Apple released the iOS 7 update to the public Wednesday (Sept.18), with updated features for existing Apple device owners. Users reported a “software update failed” error when trying to download iOS 7 via over-the-air or from iTunes.
According to Twitter posts from users, it's been happening all day so it’s likely that the update error occurred due to an overload of Apple’s servers as users tired to download iOS 7. If you received the "software update failed"error while downloading, you may want to wait a while before trying again. Another fix that may help is to reboot your device, disable and then re-enable Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad and try to download the iOS 7 update again.
Although the new iOS 7 download brings some convenient new features, there is a downside to installing it right away. Besides the “software update failed” error, there are some reasons why you may want to wait even more for iOS 7:
- With most new firmware updates, there is bound to be some glitches and bugs in the iniitial release, iOS 7 is no exception. Some users may choose to wait for a more stable version to be released. As MacRumors reported Monday (Sep 16), Apple is already testing updated versions of iOS 7 including iOS 7.01, iOS 7.02 and iOS 7.1.
- If you download the iOS 7 update immediately, you may find that certain apps will no longer be compatible with their device. Many app developers may need to update their apps to make them run smoothly on the new iOS 7 firmware.
- Have a jailbroken device? You’ll lose jailbreak when you update to iOS 7, so say goodbye to root access for now. Apple developers/hackers like @planetbeing are currently working on an iOS 7 jailbreak, but it may take a while for it to be released.
The new iOS 7 update is fully compatible with the iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, iPad Mini and the fifth generation iPod. For older devices including the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, third generation iPad and iPad 2, iOS 7 is compatible, with limitations to the camera app and/or Siri.
If you own a 16GB iPhone or iPad, before installing, be sure to have at least 4GB of storage space available. According to GottaBeMobile, some 16GB device owners had to delete some data including photos and videos before the iOS 7 installation could proceed. It's also worth mentioning that once you update to iOS 7, there is no way to downgrade your firmware back to iOS 6.
