the iPhone 5s, you will not be getting the assets that are flagged for the iPhone 6s Plus, and vice-versa. As a result, you save a heap of storage space. Additionally, developers can design apps modularly – have the app only download assets when it needs it. For example, when you install a game, it may initially only download the first couple of levels. As you play through, your device will continue pulling the rest of the levels from the App Store, and deleting the ones you've passed.

Of course, in order for App Splicing to work, developers need to put in some work in tagging the assets, or coding the modular approach. Thus far, however, the app makers have had no access to the new feature, due to an issue with iCloud. That issue has now been resolved and developers should be able to start thinning their apps out.

Users will be able to get the App Splicing benefits only if they update to iOS 9.0.2. The good news is that it is currently available and is probably already downloaded on your iDevice. After developers do the asset-flagging dance, the apps will appear in the Update tab in the App Store. You shouldn't have to delete the app and re-download it – just updating it should take care of the whole storage-freeing process.

Owners of 16 GB iDevices – are you stoked?

iPhone 6s

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source: Apple Developers via MacRumors

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24 Comments

1. mdsheik

Posts: 52; Member since: Sep 03, 2015

who cares

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:07 AM 1

3. o0Exia0o

Posts: 903; Member since: Feb 01, 2013

I'd say that iOS users care...

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:08 AM 13

25. jb4674

Posts: 145; Member since: Apr 05, 2013

They care because Apple is retarded and doesn't want to accept the fact that adding removable storage capabilities would quadruple the sales figures of the iPhone.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 5:13 PM 0

26. o0Exia0o

Posts: 903; Member since: Feb 01, 2013

Or maybe they see expandable storage for what it is, a hot mess that reduces device effenticy with no real purpose other than storing photos or docs.....

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 6:01 PM 1

8. Mxyzptlk unregistered

About you? No one.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:21 AM 8

16. xtremesv

Posts: 299; Member since: Oct 21, 2011

Actually it's an interesting approach considering that users of iPhones have to deal with limited storage. I suppose this feature has little to zero advantage if you have an iPad Air because on it, apps will always demand more assets.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 11:24 AM 1

19. tacarat

Posts: 854; Member since: Apr 22, 2013

There's still a benefit there. They can ditch all the low resolution files for the phones. It won't be as dramatic as the other way around, but could still be substantial.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 12:26 PM 1

21. nepalisherpa

Posts: 337; Member since: Jul 17, 2015

iPhone users have to deal with limited storage? I didn't know Apple only sold 16GB phones.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 2:33 PM 3

2. iphonexus

Posts: 130; Member since: Jan 04, 2015

I got a 64 GB 6s plus I dont even care

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:08 AM 4

4. Iodine

Posts: 1474; Member since: Jun 19, 2014

People want bigger base storage for sure. But honestly, I think a iPhone 6S 16GB will be in better situation than last year's iPhone 6 in terms of how much content you can have with you.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:12 AM 1

5. dimas

Posts: 3328; Member since: Jul 22, 2014

That's why 16gb with nonexpandable storage should be obsolete these days. You buy a phone with premium price then you give yourself a headache worrying about running out of space. Gadgets should pamper users not the other way around.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:16 AM 1

7. Mxyzptlk unregistered

I agree. Motorola, Apple, Google, Samsung, and any OEM who still does it needs to end the 16GB standard storage space size asap.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:19 AM 2

12. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Samsung only uses 16GB on mid-range and low end phones as a cost savings most likely. The S and Note dont have 16GB. The last S to have 16GB was the S5 and the last not to offer it was the Note 2. The fact is, the iPhone is a mid-ranged spec'd device based on its hardware and that is why Apple wont increase the 16GB to 32GB.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 9:07 AM 1

27. Ahovking

Posts: 711; Member since: Feb 03, 2015

iPhone is a mid-ranged spec'd device with high end benchmarks, its pethetic that samsung high-ranged spec'd device cant out right destroy the iPhone in benchmarks or real world testing, Buying an iPhone 6s plus and your getting a Note 5 experienced.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 6:35 PM 3

