DJI GO and Litchi offload from iPad -- very annoying

[cinclodes]

I have occasionally had an annoying problem and finally realized what was going on and how to avoid it. The iPad has a "feature" in which apps that aren't used for a while will automatically offload. More than once, I have been out in the field ready to make a flight and then suddenly realized that DJI GO and Litchi had been offloaded. Actually, I didn't realize what was going on, but the iPad tried to download the apps, which is hard to do in a remote area with no wifi. In one case, I was able to download the apps by using my phone as as wifi hotspot. I finally found that you can change a setting to prevent unused apps from offloading. I was surprised that nothing turned up at this site with a search on this problem. It seems like it's the type of problem that others would have experienced.

 

[jephoto]

I have occasionally had an annoying problem and finally realized what was going on and how to avoid it. The iPad has a "feature" in which apps that aren't used for a while will automatically offload. More than once, I have been out in the field ready to make a flight and then suddenly realized that DJI GO and Litchi had been offloaded. Actually, I didn't realize what was going on, but the iPad tried to download the apps, which is hard to do in a remote area with no wifi. In one case, I was able to download the apps by using my phone as as wifi hotspot. I finally found that you can change a setting to prevent unused apps from offloading. I was surprised that nothing turned up at this site with a search on this problem. It seems like it's the type of problem that others would have experienced.

That’s a Preference you can set in:
Settings>App Store>Cellular >App Store

You can turn that feature off

 

[Harleydude]

I've had "offload apps" disabled in all of my iPads for years. Yeah...that "feature" was annoying for like the first month until I disabled it.

D

 

[RodPad]

I knew I seen something like this recently.

DJI GO and Litchi offload from iPad -- very annoying

I posted this on the PhantomPilots forum, but I thought it might be appropriate here as well. I have occasionally had an annoying problem and finally realized what was going on and how to avoid it. The iPad has a "feature" in which apps that aren't used for a while will automatically offload...

mavicpilots.com

Rod ..

 

[cinclodes]

I've had "offload apps" disabled in all of my iPads for years. Yeah...that "feature" was annoying for like the first month until I disabled it.

D

I only recently found out about this feature. The problem arises only if you don't use your iPad for a while. It can be hard to figure out the cause of such sporadic behavior. Someone on the Mavic forum claimed that this feature is turned off by default, but it sounds like you had the same problem. I certainly never turned it on, and it doesn't seem like something that would be easy to turn on by accident. It's a really dumb feature that is bad for those wanting to use apps in remote areas (such as drone pilots) and other locations without wifi access (such as to watch a movie on a plane).

 

[Harleydude]

I only recently found out about this feature. The problem arises only if you don't use your iPad for a while.

While I won't disagree, it will also offload apps you don't use, even if you use your iPad every day.

It can be hard to figure out the cause of such sporadic behavior.

The algorithm for offloading apps is, apparently, a secret.

Someone on the Mavic forum claimed that this feature is turned off by default, but it sounds like you had the same problem.

My experience is that it is turned ON or "Enabled" by default.

I certainly never turned it on, and it doesn't seem like something that would be easy to turn on by accident.

You have to dive into the menu system to enable or disable it. It is enabled by default.

It's a really dumb feature that is bad for those wanting to use apps in remote areas (such as drone pilots) and other locations without wifi access (such as to watch a movie on a plane).

I think it was Bill Gates who said, "Build a machine any idiot can use, and idiots will use it." Apple products attempt to "mother" their owners by doing a LOT of junk under the hood and automatically. I find iPads to be very powerful and useful tools, but you have to disable more than half the hand-holding "features."

D

 

[cinclodes]

While I won't disagree, it will also offload apps you don't use, even if you use your iPad every day.

Yes, that is what I meant -- it offloads apps that aren't used regularly. Thanks for all of your inputs!