What are you doing to me Apple? Well maybe not the whole of Apple. But the Apple software division. The reason for my Apple-dislike – Apple software update trying to push Safari with iTunes and Quicktime. I understand why any company would try to combine various software packages together. But software companies should understand the issue from a consumers’ perspective before making privacy policy decisions. Just because I use (maybe even like) one software product does not necessarily mean I will start using all their products.

Let’s talk about Apple’s Software Update situation. I am a user of the Quicktime product. This means I have to be extra careful not to install iTunes on my Vista laptop. Why? Because the default option of downloading Quicktime also includes iTunes as a package. See for yourself I am including the screenshot from Apple’s Quicktime download page.

So now I have Quicktime on my hard drive. I have dodged the iTunes bullet, or so I thought. But wait, Apple is not finished. The software update that occasionally tries to contact the “mothership” suddenly pops up with a default option to install Safari + iTunes + Quicktime. Whoa! What happened there? That was the magic of Apple Software Update system. If you use Quicktime, the Software Update “intelligence” automatically assumes that you will need Safari and iTunes as updates to keep company the lonely Quicktime software. You can clearly see the screenshot below as to what I mean.

How To Disable Apple Software Update

If you click ‘Quit’ the update will pop up again in a few days asking you the same thing over and over again till judgment day. How do you get out of the Apple Software Update cycle? Click Edit > Preferences and select Never to the How often question. Once done click OK and Quit to exit. And 3 – 2 – 1 … freedom. No more Apple updates for you.

PS. Apple … (sigh) … you should have known better.

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