Apple has released an updated build of iOS 9.3 for users affected by an activation bug, first reported last week. Although the version number is still 9.3, the update features a new build number, 13E5237, to signify the change. The issue prevented some iPhone and iPad owners from successfully completing the upgrade steps for iOS 9.3 if they could not recall their Apple ID info immediately, to pass Activation Lock.
[Update: Although details around the problem with iOS 9.3 links causing hangs and crashes remain sparse, it appears to be related to the third-party apps a user installed on the system. We have been able to take an unaffected iPhone 6 and iPad Pro, install the Booking.com app, and then observe Safari consistently hanging when long pressing a link. We do not recommend repeating this however to see the bug for yourself, as the problem appears to stay around. Our test devices continue to exhibit the crashing bug after uninstalling the app and rebooting. We are not sure what exactly causes the issue and thus do not know what class of apps cause the problem to arise. It is likely not limited to just one app, but we are yet to find others. Apple is yet to comment officially on the issue.]
Readers are reporting a strange bug with iOS 9.3 (and older versions apparently, exact characteristics of affected devices is unclear), primarily affecting the latest Apple devices, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The issue has also been reported on older phones and some iPad models as well. The cause is unknown, but many users are finding themselves unable to open links in Safari, Messages, Mail, Notes and other apps. Instead of visiting the target website, the app crashes, freezes or hangs. Hundreds of reports have already been posted about the iOS 9.3 problem on the Apple Support forums.
Other users are reporting that tapping on links simply does nothing, whereas a tap-and-hold causes a crash. A permanent fix for the issue is not known and Apple has yet to comment on what may be going on. Some people have reported that disabling JavaScript partially solves the issue for opening links in Safari, but remains for other apps.
If Apple hasn’t yet made the Ethernet network port on your Mac obsolete by not including it, as is the case with most Macs sold today, then it may have accidentally broke the port last week in an OS X kernel extension update. Many users complained about the issue online: they had randomly found their Macs no longer connecting to the Internet and their Ethernet port simply not working. Apple has now officially acknowledged the problem on its support pages. Luckily, the software problem isn’t permanent and the bug can, usually, be easily resolved.
Apple has already fixed the Ethernet software problem for users going forward. Here’s the fix if you were affected …
An interesting bug relating to the date and time system in iOS has emerged recently. Several users have discovered that if you change your iOS device’s date to January 1st, 1970, your device will be permanently bricked. You can see the process in the video below, and while I don’t have any desire to try it out to confirm, it’s pretty apparent based on separate reports that it’s a legitimate issue.
A strange bug is affecting many Safari users today, causing crashes on iPhone, iPad and Mac. For many users, simply tapping in the URL bar will cause the browser app to crash completely. The exact issue causing the crashing has not been locked down, but it appears to be related to Apple’s Safari Suggestions service. It’s a very annoying bug that is affecting a lot of people all of sudden today.
When you type a URL, Apple sends what you type to its servers, returning a response with autocomplete search queries, Top Sites and other info. There appears to be a bug in this server request that is causing Safari to randomly crash. Users are discovering some potential workarounds until Apple fixes the problem properly …
Watch out for a new prank circling Twitter and other social media today. Visiting CrashSafari.com on an iPhone, iPad or Mac will cause Safari app to crash … and potentially cause your device to restart. The bug is otherwise harmless, but be warned it will likely cause you to lose your open tabs.
To try this out click here to visit the page and watch for the beachball. The current troll is to link to CrashSafari.com on Twitter using a URL shortener, so people are tricked into visiting the site without being able to see the name.
On the Mac, Safari will freeze (‘Application Not Responding’). You may need to restart your machine to get your browser working again. On some iPhones and iPads, the glitch may cause your iOS device to reboot. So how does this prank work?
Update 2: Apple has now released iOS 9.0.1 which — according to Apple — fixes the stuck ‘Slide to Upgrade’ problem for good.
Update: Apple has now added more steps to try and get your iPhone unfrozen …
Apple’s iOS 9 release went pretty smoothly all things considered, apart from initial server glitches and some performance issues on older devices. There was one big bug however, affecting a lot of people. After updating, the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch would freeze or get stuck on the ‘Slide to Upgrade’ screen. There was seemingly no way to get around it. Apple has now acknowledged the issue and published a fix … here’s the solution:
A newly found bug surrounding iOS and Messages has emerged that causes the app to continuously crash when a certain text is received. If the text is received while the phone is on the lock screen, it also causes your iPhone to reboot without any notice or explanation. This is obviously a very big problem for iPhone users, especially those with mischievous friends and enemies.
Dropbox is sending out an email to let users know that crashes related to Yosemite have been resolved in the latest OS X 10.10.1 release that landed earlier this week.
“We’re reaching out to let you know about an issue in Apple’s new OS X Yosemite that causes problems with Dropbox. You can resolve this issue by installing the latest Software for OS X Yosemite…
OS X Yosemite 10.10.1 arrived earlier this week for users bringing with it a number of bug fixes and Wi-Fi improvements. The problem for Dropbox, according to the company, is caused by a Yosemite bug related to how applications, not just Dropbox, use Yosemite’s official Finder integration. The bug can lead to crashing for Dropbox and other apps when using open, save, or save-as functions. Dropbox notes that “if the program crashes because of this interaction, unsaved changes may be lost.”
Fortunately, users can easily remedy the issue by updating to the latest OS X 10.10.1 release through Software Update in the Mac App Store.
