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Why would parallel downloads be a good thing? I can think of so many drawbacks.

Not having small apps be stuck in a queue behind large ones for starters. Not be effectively throttled by a single over-saturated server for another, assuming the parallel downloads hit different servers.

Even allowing only 6 concurrent downloads like most HTTP client/servers would be a big improvement.

Many times, total throughput roses with the number of connections.

I can see the argument why one might not want it - total time to getting an app to play with can be increased.

What I really can't understand is why they pause all download activiry while installing an app. That's truly maddening.

The real reasons for both have probably more to do with flash writes being slow and increasing the chances of running low on space. Probably more chances for the CPU to go into thermal throttling, too. Not everyone has the latest hardware.

Parallel downloads increase contention at all levels: CPU, Flash, FS, local network, ISP, server. Serial downloads make the store a better citizen.

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