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What time is iOS 8 coming out? (And what should I be doing to prepare)

Your update survival guide

What time is iOS 8 coming out? (And what should I be doing to prepare)
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iOS

iOS 8 is out today.

The new feature bump - which adds everything from custom keyboards to quick-reply notifications, and from Safari extensions to quick voice messages - should arrive shortly.

What time, exactly? Well we don't know. But, we know that Apple generally pushes out new operating systems at about 10 AM Pacific Time, which is 6 PM British Summer Time.

To get you ready, and so this article isn't just the two paragraph click-bait beast it so obviously is, here are some tips for things you can do to get ready for iOS 8.

iCloud

A sensible first step would be to backup your iOS device. Upgrading to iOS 8 shouldn't wipe your apps, photos, settings, and files, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

If you use iCloud, simply plug your device into a power socket and then open the Settings app. Choose 'iCloud' and then 'Storage & Backup'. Tap on 'Back Up Now' to start the process.

iTunes

If you'd prefer to store your backup on your PC or Mac, plug your iOS device in with the USB cable and open iTunes. Find the device on the left panel, and then tick 'This computer' under the backup section and hit 'Back up now'.

Room

Next up: make some room! The final version of iOS 8 given to developers is a whopping 1.78GB, and your iPhone or iPad will need even more space when it's working to replace iOS 7.

You can check your free space by opening up Settings and going into 'General' and then 'Usage'. If you're at less than 2GB free, see which apps are taking up the most space and then either delete them or clean them out.

Remove unwanted photos, delete old Messages conversations, and kill bloated games you've already finished.

iOS 8

Finally: wait! You'll know when iOS 8 is out if you hit 'Software Update' in Settings all evening, keep your eye on Pocket Gamer, or follow the right people on Twitter.

But if past updates are anything to go by, it's a known fact that Apple's servers get hammered as soon as a new update goes up and your download will crawl to a finish. Wait until tomorrow. All the cool features will wait for you.

Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer