gizmosure

Tag: iOS 12

  • Google finds major iPhone text bomb that bricks the device

    Google finds major iPhone text bomb that bricks the device

    A serious iPhone text bomb has now been discovered which can only be fixed with a full device wipe. Google’s Project Zero found this critical bug, who’ve also reported about other major issues of products from different companies.

    Google found the bug in April this year. However, as per the group’s policy, a public disclosure is only allowed if Apple fixes the bug or after 90 days since informing them of the vulnerability. As expected, Apple rolled out a fix for the same in iOS 12.3. Hence, all details about this issue are now disclosed to the public, such as steps to reproduce the bug.

    Google’s Project Zero team found that sending a malformed iMesage to a Mac or an iPhone causes several issues on these devices. For instance, a malicoius message receieved on the Mac can crash the soagent, however, users can recover by relaunching the service.

    Bug causes Springboard to crash on an iPhone

    Things, however, go up a notch on the iPhone as the bug causes the Springboard to crash and then fails to reload. Even rebooting doesn’t help in this case, as the bug reappears after unlocking the iPhone.

    Google explained the only way to rectify the issue is to wipe the device completely with Find my iPhone, put it in recovery mode and update via iTunes. However, in case of a device where iMessage is disabled, it will not be affected.

    As already mentioned, Apple shipped a fix for this issue in iOS 12.3. Hence, all users are advised to update their iPhones or iPads as soon as possible to ensure they are safe. Also, users are recommended to activate the automatic software update in iOS 12 in order to be not impacted by such issues. Tu tuen on automatic update in iOS 12, Just head over to Settings, then navigate to the General Section, and select the software update option.

  • iOS 12.1.2 update starts rolling out, fixes the eSIM bug

    iOS 12.1.2 update starts rolling out, fixes the eSIM bug

    Apple starts rolling out the new iOS 12.1.2 update for compatible iPhones. The latest iOS update is primarily aimed at fixing the eSIM activation bug for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.

    To recall, eSIM functionality first arrived with iOS 12.1. All major carriers in the US such as Verizon, T Mobile, as well as AT&T are now supporting this feature. Apart from addressing issues with eSIM activation, the update also fixes an issue that could impact cellular connectivity in Turkey for Apple’s 2018 iPhone line-up.

    According to Apple’s release notes:

    iOS 12.1.2 includes bug fixes for your iPhone. This update includes:

    • Fixes bugs with eSIM activation for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
    • Addresses an issue that could affect cellular connectivity in Turkey for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max

    The latest iOS 12.1.2 update could also include software tweaks for the Chinese market to negate Qualcomm’s patents. A court recently issued a ban on iPhone sales in China as Apple was found to infringe on two of Qualcomm’s patents. These include a patent for changing and reformatting the size and appearance of photographs, and one for managing apps when viewing, navigating and dismissing apps using a touchscreen.

    However, Apple said it would roll out an iOS update specifically to neutralize the ban imposed on iPhone sales in China. The Cupertino giant also added that the update will directly address patent violation claims made by Qualcomm.

    How to download iOS 12.1.2 on your iPhone

    To download the latest update, just head over to the Settings Menu. To check the update, go to Settings> General> Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.1.2 is available as an over-the-air update and is free to download.