CODEWITHSUNDEEP
iosiphonexcode
jesses.co.tt
jesses.co.tt

Reputation: 2729

iOS reducing size of binary in App Store update

I have an application that is currently in the App Store. It has approximately 500mb of data that it needs in order to run.

I was fighting and fighting various methods to install this data after the app was downloaded, including AFNetworking and WhiteRaccoon, to no avail... the deadline was coming fast, so I decided to just ahem bundle the content into the App Bundle, and worry about it later. This meant the size of the app dictated that people downloaded it while on WiFi, but ... whatever.

Now, I have discovered NSURLSession, much to my delight, and it does everything that I need that I couldn't make the others do (see my answer to this question).

So... I am ready to push a new update to the App Store, and my Archive size has been reduced from 491.2mb to 32.2mb (!!?woohoo?!!).

I am curious how Apple manages this. I have read this document that mentions techniques that they use to keep the app bundle size down by detecting what hasn't changed, but it doesn't explicitly mention anything about the scenario that I am facing.

Now, if 460mb or so of obsolete bundle/code is going to be stored in the user's device, I'd like to be able to recommend to them that they delete the app entirely and reinstall... but I am curious if I/they need to do this, or does anyone know how Apple will handle this scenario ?

Thanks.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 455

Answers (1)

Rob
Rob

Reputation: 438467

That document you reference, Technical Q&A QA1779: Reducing Download Size for iOS App Updates, covers what Apple does to optimize the size of the app update. But the net effect is the same as if the app bundle on the user's device was entirely replaced. As that document says:

In addition to new content, the update package contains instructions on how to transform the prior version of the app into the new version of the app. New files will be added, modified files will be replaced with their updated counterpart, and deleted files will be removed as part of this transformation. As far as the developer and user are concerned, this process is entirely transparent and the resulting updated app will be indistinguishable from a full download of the corresponding updated version of their app.

So, no, you don't have to tell users to delete the old app unless there's anything in persistent storage (Documents, NSUserDefaults, etc.), that need to be reset. And you should probably handle that programmatically, anyway.

Upvotes: 1

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