Why You Should Disable Auto Upgrade

by Joel Saltzman

Have you ever heard the old adage... "If it ain't broken, don't fix it"? Ever since the second iPhone, Dr Wireless has cautioned against doing software upgrades just because the device manufacturer, carrier or App developer suggested it. I have found this out the hard way on more than one occasion.

It's easier to understand why this might not be a great idea once you see the reasons why software updates are done. There are probably a dozen reasons that doing a software upgrade could be a bad idea. There are only several good reasons to do an upgrade. Those include patching a security vulnerability or when cool new features or functionality are added.

Here are some of the reasons why you would not want to do an "Automatic Software Upgrade".
1) Often times, these new upgrades have adverse effects not noticed during beta testing. The most common issues are noticeable battery drain, and/or connectivity issues, usually involving cellular or wifi connection.

2) This is also the opportunity that many companies take to change their terms and contract fineprint. I had an application about a decade ago that gave me free calling to Mexico. I found out after the fact that upgrading to the new version stripped my FREE Mexico calling plan capabilities.

3) With millions of applications out there, it's virtually impossible to beta test new software and expect everything to work. It would not be so bad if you could go back to your previous version but APPLE makes that impossible now in most cases.

4) Very often, these software patches that are created to fix problems create bigger problems. That's why I have always set up our clients iPhones changing the default software automatic upgrade feature from on to off. That way, you can wait about a week and then google "Problems with iOS13 and see what comes up. If there are no major issues, do it manually.

The reality is if Apple came out with a security patch to fix a vulnerability with Apple Pay, it only makes sense to download if you actually use Apple Pay. If you don't why take the chance. It's kind of like having a medical operation if you don't need one. There is always the risk of complications, infections, etc...

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