Paul Morris on June 5, 2019, 12:03 am

iOS 13 Removes App Store Download Size Limit Over Cellular Data

Apple’s new iOS 13 mobile operating system will let device owners download large apps and games over a cellular data connection. Currently, app/game downloads and updates over 150MB are restricted to Wi-Fi connections only, much to the hatred of many device owners with unlimited data subscriptions.

Apple showed off a decent number of iOS 13 features during the opening keynote of WWDC 2019 yesterday. Some of those features were flagship offerings which pretty much define what iOS 13 is all about and the direction that Apple is going in.

Others, however, are probably deemed to be smaller and less important in nature but which add a lot of value to iPhone owners on a day-to-day frustration basis. The ability to download large apps and games over cellular definitely falls into that bracket.

Apple had recently upped the download limits for apps over cellular from 150MB to 200MB, which went some way to improving things for people with super-fast and very generous LTE connections and subscriptions. Now, with the announcement of iOS 13, Apple has added an “App Downloads” section under the iTunes & App Stores section in the native Settings app. This includes options for “Always Allow”, “Ask If Over 200 MB”, and “Ask First”.

This essentially hands control to the user and gives them the ability to always have iOS 13 ask permission to download large apps over cellular, to ask only if the size exceeds 200MB, or to simply invoke a free-for-all situation whereby anything can be downloaded over a cellular connection.

The restrictions were previously in place to stop device owners from accidentally using and exceeding their data allowance when downloading large apps. However, more and more people have increasing data bundles and this is a great compromise which puts the device owner in control of how downloads should behave.

If you are one of those fortunate people living on an unlimited or unmetered data plan and have been frustrated by Apple’s restrictions which shouldn’t apply to you, then this is definitely a welcomed new feature. Remember, Apple could still remove this from iOS 13 as the firmware progresses over the next few months if the company deemed it correct to do so, but is very unlikely to remove something which will ultimately be an extremely popular addition.