Why does a 32GB iPad need 11.4GB to update to iOS 18.4.1?

This isn't planned obsolescence.

Regrettably, you are always going to struggle with an iPad that has so little internal storage. The 32/64GB devices are primarily intended for use in Educational settings, or in environments where the ability to store local data on the device is not required.

It is generally recommended that you maintain at least 4-6GB of free space at all times - as your iPad needs some temporary space to complete many tasks. When performing system software updates, you may temporarily require considerably more available free-storage...

A system software update requires sufficient space to be downloaded, unpacked and verified prior to installation - major version updates (such as updating from iPadOS 17.x to iPadOS 18) requiring considerably more space than an incremental point-update. After the update is successfully completed, temporary files are automatically deleted - returning free space.

If your internal storage is full, or is insufficient for the task that you need to perform, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data. 

These support pages should prove to be helpful:

About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support

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

Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support

Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update:

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/

Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:

If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:

• Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

Using a Mac computer or Windows PC can help with system software updates - as the update package is initially downloaded to the computer, unpacked and verified by the computer, prior to the computer installing the updated system software on the target device.

As is, perhaps a workable remedy is to ensure that you have either an iCloud or iTunes backup of your iPad - and then completely erase the iPad. With no user-data present, you should be able to update the iPad; once updated, you can restore your backup to the iPad.

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Erase all content and settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content & Settings

After the reset, set-up the iPad with your AppleID - but do not restore the backup. Perform the system software update using whichever method works for you.

Finally, restore the backup to your iPad:

Restore all content to iPad from a backup - Apple Support

gregfrombanff wrote:

It's always the consumer that has to bend for Apple. Thank you for the replies but we're moving on. Enough is enough. Applifying every bloody operation has been a sore spot with me since my first iPhone 4. Apple TVs are equally constrained in their functionality. We're out. We're just moving on. Enough already. Too many options.

Let us know if you find a phone (or streaming device) that doesn't eventually stop supporting updates.

32 GB isn't very much storage for a tablet these days.

Feel free to get an Android tablet, but if you skimp on storage in the same way there,, you may find yourself posting to Android tablet forums, complaining about how having only 32 GB on an Android tablet is cramping your style.

one can only assume that the size required for an update is the same for all devices no matter what amount of internal storage they contains

often it requires less storage to update if one do so using a computer where one connects the ios device to and update that way.

you can complain to apple using their feedback channels

Product Feedback - Apple

and or reach out to their official support channels

 Get Support (apple.com)

And or

 Contact - Official Apple Support

And or

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

Or

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple

Support Options - Apple

Considering the iPadOS and System Data already take up 17gb, this is absolutely about forced obsolescence.

Nowhere was it ever stated when I bought my iPad that it was intended to only be used in an educational setting (a laughable premise because educational apps use a ton of space as well).

Now you’re telling me to delete everything from my device to do this ridiculously sized update?

[Edited by Moderator]

Martrae wrote:

Considering the iPadOS and System Data already take up 17gb, this is absolutely about forced obsolescence.

This is about you buying a device that didn't have a whole lot of storage in the first place.

Nowhere was it ever stated when I bought my iPad that it was intended to only be used in an educational setting (a laughable premise because educational apps use a ton of space as well).

Educational institutions don't always buy well-equipped systems. Sometimes they seek out whatever has the lowest price, even if it doesn't represent the best value. Especially if some bean-counter thinks that, e.g. "this computer will only be used to access pages on the Web; or will only be used by a secretary, and therefore, we don't have to bother spending any money on it."

Buying a tablet with only 32 GB of storage because it's cheaper than one with more, is a bit like renting a studio apartment because it's cheaper than renting a house. When you "discover" that you barely have space to turn around - let alone store everything that you used to store in an old house – is that "planned obsolescence"? Or simply poor planning on your part?

Servant of Cats wrote: … Educational institutions don't always buy well-equipped systems.

I think that's not the idea-- it may depend on what you mean by well-equipped. An elementary school may want iPads to run a small number of well controlled apps where data stored in one class will be deleted before the next. They don't expect to have to provide for high speed video games or have room for 20,000 pictures. In fact, it seems to me that I see Restaurants using iPads to take orders and track tables and stuff, and there's no reason to spend money for storage that they will never need. And Apple to have devices available for multiple needs. As you say, this isn't about planned obsolescence; it's about meeting different people's needs.

The point is, that these places research what they will need, and they try to not buy more or less than what will work best for them. That's a good plan for all of us. (Of course, sometimes we mess up…)

Apple won't see your displeasure in these user-to-user forums. If you want an Apple employee ot see this, go here:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

A temporary swap file space is needed to manipulate the system files during the installation on device as a convenience, rather than plugging it into a computer.

All the best! 👋🏼😉

Mine has 64 GB of storage and ipadOS only takes up 15 Gb so not that bad