A system and method for selectively updating the versions of stored datasets on a wireless device that selectively communicates to a wireless network and downloads datasets, such as software applications and information, from download servers on the wireless network. The wireless device has a resident dataset version summary file that identifies the version of each resident dataset, and upon the wireless device attempting to communicate with the download server, the wireless device compares the version of each specific resident dataset listed in the resident dataset version summary file with the version of downloadable datasets resident on the download server to thereby determine if the version of a wireless device resident dataset is different from the version of a download server resident dataset. If the download server resident dataset is more recent, the wireless device can download it to overwrite the wireless device resident dataset.