The release of iOS 12.0.1 was essential as it fixed arguably the most farcical iPhone launch problem in recent years. Unfortunately, however, iOS 12.0.1 is causing iPhone owners a series of new and equally embarrassing problems which
Let’s break them down…
iPhones That Cannot Be Phones
Spotted by the ever-excellent PiunikaWeb, iOS 12.0.1 is actually stopping a significant number of iPhones from working as phones. Picked up across Apple Support Communities (1,2,3,4,5) and social media, the problem is severe:
“I can launch the phone app, but I am unable to scroll or move to a different screen in the app,” explains one affected user. “I can exit the app and force quit it, but I can't do anything in the app itself.”
“I have this exact problem with [iPhone] 7,” writes another. “The core app, the phone, freezes all the time and the only thing I can do is reboot...it freezes soon as you open it. Contacts, recent calls, etc.”
Interestingly, some users report they were also affected by this in iOS 12 but the severity of the problem only appears to have gotten worse in iOS 12.0.1. The only workaround for affected users is to activate voice dialling with Siri. I know Apple wants customers to use Siri more, but this is not the best way to encourage it.
Wrongly Disabled Displays
Also spotted by PiunikaWeb, iOS 12.0.1 is amplifying a rare problem in iOS 12 (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) where iPhone and iPad owners have the True Tone functionality removed from their devices. And I literally mean remove: the problem doesn’t just crash or stop True Tone from working, it completely removes all trace from the device, even in settings.
Some users speculate this is Apple punishing users who had their displays replaced by third parties and - while Apple has done this in the past (twice) and conspiracies are building - it is impacting users still with their original displays as well.
The New Default: Delay
In my iOS 12.0.1 Upgrade Guide, I suggested users delay upgrading unless affected by the critical iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max charging bug which it successfully fixes.
This is increasingly the default position I would advise iPhone and iPad owners take: unless an update addresses a specific problem you are having, wait. It costs nothing to let everyone else test drive these releases before you commit.
On the flip side, I now expect Apple to release a dedicated iOS 12.0.2 bug fix before the larger iOS 12.1 update appears (guide here). Let’s hope this one fixes more than it breaks and, in particular, helps Apple finally see sense with perhaps its most ridiculous iOS 12 decision of all...
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