Apple posts iOS 9 Wi-Fi Assist guide in wake of complaints about excessive data use
A new Apple support document about Wi-Fi Assist attempts to address complaints about the iOS 9 feature, which some user have said can cause monthly cellular data use to grow dramatically.
"Because you'll stay connected to the Internet over cellular when you have a poor Wi-Fi connection, you might use more cellular data," Apple cautions in one part of the document. "For most users, this should only be a small percentage higher than previous usage."
Wi-Fi Assist is turned on by default, and is meant to ensure a smooth Internet experience. Because it switches over to cellular whenever it decides that a Wi-Fi signal is weak and not simply absent, however, this can potentially cause people to exceed carrier data caps without realizing.
The document notes that certain limitations have been applied to the feature. It won't switch on while data roaming, for example, and only applies to foreground apps rather than background downloads.
Likewise, not all apps can take advantage. It shuts off for some unidentified third-party apps that stream audio or video, as well as some email apps, since they might download large attachments.
Apple's own apps typically do make use of the technology, including Mail, Maps, Safari, Apple Music, and others.
To shut off Wi-Fi Assist, iOS 9 users must go into the Cellular menu in the Settings app, and scroll all the way to the bottom to find the toggle button. The option is missing on some older Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, and the first-generation iPad mini.
"Because you'll stay connected to the Internet over cellular when you have a poor Wi-Fi connection, you might use more cellular data," Apple cautions in one part of the document. "For most users, this should only be a small percentage higher than previous usage."
Wi-Fi Assist is turned on by default, and is meant to ensure a smooth Internet experience. Because it switches over to cellular whenever it decides that a Wi-Fi signal is weak and not simply absent, however, this can potentially cause people to exceed carrier data caps without realizing.
The document notes that certain limitations have been applied to the feature. It won't switch on while data roaming, for example, and only applies to foreground apps rather than background downloads.
Likewise, not all apps can take advantage. It shuts off for some unidentified third-party apps that stream audio or video, as well as some email apps, since they might download large attachments.
Apple's own apps typically do make use of the technology, including Mail, Maps, Safari, Apple Music, and others.
To shut off Wi-Fi Assist, iOS 9 users must go into the Cellular menu in the Settings app, and scroll all the way to the bottom to find the toggle button. The option is missing on some older Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, and the first-generation iPad mini.
Comments
Based on what happens right here in AI forums anything Apple does or doesn’t do, activates or doesn’t activate by default will piss somebody off. I’d bet some good money that this predicament is discussed by Apple management every time something like this is implemented. They try to balance who will appreciate the feature versus who it will piss off. And of course the average user doesn’t dig around to find the toggle switch for such features. All some of them know is their data usage went up after they installed iOS 9 so they complain. They also complained about Wi-Fi coverage before the feature was available. As I said somebody is always going to be pissed off.
I have unlimited data. I LOVE this new feature.
Ditto!
The feature was OFF on my iPhone6 when I got an iOS9 update.
Maybe this will help Apple and other app developers become a bit more judicious in their use of data. It galls me that I must buy 10 GB of data per month just to do normal web surfing and stuff on my iPhone. (No audio or video streaming.)
I have unlimited data. I LOVE this new feature.
ditto
Maybe this will help Apple and other app developers become a bit more judicious in their use of data. It galls me that I must buy 10 GB of data per month just to do normal web surfing and stuff on my iPhone. (No audio or video streaming.)
I do a lot of audio streaming and some video streaming and the most data I've ever used in a month is 1.6 Gig. I've also got five email accounts coming into the phone and there's tons of junk and spam mail taking up data usage. So you must be using some app that's consuming a lot of data.
Wi-Fi Assist is turned on by default....
It wasn't. With ATT, it had to be turned ON, then I had to confirm my 911 address, and wait 30 seconds or so before it was activated. (Then of course, it stays on by default).
It went through exactly the same procedure with three other phones in my family account.
Pretty sure you're referring to Wi-Fi calling. This article is about Wi-Fi assist, which compensates for slow Wi-Fi networks by falling back to LTE (and using data in the process). No need to verify a 911 address for that.
It wasn't. With ATT, it had to be turned ON, then I had to confirm my 911 address, and wait 30 seconds or so before it was activated. (Then of course, it stays on by default).
It went through exactly the same procedure with three other phones in my family account.
Except that's not WiFi Assist, that's WiFi CALLING, where it's WiFi that takes the transmission responsibility when the cellular voice signal is weak. Hence the need for the 911 information which is obviously irrelevant for shifting WiFi DATA over to LTE....
ETA: Slow typing... so a replicate of above's answer.
Maybe this will help Apple and other app developers become a bit more judicious in their use of data. It galls me that I must buy 10 GB of data per month just to do normal web surfing and stuff on my iPhone. (No audio or video streaming.)
Some truth in that, I cringe at what at I'd consume were I not almost always surrounded at work and at home by solid WiFi service.
Pretty sure you're referring to Wi-Fi calling. This article is about Wi-Fi assist, which compensates for slow Wi-Fi networks by falling back to LTE (and using data in the process). No need to verify a 911 address for that.
Except that's not WiFi Assist, that's WiFi CALLING, where it's WiFi that takes the transmission responsibility when the cellular voice signal is weak. Hence the need for the 911 information which is obviously irrelevant for shifting WiFi DATA over to LTE....
Ha. Good to know. Thanks!
(It's interesting how the Settings page shown in the article -- which seems Canadian -- if slightly different from the US version.)
Maybe this will help Apple and other app developers become a bit more judicious in their use of data. It galls me that I must buy 10 GB of data per month just to do normal web surfing and stuff on my iPhone. (No audio or video streaming.)
I have no idea how you use your data but it sure sounds completely irrational. I use my iPhone daily for ‘normal’ web surfing and ‘stuff’ as well as listen to Apple Music. This past billing cycle my total data usage was less than 1GB (.8GB to be exact). If you need 10GB for ‘normal’ usage then we live on different planets.
I have unlimited data. I LOVE this new feature.
I don't. Still not gonna turn it off though.
This is the third 'connection-related' feature that I've seen Apple implement badly recently. The other two were were iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Drive.
The services themselves are fine but utterly choke an Internet connection when active and are uploading recorded videos or large files.
Some type of intelligent throttling should have occurred. Or Apple should have included an option to not upload videos in iCloud Photo Library.
Was surprised by this fairly basic mistake by Apple.
It wasn't. With ATT, it had to be turned ON, then I had to confirm my 911 address, and wait 30 seconds or so before it was activated. (Then of course, it stays on by default).
It went through exactly the same procedure with three other phones in my family account.
I think you're confusing WiFi Assist with WiFi Calling.
I'm not surprised by this. When I first heard of this feature I turned it off immediately.
This is the third 'connection-related' feature that I've seen Apple implement badly recently. The other two were were iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Drive.
The services themselves are fine but utterly choke an Internet connection when active and are uploading recorded videos or large files.
Some type of intelligent throttling should have occurred. Or Apple should have included an option to not upload videos in iCloud Photo Library.
Was surprised by this fairly basic mistake by Apple.
Not sure how this a "bad thing; it should just be turned off by default.
It works fine for everything but streamed video, where yes it could kill your data cap.
You should just have the option to turn it off for video, or at least very high def video.