iOS 18: App Store updates slow down iPhone
If you have switched off the auto-update function in the iOS App Store, you will have to update manually on a regular basis.
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Even fast iPhones such as the latest Pro models are slowed down when there are a lot of app updates to install. This is noticeable if you have switched off automatic updates for the App Store application and install them manually. Apparently, the large number of downloads will then ensure that the Wi-Fi or mobile connection is "tight", but the subsequent installation process can also result in standard functions such as simply calling up the AirDrop feature via the Share menu taking 30 seconds or more.
There is no activity indicator
The problem has been occurring more frequently since the release of iOS 18 last fall, but was also an issue in earlier iOS versions. It remains unclear whether Apple will fix it in the upcoming iOS 19 version. As iOS does not have an activity indicator by default like macOS, users cannot track what is actually slowing down their system. Special apps are required for this, but for security reasons they provide less precise information than macOS –, such as the current total load, but not the processes that are causing it.
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There are regular updates for iOS apps – If you have a large number of apps, it is not uncommon to be confronted with dozens every week. It can also take a while to check for available app updates – which is done via a drag gesture in the App Store application –. In some cases, updates that have already been queried are displayed first and then the rest, so in the worst case you have to click on "Update all" several times. It is advisable to check daily whether updates are available – or to take some time to do so.
iPadOS also affected
If the problem of the system slowing down due to the installation of many updates is annoying, there is only one option: to follow Apple's own suggestion and have the updates installed automatically, which then takes place gradually in the background and not as frequently as manually.
However, this means you lose control over what ends up on your device – Not every update is unproblematic, sometimes functions are removed or in-app purchases are added that you don't want. The update problem not only affects iOS, but also iPadOS. An activity indicator is also missing there, as Apple isolates the user much more from the system than on the Mac.
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