iOS8HomeScreeniPhone and iPad owners who want the latest and greatest from Apple can do so right now.

Right on schedule, the Cupertino-based company turned on its update servers at 10 a.m. Pacific, and opened iOS 8 up for public consumption. The update was first announced as part of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and has spent the past three months in developers’ hands as a beta.

The update is fairly large – users on Twitter are reporting that it’s more than a gigabyte in size – so people who are hoping to update should make sure that they’re on a stable internet connection and have plenty of room on their devices. For more information on how to get ready, check out our guide here.

IMG_0132To update over the air, users just need to go to Settings > General > Software Update and choose to install the update there. To update using iTunes, users should plug their device into a computer, and then click on “Check for Update.” In both instances, the devices should download and install the update.

In my experience with the iOS 8 beta, it took about 20 minutes to install, so people who are expecting important phone calls should probably hold off until a time that’s more convenient for them.

If this year is anything like its predecessors, Apple’s update servers will be hammered by people rushing to pick up iOS 8 right away. If you don’t manage to grab it, I’d recommend going to grab a cup of coffee and trying again in about an hour. I’ll keep this post updated with the status of the update servers as best I can.

Stay tuned to GeekWire for more about iOS 8, including our review of Apple’s new release.

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