bugs

Fix is on the way for Apple Watch battery woes

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Apple Watch Series 3
If a recent watchOS update cut your Apple Watch battery life, there's good news.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Many Apple Watch wearers suffered from shortened battery lives after upgrading to watchOS 10, but the problem will be taken care of soon with a software patch, according to an internal Apple document.

While not affecting everyone with an Apple Watch, this a clearly a significant problem, considering the number of complaints about it online.

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates fix serious security problems in older handsets and tablets

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Updates is here for your iPhone bugs
iOS 15.7.4 takes care of a long list of security bugs.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels

Apple introduced iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4 for older devices on Monday, closing significant security holes in a range of frequently used applications. Anyone still running iOS 15.x should install the new version.

Cupertino also released iOS 16.4 and the iPad equivalent on Monday. The updates for its older operating systems are further proof that Apple doesn’t abandon them.

Get the latest OS updates to fix pesky iPhone and Apple Watch bugs

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Get the latest OS updates to fix pesky iPhone and Apple Watch bugs
Install iOS 16.0.3 now to remove some irritating bugs.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple released iOS 16.0.3 and watchOS 9.0.2 on Monday to remove a range of small bugs. Many of these affect the new iPhone 14 series and Apple Watch models.

Both updates are recommended for those with Apple’s latest handsets and wearables, as well as who’ve already installed iOS 16 and watchOS 9.

iOS 16 causes bugs in third-party apps posting pictures, logging in and more

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Updates is here for your iPhone bugs
iOS 16 brought new bugs to many third-party applications.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels

When a new iOS version launches, it’s easy to concentrate on its bugs and forget the problems it causes for third-party iPhone software. An analysis of user reviews made in the weeks since iOS 16 debuted found that social networking apps and dating apps are more likely to have issues on iPhones running Apple’s latest OS.

So if you’re suddenly having problems with a frequently used app, you might not be alone.

watchOS 8.4.1 is out with Apple Watch bug fixes

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watchOS 8.4.1 is out with mystery Apple Watch bug fixes
Get some bugs out of your Apple Watch with the watchOS 8.4.1 update.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Brandon Phan /Pexels

Apple introduced watchOS 8.4.1 on Wednesday, and promised that it offer “bug fixes.” It didn’t reveal what these are, but Apple Watch users are hoping it takes care of a nasty problem with the Wallet app.

The update definitely includes no new features.

watchOS 8.4 squashes frustrating Apple Watch charging bug

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watchOS 8.4 squashes frustrating Apple Watch charging bug
Apple Watch users can return to happily charging with watchOS 8.4.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch wearers can now install watchOS 8.4. And many will want to do so soon because the new version removes an irritating bug that prevented some third-party chargers from working.

This is just one of a slew of system software updates from Apple on Wednesday, including macOS Monterey 12.2, iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3.

macOS 12.2 is out with smoother ProMotion scrolling … maybe

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macOS Monterey 12.2 is out with smoother ProMotion scrolling… maybe
macOS 12.2 takes care of a few bugs.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Mac users can now install macOS Monterey 12.2. Apple is vague about what’s in the new version. However, prerelease beta testers indicate it brings a rewritten Apple Music app and smoother scrolling for MacBooks with ProMotion displays. It definitely fixes a serious Safari bug.

Apple also released iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 to the public Wednesday. And watchOS 8.4, too.

iOS 15.3 is here for your iPhone bugs

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Updates is here for your iPhone bugs
iOS 15.7.4 takes care of a long list of security bugs.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels

Apple made iOS 15.3 available to all compatible iPhone models Monday. The update squashes at least one bug that recently made headlines. But there are no new features.

Apple also introduced iPadOS 15.3 to erase many of the same bugs. And macOS Monterey 12.2 and watchOS 8.4 debuted, too. tvOS 15.3 arrived Monday as well.

Apple smashes Messages, CarPlay and HomeKit bugs with iOS 15.2.1

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iOS 15.2.1 update squashes some bugs in Messages and CarPlay.
iOS 15.2.1 squashes some bugs in Messages and CarPlay.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

iPhone users got small “bug fix” update on Wednesday. iOS 15.2.1 takes care of problems with Messages and CarPlay. And a HomeKit bug that made the news recently. In addition, iPadOS 15.2.1 is also out to take care of the same Messages bug.

Both updates are available for all, and are ready to be installed immediately.

Why iPhone owners are so wary of iOS 15

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Why iPhone owners are so wary of iOS 15: 35% of iPhone users haven’t installed iOS 15, even though they could have months ago.
35% of iPhone users haven’t installed iOS 15, even though they could have months ago.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Three months after launch, a lower percentage of iPhone users have adopted iOS 15 than they did its predecessors in previous years. Cult of Mac asked readers to explain their hesitancy.

Turns out there’s not one single reason.

