Ignore specific iphone updates?but allow others?

NickAtki wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies.

Looks like I’m stuck with downloading totally unnecessary and unwanted updates!

There is no way that Apple can possibly do custom builds for each and every user, so that the copy of iOS that's installed on their device contains code for the features that person is using now – and only code for the features that person is using now.

There are too many features, too many combinations of features, and too much interaction between the features (even with the best attempts at writing code in a modular fashion).

If there were only, say, 20 features that you could control, and 2 choices for each feature, that would mean having 1,048,576 custom builds. Not just having over a million custom builds, but individually testing each of these builds and being able to troubleshot and provide support for it.

You've got to draw the line somewhere. It's a near-miracle that designers and developers can handle the extreme complexity of modern microprocessors, operating systems, applications, and networks, as-is.

NickAtki wrote:

Thanks to all for your replies.

Looks like I’m stuck with downloading totally unnecessary and unwanted updates!

Don't look at it that way. Yes, in this update is a very small code change for users of Apple Watch. But as is the case with ALL updates, there are bug fixes which benefit all and when rolled out you should update your iPhone. There will always be features in a update which may not benefit you. But there are almost always other bits in an update, which will benefit you.

No.

There are a few cases where you can pick and choose what to install on your phone – e.g., I believe that available voices might not all be installed by default. But for the most part, an iOS update will include support for all of the available features whether you are using them, or not.

Apple will always install the “most current” available update applicable for your phone.

Example: Even if you have Automatic Updates “off” and are running OS x.1 …

… you can NOT choose to select installation of x.2, or x.3 if x.4 is available.

You’ll only be able to install x.4.

Any other update would include the changes from 18.6.1, so you would never truly be ignoring that update. Updates do not need to be installed sequentially to include the features in each update. For example if/when 18.6.2 (or even 18.7) becomes available, it will still include everything from 18.6.1, even if that was never installed.

No.

…and all future updates would contain the extra code anyway, even though its tiny.

You will, however, get security updates.

The amount of space it would take up is trivial. If space is such a concern on your phone, you need to take other measures to deal with it.

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? - Apple Support