At the end of last month, Apple pushed an unusual standalone software update to users running macOS Big Sur. It is said that this device support update aims to ensure that users can properly update and restore iOS/iPadOS devices through Mac. Although it did not share more details, it still introduced support for a variety of newly released devices, including iPhone 13, iPad mini 6, and the 9th generation iPad.
For unfamiliar Mac users, the first iOS software update that appeared in System Preferences -> Software Update still confuses many people. Typically, the user will be the iPhone, the iPad, or iPod when touch is connected to the Mac, Apple will pop up a dialog box by MobileDeviceUpdater application to prompt the need for software updates, to connect to your iOS device.
If the Mac cannot recognize the newer version of iOS/iPadOS, it means that you need to download macOS updates to properly communicate with the new peripherals. It now appears that Apple has found a way to reduce its dependence on MobileDeviceUpdater, which is to actively provide device support updates for macOS.
In addition, MacRumors expenditure: By reducing the frequency of the MobileDeviceUpdater dialog box popping up when the device is connected, this move also helps to resolve the embarrassment of being regarded as malicious software by some users.
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Adam Engst of Tidbits has spent a week or two helping to confirm this change:
- When I plugged the iPad Pro into my Mac recently, the system did not pop up the common Mobile Device Update dialog box, which means I was fortunate to receive this Device Support Update.
- After some checking, I tried to close and reopen the software update but found that the option of device support update’ disappeared.
- Of course, as Engst pointed out, this is not an earth-shattering discovery.
- But we are still very happy to know what will happen in the future-users who do not need to restart their devices and are not updated in time will still see the MobileDeviceUpdate dialog next time.