Networking company Sandvine today took a look (via The Loop) at Apple's iTunes Store and Mac App Store traffic yesterday as compared to the previous two Wednesdays, noting that traffic spiked to nine times it usual levels with the release of iOS 6, OS X 10.8.2, and a host of other updates from Apple.

See that huge spike at 1:00PM EDT yesterday? That is when iOS 6 was officially released to the public. This massive increase in traffic was then sustained throughout most of the day, and actually escalated as people got home from work in the evening. This resulted in traffic from Apple’s servers yesterday being over 9 times their average traffic levels.

ios 6 apple web traffic
Sandvine's measurements capture data from fixed access cable and DSL networks, thus including direct downloads through iTunes and the Mac App Store as well as users who updated their iOS devices using the over-the-air update functionality on their Wi-Fi networks. iOS 6 is the first major iOS upgrade to be supported by the over-the-air update feature that debuted with iOS 5.

Top Rated Comments

Fel08 Avatar
160 months ago
Damn! What is Apple thinkin? Is this maps fiasco some kind of sick joke?

Please, Google, help us, ASAP!
And I think we deserve an explanation from Apple!

Apple's excuse will probably be

"You are holding it wrong"
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
room237 Avatar
160 months ago
Despite the huge spike in traffic, I must say downloading the update to iOS and apps was a LOT smoother than prior iOS releases.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RobDee Avatar
160 months ago
What causes that little spike at 5am?

That could be the fact that a lot of new app updates were coming through.

The rest of it was me trying to get my TomTom app (Europe v1.11) working by deleting and reinstalling several times in different ways, as it keeps crashing on launch. Update on Sept 28th, apparently. In the meantime I have Apple Maps, but where I'm going tomorrow, apparently am meeting friends in the middle of a field.

Can anyone suggest a free nav app? For the UK?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Technarchy Avatar
160 months ago
I had my iPad 3 and iPhone 4S updated within 15 minutes of iOS6 going life.

It was easy, and fast. No drama...All the app updates were fast too.

No waiting 6 months to a year or never for fruitcake butter flavor pie.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
160 months ago
What causes that little spike at 5am?

I've been using a data tracking app for the last couple months. One thing I've been surprised by is how all through the night my iPhone is constantly using not only WiFi but also cellular data. And there are highs and lows. Here was last night (central time). I've removed the apps (mail, pulse news, and skype all ping all night long) to leave you with iOS related things.

2am
OS Services- 19kb (WiFi)
DataAccess- 17kb (cellular)
Apple push service- 1kb- (cellular)
OS services- 0.8kb (cellular)

3am
OS Services- 51kb (wifi)
DataAccess- 18kb (wifi)
DataAccess- 16kb (cellular)
OS Services- 2kb (cellular)
apple push service- 0.8kb (cellular)

4am
OS Services- 77kb (wifi)
Data Access 24kb (cellular)
OS Services- 2kb (cellular)
apple push service- 1kb (cellular)

5am
OS Services- 54kb (wifi)
dataAccess- 18kb (wifi)
DataAccess- 19kb (cellular)
OS Services- 2kb (cellular)
apple push service- 0.8kb (cellular)

6am
OS Services- 59kb (wifi)
Synched defaults- 6kb (wifi)
DataAccess- 25kb (cellular)
OS Services- 8kb (cellular)
Apple push service- 0.8kb (cellular)

Sure enough there seems to be a spike in "OS Services" at 4am (5am eastern). I'm guessing thats a time apple picked to push out more stuff. Probably because they figure most everyone will be sleeping (2am-5am across the US)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacVault Avatar
160 months ago
Damn! What is Apple thinkin? Is this maps fiasco some kind of sick joke?

Please, Google, help us, ASAP!
And I think we deserve an explanation from Apple!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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