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Comment by Cieplak | Hacker News Reader

Why must iOS use WiFi to run critical security updates? I assume it’s a kickback from telecoms to reduce network bandwidth from users with unlimited mobile data plans?

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Does iOS have any way of telling if you’re on an unlimited data plan? If not, maybe it’s just to prevent the footgun (and subsequent bad PR) of somebody accidentally updating the OS over an expensive metered connection. But it could also be a carrier demand, not really sure.

Settings > Cellular

It shows my carrier, amount of data used and shows remaining on my plan.

Mine reads,

    Usage: Used 7.43GB - Unlimited

If I click on it it has 3 fields.

Data, Calls, Messages

Data reads the same here. Calls and Messages simply say ‘Unlimited’

My phone does not have this (iPhone on 15.0 in the US, AT&T).

Huh, I’m on the US too, T-Mobile.

Mine doesn't have this either (Europe), and I have unlimited data too. I have a "Data Plan" setting under "Mobile Data", which is not activated, so I'm guessing that setting is only there if your provider gives you a data plan that Apple recognises.

This has changed on the newer phones (12, 13):

https://www.macrumors.com/2020/10/21/iphone-12-can-download-...

You got downvoted but this is correct. For a long time iOS didn't allow you to perform big downloads (apps, updates, etc) from the device if you were on mobile data because they didn't want to upset the carriers. But I believe those days are over.

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