I'm excited for automatic app updates in iOS 7...

I am really unfamiliar with iOS but it blows my mind that this doesn't exist already. It seems like a no-brainer for a feature, especially since Apple basically invented the modern mobile app store.

I'm wary of this. Would like it as an option, but I don't necessarily want my app to change between uses, especially if it's something I need to use quickly. Loading up something with a changed UI, or data changes that need to happen, or whatever, when I wasn't expecting it.... won't make me a happy camper. A notification and ability to trigger the update from in the app would be nice, and having the option of 'auto update' would be nice too. I just don't necessarily want it to be the default with no option to opt out.

I think that as developers, we'll need to be very careful to update things incrementally to not jar users. But overall, it should be a win in that just like with a website, the user is always using the latest code. No need to maintain several old versions of web service APIs, which should have a good effect on reducing bugs.

There is a notification and you can opt-out.

thanks.

Automatically break things (or make it less usable/crippled). Hopefully that is optional...

It is.

I'm sure your girlfriend is capable of searching for apps on her own.

Sure, but she's not really a big user beyond playing Words with Friends, email, the weather, and using it as a phone.

I think you're failing to grasp that many normal people don't really want to go that deep with technology. People really do want simple.

I'm not failing to grasp that. Most of the software I write is meant to make relatively easy things easier. However, searching for an app? Seriously?