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Apple launched an update of its week-old iOS 8 operating system for iPhones, iPads and other devices early on Sept. 24, and then quickly pulled the update back when users began to have difficulties making calls and using their Apple products.
The problems appeared quickly, and comments about the issues were posted by angry and annoyed users on Twitter and other social media sites within a short time after installing the iOS 8.0.1 update on their devices.
Some users complained of apps crashing on their Apple iPhones, iPads and laptops, while others complained about cellular service disruptions and problems with TouchID fingerprint sensors, which prevented users from unlocking their devices, the Twitter posts said.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the iOS 8 update problems in an email reply to an eWEEK inquiry today. “We have received reports of an issue with the iOS 8.0.1 update,” the spokesperson said. “We are actively investigating these reports and will provide information as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we have pulled back the iOS 8.0.1 update.”
Apple released its iOS 8 operating system on Sept. 17, with a full array of new capabilities and features, according to an earlier eWEEK report, including improvements related to photos, messaging, file sharing and device interconnections, according to the company.
Among the enhancements are easier ways to find and edit photos, as well as the ability to add a user’s voice into a text message, according to the company.
The iOS 8 update arrived just two days before Apple released its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones. The new iPhone 6 models went on sale on Sept. 19 to customers in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Buyers in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates will be able to buy the new smartphones starting Sept. 26, according to Apple. The new iPhones will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year.
Preorders for the new iPhones had reached huge levels, with more than 4 million devices preordered within 24 hours of the process opening on Sept. 12, just seven days before the official device launch date, according to an earlier eWEEK report. That high demand quickly led the company to advise customers that many devices won’t be delivered until October due to short initial supplies.
The new iPhones include the iPhone 6 with its 4.7-inch Retina HD display and an even larger iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch Retina HD screen, according to a recent eWEEK report. The new devices—which come in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage capacities—also come with many other new features and capabilities, making them popular before they ever hit store shelves. The new phones include an Apple-designed A8 chip with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture, enhanced iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, and iOS 8. A new, built-in Apple Pay secure payments system will be added to iOS 8 as an update in October, according to the company.
Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in gold, silver and space gray. The iPhone 6 retails for $199.99 for a 16GB version, $299.99 for a 64GB version and $399 for a 128GB version with a two-year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus retails for $299.99 for a 16GB model, $399.99 for a 64GB model and $499.99 for a 128GB model with a two-year contract, according to Apple.