14 DAY TRIAL // iOS updates don’t land too often, but when they do, users out there rush to install them on their iPhones from the moment Apple starts the rollout
As you probably know already, manually going to the software update section on your iPhone triggers a manual check for updates, in which case the device is automatically provided with the latest iOS version, if a newer version is obviously available.
In other words, if you manually check for updates, you can get the latest version of the operating system without waiting. On the other hand, if you don’t care about software updates and don’t manually check for updates, it takes up to 4 weeks for an iPhone to notify you about a new version of iOS.
The phased rollout
In case you’re wondering why the device needs so much time to let you know an update is available, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP of software engineering, has the answer. In a mailed response offered to a reddit user, Federighi explains it’s all because of the phased rollout that Apple uses for software updates.
“We incrementally rollout new iOS updates by first making them available for those that explicitly seek them out in Settings, and then 1-4 weeks later (after we've received feedback on the update) ramp up to rolling out devices with auto-update enabled,” he said.
The phased rollout isn’t something new in the software world, and for example, Microsoft uses a similar system for major operating system updates, including the rollout of Windows 11.
The biggest benefit for both the parent company and users themselves is that the phased rollout makes it possible to find bugs and issues in the early phases, and therefore prevent them from hitting a bigger number of devices. As a result, the rollout can even be suspended if a major problem is discovered.