iOS 4.3 Bugs Abound

ByMike Moffit

This time last week, Apple released the highly anticipated iOS 4.3 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. In retrospect, perhaps the update should have stayed in the oven until its official release date on Friday the 11th. While the incremental iOS update brings numerous enhancements to iOS device users—especially those with current gen. devices—Apple’s message boards are becoming riddled with complaints of bugs from some iOS device owners.

The first issue is the mobile operating system’s performance on iPhone 3Gs. While not quite the debacle iOS 4.0 was on iPhone 3G, users of the previous generation iPhone cite unsavory slowdown upon upgrading. While there always seems to be a base of users claiming “the phone is unusable” when Apple releases an iOS update, 4.3 seems to have elicited a larger negative response from the iPhone 3Gs community. Those who have upgraded their devices claim the OS has sluggish and jittery performance when compared to iOS 4.2. Some users have also noted a significant decrease in battery life. As is frequently the case with bugs of this nature, they have a tendency to be blown out of proportion. Simply because some users are reporting problems doesn’t mean 100% of iPhone 3Gs users will be affected. That said, as AirPlay enhancements, Safari performance, and iTunes Home Sharing are the only new features compatible with 3Gs, it might be wise to sideline the update if you can live without the aforementioned features. Keep in mind that Apple does not offer an official downgrade method for iOS. If you update to iOS 4.3 and are unsatisfied, you’ll need to take matters into your own hands (jailbreak + downgrade) or wait for Apple to issue a fix—assuming they even do.

The second major issue to emerge post update affects 4th generation iPod touch owners. Inexplicably, many device owners are experiencing graphical hiccups throughout the iOS UI. These errors—which are being described as “interference”—seem to primarily affect the lock screen, but are present in additional areas of the OS as well. Users are reporting “snowy” and “animated outlines” around pop-up notifications and other areas of the lock screen. While not all 4th generation iPod touch owners are experiencing the problem, the issue does appear to be quite widespread. As graphical errors are certainly more perceivable than supposed dips in performance, it is likely Apple will address the issue sooner than later.

The third and final issue—while not directly tied to the mobile versions of iOS 4.3—affects Apple TV. It would seem post iOS 4.3 update (technically recognized as 4.2 by Apple TV) that select owners of the device are experiencing graphical woes of their own. Beginning last week, Apple TV owners started reporting screen flickering when using the device with some televisions. In the ensuing days, the tech community traced the problem to HDTVs which attempt to convert the 720p output signal from Apple TV to 1080i. In rarer cases, some users have reported their Apple TVs have become permanently set at the 480p “Auto” option post update. Unlike the two previously mentioned issues, AppleInsider reports Apple is currently preparing a software fix to address the issue.

Unfortunately, it seems releasing software updates plagued with bugs of varying degrees is becoming more of a common occurrence at Apple. What are your thoughts on recent software quality control? Have you experienced any of these issues on your own devices? Comment below and let us know.

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