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iPad Pro 9.7 wastes more space than it should

Perenista

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One thing I noticed after clearing space in some apps or after using/updating the app themselves is that over time, these apps take more disk space than they should and the only way to fix that is either deleting and reinstalling the app, or doing a reinstall from the entire system.

For example, let's say the app BITTORRENT SYNC. While I installed for the first time, it was taking 20 MB. Then I changed a few settings, added some large files to it, I mean, 20 times for files with 1-5 GB each. And moved these videos for my other iPad, with the SYNC app in it. Then I deleted all internal files from it, and the app should have continued to waste 20 MB again, because that was its condition without multiple uses.

However, now it's wasting 190 MB. I then deleted, and reinstalled with the modified settings. Wasting 20 MB again. That doesn't make any sense, no app takes 190 MB without justification. And what is even worse is that this app have not received any updates.

There's another app in the same condition: IMDB. Over time, it received I think two updates, and grew from the same 20 to 190 MB (numbers are not precise, but that was how much iPad space it was taking). And in this case I didn't change any settings. Simply reinstalled the app, and again returned to waste 20 MB.

That tells me once an app is used, it will grow like a tumor in the iPad, and the only way to fix this is reinstalling.

Don't believe me? Here's another proof: do the math and tell me how I am wasting 17.6 GB here:
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What should I do to fix the problem above? Erase (format)?
 
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Perenista

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That sounds suspiciously like an illegal App.
None of the mentioned are illegal apps and the iPad itself never had jailbreaking implemented in it.

I noticed this same issue happens in my Windows 10-64 bit (PC) too. Over time it wastes more disk space and only by formatting the HDD and reinstalling things you can clear more space.
 

jwt873

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I don't know if the apps are 'wasting' memory.

Most programs allocate more memory when they are being used. The allocated memory is for things like buffering and temporary storage. This isn't wasted memory.

For instance, Bittorrent gathers data packets that aren't in any particular order and it requires extra memory to store these data packets while they are being sorted out and reassembled into whatever it is you are downloading.

IMDB has video capabilities. All video viewing apps buffer frames so there are no stutters in the playback should the internet speed slow down briefly while you are watching. Extra memory is required to hold the frames as they are buffered. IMDB also remembers what you've looked up. Extra memory is required to store these settings.

It seems that iPad apps reserve the extra memory that they require to operate correctly, but they don't release it when they're finished. I don't know why, but I suppose an iOS programmer could provide a good reason why this is so.
 

scifan57

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iOS apps on any device are supposed to release the memory they're using after a certain time following your exit from the app. If an app is not releasing that extra memory when it's supposed to it is not operating correctly. Force closing a misbehaving app will force it to give up that extra memory it's hanging on to.
 
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Perenista

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Except that all those apps are eating more the device internal storage, not memory. I have closed all of them and restarted the device, but from the way I see, only by erasing everything to factory settings I am going to see less than 17 GB of wasted space here. I bet that after I do that and reinstall all of them with their current settings, I will see 13, 14 GB.

The same can be said about Windows and PC.
 

scifan57

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Except that all those apps are eating more the device internal storage, not memory. I have closed all of them and restarted the device, but from the way I see, only by erasing everything to factory settings I am going to see less than 17 GB of wasted space here. I bet that after I do that and reinstall all of them with their current settings, I will see 13, 14 GB.

The same can be said about Windows and PC.
As well as using memory; which is taken to mean RAM, apps also store data, taking up varying amounts of the available storage. This data can contain game progress in the case of a game app, downloaded emails and attachments in the case of the Mail app, photos in the case of the Photos app, etc.. All apps similarly store data. Some apps allow you to delete this data, however some apps don't and if you want to get rid of this stored data you have to delete the app and re-install it. This behavior applies to all iOS devices, not just the 9.7" iPad Pro.
 

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