28. JustDroppingIn

Posts: 2; Member since: May 05, 2015

I agree that samsung should be recording much better benchmark scores, especially since they are "High-end" phones. However the components that are being used in samsung's flagships add to the user experience, but hinders the benchmarks scores (etc. screen resolution, touch wiz ram issues, and a few other things). IF they used a lower resolution screen, the FPS would increase markably but the view content wouldn't be as pleasureful. Also, since Samsung is using out-of-house software (android), the programing is not optimized for their hardware compared to apple. Not to mention the GPU that samsung is using. I own an iPhone, and can honestly say, "an iPhone 6s plus doesn't give you the same experience as a Note 5." Samsung take's advantage of the screen size, by actually providing helpful features and user friendly consideration. Apple does not. The iPhone 6s plus is just a blown-up iPhone 6s with OIS (which should be a standard feature on the iPhone 6s also), and a bigger battery.

posted on Oct 07, 2015, 11:31 AM 0

13. Leo_MC

Posts: 6965; Member since: Dec 02, 2011

I'm using 10 GB which consist in some music, some games, MS Office apps and about other 60+ app (including HERE with a whole country downloaded). But my personal data (photos, documents, music etc) is in the cloud.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 9:24 AM 1

22. AlikMalix unregistered

Why would you buy a 16GB iPhone if you think you're gonna have a headache worrying about it?.... Either plan you go with (2 year or EDGE/NEXT) it's only couple of bucks a month to get 4X the amount of storage. I agree with your first sentence, of the few things I cringe about Apple, keeping 16GB for this model was EFFING Greedy... My wife had 16GB for last 3 years on her 5 - she never complained about storage and she decided to got with 16GB again because she keeps her photos organized on PC and unloads consistently. She doesnt play games, and doesn't edit videos on phone like I do.. So, we'll see, I guess. I wanted 64GB since the day Apple doubled it from 32GB for the same price. but I was on a 2 yr contract so now that I can get a 6S - got 64GB and not even sweatin'... But if you're planning on worrying about storage - dont get 16GB, dont even get 32GB - go straight for 64GB or 128GB... like most do....

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 2:57 PM 0

6. willytbk

Posts: 252; Member since: Aug 15, 2012

great for 16GB iPhone users, for those using 64GB or 128GB might care less i believe

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:19 AM 2

23. AlikMalix unregistered

I would say, that with what 6S and future phones are capable of (graphically) the big games will come, consoles will be less and less relevant, and that 128GB will seem like a joke. I'm playing GTA titles already on. a. Damn. PHONE... how long will it take til GTA4 is out on iOS or Android? Thining apps means thining games that take more than 2-3GB today and 5-10GB in near future. Seems like more of a proactive approach than to save a few MB's in space. I have 3 apps and games that are over 2GB and one game that's over 3GB (RR3) That's about 10GB right there and even if you're on 32GB you better hope your apps are loosing weight soon...

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 3:05 PM 0

9. InsertUsernameHere

Posts: 430; Member since: Aug 31, 2014

That's good.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:26 AM 1

10. Michael.Parker

Posts: 273; Member since: Aug 22, 2015

Even for those not even using the 16gb the minimum iPhone should have is 32gb and Apple should have scrapped that ridiculous 16gb option years ago. But with Apple it's got nothing to do with practicality and everything to do with forcing people to use more profitable online features when they run low on memory and knowing when people run out of memory they're forced to buy a whole new phone.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 8:30 AM 1

11. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

This wouldn't be needed if they just increase the storage. It's simply BS. Apple can afford to make the base model 32GB or even 64GB. They just want the profits from the idiots who are just going to buy the next size up anyways.

posted on Oct 06, 2015, 9:02 AM 1

14. Leo_MC

Posts: 6965; Member since: Dec 02, 2011

After seeing this article I checked my phone and I found out I have 1 GB more free space than yesterday. I don't know where is it from but I'll keep an eye on things.