Apple crushes bunch of iPhone bugs with iOS 15.0.2

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iOS 15 has been replaced by iOS 15.0.1.
iOS 15.0.2 is out to get rid of some iPhone problems.
Photo: Cult of Mac

iPhone users should install the latest system software update because it fixes a collection of bugs. Monday’s release of iOS 15.0.2 takes care of images that couldn’t be deleted, problems with AirTag and iPhone Leather Wallet, and more. More significantly, it  (and a related iPadOS update) deals with a device restore/update issue with iPhone 13 and the new iPad mini.

Tablet users can install iPadOS 15.0.2, which also came out Monday.

Install these critical security patches for Mac, iPhone,iPad and Apple Watch today [Updated]

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Mac malware is real. Watch out.
macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1 each take care of the same dangerous bug.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Three of Apple’s biggest products received security patches Monday — and another got its version on Thursday. You should probably install them as soon as possible.

The company started with macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1, and iPadOS 14.7.1 to fix a security hole reportedly used by at least one hacker already. That’s why they are “recommended for all users,” according to Apple.

Apple followed up Thursday by releasing watchOS 7.6.1 to patch the same bug on Apple Watch. It’s also recommended.

Fix dangerous Safari bug with these updates for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

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iOS 14.4.2 iPadOS 14.4.2 and watchOS 7.3.3 are all avaiulable now.
iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users should install new system software updates immediately.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Apple has a fix for a serious bug in the mobile version of its Safari web browser. Hackers have reportedly already used it, which makes a high-priority of installing iOS 14.4.2, iPadOS 14.4.2 and watchOS 7.3.3. All three hit Apple servers Friday morning.

macOS Big Sur 11.2 brings Mac Bluetooth fix

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macOS 11.2, the latest version of Big Sur, includes a range of bug fixes.
Apple called special attention to a Bluetooth bug fix in its release notes for macOS 11.2.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.2 to the public Monday, bringing more reliable Bluetooth connections. That should warm the hearts of those using recently released Macs built around Apple’s first-generation M-series processor.

The Mac update brings other bug fixes as well, but the release notes make no mention of new features.

iOS 14 resets default email and browser when apps update

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iOS 14.0.1
Make Gmail your iOS 14 default email app and it still won‘t stick.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Another significant bug has been found in iOS 14’s ability to change the default web browser and email applications. If third-party apps are chosen, they’ll stop being the defaults when an new version is installed.

The same problem apparently affects tablets running iPadOS 14.

The iPad Pro is the best and worst iPad I’ve ever owned [Opinion]

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3D Touch shortcuts now work on the iPad.
My iPad Pro has been nothing but trouble.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The 2018 iPad Pro is an incredible machine. It’s powerful. It has a screen so good that it’s hard to look at anything else after seeing it. Face ID was made for the iPad, and is way more suited to a tablet than a phone. And the physical design is beautiful. It’s thin, the bezels are small enough not to notice, and the iPad Pro’s USB-C port is far more useful than I imagined.

And yet this is the worst iPad I have ever used. It has been buggy. It can’t do basic tasks with any consistency. Audio drops out. And until I updated to iOS 13, the screen would freeze a few times a day.

Oh, and once I bent it without even realizing.

Serious GasBuddy bug locks up iPhones [Updated]

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GasBuddy makes it easy to see where refueling will cost you less.
Ordinarily, GasBuddy shows you nearby fuel prices. Right now, it might lock up your iPhone.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Avoid using the latest version of the GasBuddy app on your iPhone. The developer admits it is causing problems and has temporarily withdrawn it from the App Store until a fix can be released.

UPDATE: A fixed version of GasBuddy is available on the App Store. Users of this service should install this new version immediately.

GasBuddy lists crowdsourced gasoline prices. It’s free and useful enough to make our list of 50 essential iOS apps.

Second thoughts on iOS 11? Here’s how to downgrade

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iOS 11 downgrade
Finding iOS 11 too buggy? Downgrade with our handy video!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you jumped into the future and upgraded to a beta version of iOS 11, but now found the cutting-edge software a bit too rough around the edges, don’t panic. Downgrading from iOS 11 back to the more familiar (and totally stable) iOS 10.3.2 isn’t difficult. All you need is a Mac or PC running iTunes.

If you’re worried about losing data, that’s completely avoidable! Just follow our how to downgrade from iOS 11 video, below and your iPhone or iPad will be back to normal in no time.

How to fix OS X Yosemite’s annoying, overflowing save sheet bug

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Another annoying Yosemite bug. Screenshot: Cult of Mac
Another annoying Yosemite bug. Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Since installing OS X Yosemite, I’ve had a problem: Every time I try to save anything in Chrome, the Save Sheet interface is so long it runs off the screen, making it impossible for me to click “OK” or “Cancel.” I assumed it was something I had done, but nope, it’s a particularly annoying Yosemite bug. Here’s how to fix it.