Apple has pushed out an unwanted update to Windows PC's through the Apple Software Update tool called iPhone Configuration Utility, reported by ZDNet. The unwanted utility was made available to every Windows users, regardless if they have an iPhone or iPod device.The enterprise software update is pushed to all iTunes users on Windows based PC's, even if the user does not have an iPhone, making the update unnecessary and unwanted to many iTunes users.
The iPhone Configuration Utility description reads:
"iPhone Configuration Utility lets you easily create, maintain, encrypt, and install configuration profiles, track and install provisioning profiles and authorized applications, and capture device information including console logs.
Configuration profiles are XML files that contain device security policies, VPN configuration information, Wi-Fi settings, APN settings, Exchange account settings, mail settings, and certificates that permit iPhone and iPod touch to work with your enterprise systems. For instructions on how to use iPhone Configuration Utility, see the iPhone and iPod touch Enterprise Deployment Guide, available for downloading at http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/"
The update only is only required for iPhone users running Mac and Windows based PC's and is not required for all users, although the update is checked by default. However, many users will download and install the useless update on their machines, not knowing what it does or why it is available to them. Users can skip the update if they do not own an iPhone, as it will only take up disk space on their machines.
(Image courtesy of: ZDNet.com)
Thanks to Mephistopheles for pointing this out on the forums
actually it nags you until you click it...
From what I know there's an option to simply ignore it in the Menu Bar...
GrammAr
lmao!
Good one genius.
It's amazing how many people can't spell that word.
Grammar..
epic fail!
Last edited by shockz on 29 Sep 2009 - 06:54
Grammar
Grammar.
lol....TRUE!
Same thing happened when Microsoft released a Firefox extension that nobody asked for, and nobody could remove.
Hey Rainman, we get it. You don't have to keep repeating the same crap on every post.
Thank you!
Wow.
Just....wow.
Safari 4 51.4MB?
Quicktime 37.5MB?
iTunes+ Quicktime is over 100MB???
What the hell?
Patches can cause problems, especially when you have multiple versions of applications. Still, you think they would make a patch for the new version, and the last one. That wouldn't be too hard to detect, but Apple really pride themselves on having to patching issues. File size is not a concern for them.
There a better replacements for everything (like QuickTime Alternative), that are not buggy, slow or shoving crap to you every start.
Then why did you buy an AppleTV when it is essentially an iTunes extender?
You dont need it for the iphone. I use other software to copy things to my pc and to my iphone. the only thing that itunes is needed for is firmware updates.
There a better replacements for everything (like QuickTime Alternative), that are not buggy, slow or shoving crap to you every start.
YOu could say the same thing about any product from Windows. I don't understand why anybody users either of those companies products (except for the iphone, nothing approached it yet.)
You really don't understand why?
Add about another 200 really's to that, and you've just begun to explain how slow it is
It doesn't show up on a Mac at all in Software Update
It doesn't show up on a Mac at all in Software Update
Maybe it's simply a bug.
It doesn't show up on a Mac at all in Software Update
Maybe it's simply a bug.
LOL
That sounds strange
Not really. Though it should have only been pushed on people with iphones/touches if anything.
Goes away if you do msconfig and tell quicktime not to start on start up =)
Agreed.
Can't remember the last time I had anything Apple installed. Maybe 2001? lol
I wouldn't trust any software update from any company. I always double-check that the applications I use are indeed not checking for updates or running things behind my back.
I have seen many that run or update things even you have those options unchecked.
I have seen many that run or update things even you have those options unchecked.
You install software and then make it so that it doesn't update? That's just stupid if you ask me. If you don't trust them to update their own applications then why the hell would you trust them enough to install it in the first place?
This isn't an update, it's extra unwanted software, for most. Some people may actually want this software, most won't want it or even need it.
Updates to applications are generally there to fix problems with the software or add features to it.
I too like to check that applications aren't doing things in the background they do not need to do, but updating is something I allow, because most of the time it IS needed.
Their strategy is to be a hypocrite. Advertise that microsoft does this while doing it yourself.
With poorly-writen software? Maybe they're playing the long con.
However, there is a lot of code within iTunes that do things with Apple products that you may or may not own. There is a lot of code within Windows Media Player and Zune which addresses hardware you probably do not own.
If Apple would have simply included the utility as part of iTunes (as they have always done with these kinds of things), then no one would have even noticed or cared.
Or maybe it is just integrated with the iTunes update now....
That being said, their "updates" for Windows users have shown some nasty tactics in the past. So many computers I look at have a Safari icon on the desktop, and the user has no idea what it is.
iTunes automatically tells me it needs updating, why do I need another app to bug me (and download stuff to my machine!
Actually they know it all too well. They need to forget it. I could get into my rant of how for some reason a lot of people seem to think caps lock is "easier to read" so they use it, but I wont.
No, it means you wrote this story too late and they already had corrected the error; this was an accident and fixed well before you wrote the story.
Its almost as annoying as safari trying to install when I dont want it to.
I dont think its newsworthy myself.
Software does this ALL the time in the form of toolsbars when installing.
I hate companies that try to push unwanted / unnecessary software on me.
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