Apple releases iOS 11.2 with date crashing fix, Apple Pay Cash included, other changes

Apple has now released iOS 11.2, bringing the fix for the repeated crashes users experienced since the date rolled over to December 2, as we reported on earlier today. iOS 11.2 also includes Apple Pay Cash, for peer-to-peer payments between friends in the US, but it is not yet available to use (it will be activated OTA in a few days).

Download iOS 11.2 now for your iPad, iPhone and iPad touch. Go to Settings -> Software Update to install it. See a list of all the changes in iOS 11.2 after the jump …

The timeline for release of iOS 11.2 has clearly been moved forward to accommodate users affected by the December 2nd date bug, which was causing iPhones to Springboard crash consistently if certain apps using local notifications were installed.

If you are affected by the repeated crashing bug, which started happening for users worldwide after 12:15 AM on December 2nd, you will need to disable notifications as soon as possible as a workaround. You can then jump to Software Update to install the update.

As described in this Apple Support article, Apple is instructing users to open Settings -> Notifications. Tap an app and turn off Allow Notifications. This process needs to be repeated for every app. You can then install iOS 11.2.

After iOS 11.2 is successfully running on your device, you can switch these notifications options back to your preferred notification settings.

The occurrence of the date bug explains the weird timing of iOS 11.2’s release — this is the first major iOS update ever to be released on a weekend — and also why other billed features aren’t quite ready. For example, the release notes say that iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash to send, request and receive money from friends. However, this feature does not appear to be enabled yet (it will be activated server side later).

Here are the full release notes for iOS 11.2:

• iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash to send, request and receive money from friends and family with Apple Pay. This update also includes bug fixes and improvements. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website.
• Other improvements and fixes:
• Adds support for faster wireless charging on iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X with compatible third-party accessories.
• Introduces three new Live wallpapers for iPhone X.
• Improves video camera stabilization.
• Adds support in Podcasts to automatically advance to the next episode from the same show.
• Adds support in HealthKit for downhill snow sports distance as a data type.
• Fixes an issue that could cause Mail to appear to be checking for new messages even when a download is complete.
• Fixes an issue that could cause cleared Mail notifications from Exchange accounts to reappear.
• Improves stability in Calendar.
• Resolves an issue where Settings could open to a blank screen.
• Fixes an issue that could prevent swiping to Today View or Camera from the Lock Screen.
• Addresses an issue that could prevent Music controls from displaying on the Lock Screen.
• Fixes an issue that could cause app icons to be arranged incorrectly on the Home Screen.
• Addresses an issue that could prevent users from deleting recent photos when iCloud storage is exceeded.
• Addresses an issue where Find My iPhone sometimes wouldn’t display a map.
• Fixes an issue in Messages where the keyboard could overlap the most recent message.
• Fixes an issue in Calculator where typing numbers rapidly could lead to incorrect results.
• Addressed an issue where the keyboard could respond slowly.
• Adds support for real-time text (RTT) phone calls for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Improves VoiceOver stability in Messages, Settings, App Store and Music.
• Resolves an issue that prevented VoiceOver from announcing incoming Notifications.

The release notes for other countries outside of the US include a description of Apple Pay Cash, but Apple has never announced plans to expand to other countries to date. Presumably, if iOS 11.2 hadn’t had to be pushed out so urgently, the release notes would have been more appropriately localized.

That's correct. This feature will begin rolling out early next week.

— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) December 2, 2017

This would also explain why the updates for Apple’s other platforms (watchOS, tvOS and macOS) are not yet available. iOS 11.2 has evidently had its release schedule moved forward to combat the date bug crashing. We would expect watchOS 4.2, tvOS 11.2 and macOS 10.3.2 to ship early next week.

iOS 11.2 unlocks 7.5W faster wireless charging for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X but speed improvements in initial testing appear minor. The update also adds a couple new wallpapers for these phones (including new Live wallpapers on iPhone X).

iOS 11.2 also addresses other high-profile bugs, including a fix that prevented fast number entry into the Calculator app, strange autocorrect suggestions, and other tweaks.

For iPhone X, iOS 11.2 brings a new indicator for Control Center. A new line appears on the lock screen as an additional hint to suggest to users how to activate the gesture on the new phone, with a pull-down on the right side of the notch.

There are also some minor interface tweaks introduced across the system in iOS 11.2, as Apple continues to refine the release. There are a handful of tweaked emoji as well, including a return of the old ‘Tumbler Glass’ whiskey as shown above, a different depiction of the Camera, more reflective cutlery and a new perspective on the Gear.

Earlier betas of iOS 11.2 included support for AirPlay 2 and HomePod. Following the delay of HomePod into 2018, these features were removed in beta 5.

Get the update now for free for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.