If Apple was anticipating huge demand for iOS 5, the latest version of the iPhone and iPad operating system, it won’t have been disappointed.
The same can’t be said for many users, however. As soon as the update became available via iTunes, at around 6pm last evening, the demand for it tested Apple’s servers to their limits. Demonstrating the volume of demand, traffic at the Lonap Internet Exchange Point in London, a conduit for much of the UK’s Internet traffic, showed a significant spike between 6pm and 11pm.
Many users were left frustrated following downloads which, in many cases, took several hours and then failed at the last minute or which failed to install correctly. Some users reported that failed updates had left them unable to use their iPhone at all.
One unhappy iPhone owner, @kennhedges, posted on Twitter: ‘Not happy Apple!!! Don’t upgrade to IOS 5 yet – heaps of problems – hours wasted.’ But Twitter user @SteveChaff100 reported ‘Downloaded in under 30 mins and updated my iPhone 4 first time.’
The pressure on Apple servers was increased because, in addition to iOS 5, the company also made iCloud available. That necessitated an update to Lion for those who wanted to use it. Updates to many Apple apps which use iCloud, such as iPhoto and Aperture were also seeded last evening.
By this morning pressure had eased and users reported shorter download times and greater success in updating iPhones and iPads.
