When Apple first decided to include the new Wi-Fi assist feature in the latest version of its mobile operating system, it must have seemed like a good idea at the time: a feature that automatically switches to network data when the free wireless signal is poor.
As is so often the case with technical innovations, however, something was overlooked in the transition from concept to execution – namely, the fact that having a device that switches itself over to your 3G or 4G network without your knowledge could result in MASSIVE cell bills for those customers lacking the good fortune of unlimited data plans.
The point of the Wi-Fi assist, the CBC and New York Daily News explained, is to ensure that users do not have to stop watching a video or performing a task simply because they wandered too far away from a hotspot.
Sounds good in theory, but you could be ambushed by high overage fees if you are unaware of the frequency with which your device is jumping back and forth between Wi-Fi and your actual data plan. There is a way to find out if you’re using it – look for a grayed-out Wi-Fi icon – but unless you’re keeping tabs on it 24-7, it could sneak up on you.
Just switch it off!
Fortunately, there is an way to switch off the Wi-Fi assist feature, as Engadget and others have pointed out. Simply go to Settings, then Cellular, and scroll down until you see the toggle switch for Wi-Fi Assist, then tap it to do away with the feature. Alternatively, you could simply search Settings for Wi-Fi Assist to find the on-off button and deactivate the feature.
If you’re hesitant to just switch it off (and let’s face it, there are times it could really come in handy), ZD Net noted that you can track your data usage by using the Reset Statistics feature, which is located just below the Wi-Fi Assist button. This can give you a head’s up as to how much of your data plan is being consumed by the feature without your knowledge.
How much of an impact could this feature have on your usage rate? According to Gizmodo’s Chris Mills, he had used roughly one-third more data since the release of the iOS 9 update (an increase from 3GB to 4GB). While Mills said that it was “impossible” to directly attribute all that extra usage to Wi-Fi Assist, he added that he had “suspicions” that it was to blame.
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Feature Image: Gilly/Flickr
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