iOS 9 May Let You 'Temporarily' Delete Apps to Install Software Updates

A new feature spotted in the iOS 9 beta indicates that Apple might introduce a new feature that will allow users to temporarily delete apps to make space for the new software update installation. This appears to be what Apple meant at WWDC when it said it had developed a way to ensure iOS updates would require less free storage. The company at WWDC also pointed to other efforts at increasing the storage space available to users with features like app thinning.

Spotted in the first developer beta (via 9to5Mac) of iOS 9 when users tried to update to second beta that was released on Tuesday, the feature warns users they have 'insufficient space for download', and then recommends what could be called the intelligent deletion of apps. Once the software update installation is complete, the apps will be automatically reinstalled with no loss of user data.

(Also see: iOS 9 Will Bring True Multitasking to iPad, Improved Siri and Search, a Lot More)

A Twitter user named Kaleb Butt has shared a screenshot of the popup notification that prompts the user about less storage. It said, "In order to make room for the software update, some apps will need to be temporarily deleted. All deleted apps will automatically be replaced after the update is complete. Would you like to continue?" The notification in the screenshot includes an option for users to "Cancel" or "Allow App Deletion". As of now, details about the new feature are limited including the fact whether the system itself chooses which apps to temporarily delete or prompts the user to choose the apps.

Considering that the intelligent app deletion for software updates feature is in beta, there's no confirmation that the feature will be present in the final build available to users.

The move seems to be an attempt by Apple to resolve the free storage issue that became evident with the rollout of last year's iOS 8 update, when several users were unable to update their devices because of a lack of free storage space.

Last year, the Cupertino-based company was also hit by a class action lawsuit that alleged the company to be misrepresenting the inbuilt storage of iPhone base models (and other iOS devices) following an update to iOS 8. The lawsuit stated that iOS 8 took up to 23.1 percent of the advertised storage capacity on Apple devices.