Many were predicting that deleting iOS 10 default native Apps will save some extra storage for something else.
However, what we have found in the iOS10 developer preview 1 was not quite how it seem to be. Please note since this is the very first developer preview Apple released, the below finding could simply be a bug and will not reflect what will happen in the final OS release.
Below is how we found this out:
We added some mail accounts and went into storage in settings, the currently used amount of storage is 905.7MB before we deleted any apps.
We then go ahead and deleted the Mail App, interestingly enough, the storage used amount went up to 909 MB.
We also deleted the contacts and calendar app, along with many other native apps such as the Watch app and iBooks ect, then found out that the used storage went up again to 916.6MB, yet the available storage remained the same.
We also tried to download the app again from the store. However in App store, it does not state how big the App is, and the download only took seconds. Hence why we come to the suspension that deleting the native App has not deleted the app, but instead hides it.
Conclusion:
- The App icons can be deleted from the home screens. However it merely delete the icon and associated imagery files in back ground. Doesn’t seem to delete app data.
- When you go to App Store and try download the deleted native app again, it simply comes alive, without any attempt to download or download progress indicator.
- Also native removable apps from home screen, on App store, doesn’t show any App download size in MBs.
- Enrolled device in to AirWatch:
- Currently AirWatch can’t configure native Mail app in iOS 10 properly as username field is missing and un-editable (Grayed out). However account still shows up.
- Now that you can delete native Mail, Calendar and Contacts app. Biggest question is (Not for new setups in future but for Old existing 1000s of devices enrolled).
What happens to your existing installed mailbox profile?
Ans. : As it seems for now, it still appears in Settings app under separate “Contacts” and “Calendars” category with your configured “Accounts” as it is, but they are not accessible without Native Mail app.
Also if you open Phone or Messages app, it can still access your “Contacts”, even though you deleted “Contacts” App from home screen.
Yet to see how this plays in future releases and new APIs for EMM
Feel free to try on your own iOS 10 developer preview and see if deleting nativeb apps makes any difference.