Apple releases Xcode 7.0.1 with App Thinning bug fix

Apple releases Xcode 7.0.1 with App Thinning bug fix
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The update fixes iCloud bug that prevented developers from implementing the App Thinning feature in their apps

Apple has today released XCode version 7.0.1 for developers, which fixes bugs related to iOS 9’s App Thinning feature. The company had earlier announced that the feature will be delayed due to an issue with icloud backups.

Apple’s App Thinning feature enables iOS devices to download only the specific assets required to run an app on the device. It is expected to trim the unnecessary bulk, thereby reducing the size of large applications. Apple had delayed the release of the feature “due to an issue affecting iCloud backups created from iOS 9 where some apps from the App Store would only restore to the same model of iOS device.” It prevented developers from implementing the App Thinning features on their products. Currently, users are required to download the generic version of an app, instead of the model specific versions.

The release notes of Xcode 7.0.1 mentions that it “fixes bugs related to app thinning.” Xcode 7 introduced App Thinning to developers, allowing them to optimise their apps for the different devices running iOS 9. Apple had said “App slicing will be re-enabled with a future software update.” It hasn’t clarified if the update to the IDE is enough for the feature to be rolled out to iOS 9 users. It’s also unclear if all the bugs related to it have been fixed. Apple hasn’t provided a tentative launch date for the feature either.

Apple’s App Slicing is designed to reduce the installation size of apps and freeing up more storage space for users. It marks the assets required for the specific device, while the app is being downloaded. The storage problem is especially acute in 8GB and 16GB iPhones and iPads. The On-Demand Resources feature will allow the apps to access resources from iCloud, only when required. It will greatly reduce the initial install sizes and also effectively manage the storage space by discarding unnecessary resources. Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously mentioned that users might be allowed to remove some pre-installed app on their devices, to free up disk space.

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