Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple promises to fix iOS 7 bug causing random crashes

By
iPhone 5S hands on home screen comparison
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When Apple’s much-hyped iOS 7 mobile operating system launched last September, with it came an all-new interface design, a ton of new features, and, it soon emerged, a bug causing random shutdowns.

While the first two in the above list were broadly welcomed by Apple’s largely loyal customer base, the system crashes, as you can imagine, have been a source of frustration and annoyance for the apparently large number of iDevice users experiencing it.

Recommended Videos

‘We have a fix’

The good news is that Apple on Wednesday finally got around to acknowledging the issue and is promising a fix, although it hasn’t said precisely when it intends to sort it out.

Related

“We have a fix in an upcoming software update for a bug that can occasionally cause a home screen crash,” Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller said Wednesday.

The bug appears to have the potential to affect any Apple mobile device running iOS 7, though the problem seems to be more prevalent with the iPhone. According to a growing body of complaints on an Apple forum which started on September 20 – just two days after Apple released the OS – the crash happens without warning and leads to an automatic reboot of the device.

During the reboot, the screen of the phone turns black or white – depending on the handset’s color – before reloading.

Just about all of the forum posters said the crashes only started happening after installing iOS 7 and occurred at random times, though many mentioned their device had low battery power when it shut down. The frequency of the crash also varied widely, with some reporting a shutdown rate of once or twice a week, and others claiming multiple shutdowns in a single day.

Muller’s statement suggests the Cupertino company could bundle the fix with the release of iOS 7.1, though with some reports suggesting a March release for the iOS update, it’s hoped Apple will roll out a solution sooner.

[via MacRumors /Mashable]

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to add a different home screen wallpaper on iOS 17
An iPhone with iOS 16, showing the new Lock Screen.

If you haven't used an iPhone in a while, or if you haven't tried to update your lock screen, they you might be happy to learn about some of the new customization features that are available in iOS 17. Although iOS has made some controversial changes to its UI, such as moving the notifications to the bottom of the lock screen, they are also more welcome changes to the customization options for the lock screen.

Introduced in iOS 16 was a slew of lock screen customization features to let you tweak your phone's lock screen to your liking, and these same features are available in iOS 17 as well. While the lock screen used to be just a static image, you can now make it more dynamic with options like cycling through collections of your photos, so you can show off your favorite photos of your pets, your family, or beautiful locations that you've visited.

Read more
When will Apple release iOS 18? Here’s what we know
An iPhone 14 laying face-down on a wood table.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will start on Monday, June 10. During the conference keynote, the company is expected to unveil new software updates for its major products, including iOS 18 for iPhones.

iOS 18 is expected to be a major iPhone update, likely ushering in a new design and AI features. If you are wondering when you can get your hands on the latest software version, here's everything you need to know about iOS 18's release date.
When will the iOS 18 beta be released?

Read more
The 7 biggest features we expect to see in iOS 18
The home screen on the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple revealed that its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place on June 10. This is when we expect to see the next iteration of software across all of Apple’s products, including iOS 18.

From the sounds of it, we’re in for a big update with iOS 18, rumored to be one of the “biggest updates” yet. Here’s what we expect from Apple's next major iPhone update with iOS 18.
A more customizable home screen

Read more