Apple users are currently experiencing a major issue with their iPhones where they have been locked out of prominent apps such as WhatsApp, and Gmail including iOS’s own Messages app. As it is 2017 ended on a troublesome note for the American giant and with the current bug it seems like the worries for the company are not nearing an end. Previously too, iPhone owners had complained about similar issues that harmed their devices just like that! Devices running on iOS 11 have been the worst affected; although, Apple has claimed that it will take care of the issue in the next update.
According to Tech Times, an Indian language is the primary reason behind the bug that has been crashing iPhones across the globe. Apart from iMessage, third party applications like Outlook and Facebook Messenger for iOS have been victims of the software problem. A character in Telegu is transmitted which strikes the iOS Springboard and blocks access to the applications. The respective application makes continuous attempts to load the message but fails every single time, which is why it is unable to open the entire chat unless another person sends a message on it. The entire thread that contains the malicious character then needs to be deleted to fix the problem. Another way is to access these applications using web and then delete the chat that contains the character. This may be an easy solution for retrieving data from Facebook Messenger and Gmail but not WhatsApp or iMessage since the former two applications are usually not web enabled.
iOS 11.3 public beta has been immune to this bug and is believed to bring it to an end once this update is launched for the public in general. However, the company is yet to release an official statement on when it intends to take action in this regard. Nevertheless, the continuous intrusion by unwanted URLs, videos, pictures and other characters is raising concerns with respect to the security of iPhones. The ease with which such elements are able to crash the entire device is alarming and needs to be solved at the earliest. Reportedly, Apple is reviewing the performance and reliability of its devices and is planning to introduce an update that lays emphasis on these dimensions rather than exclusive features. Given the premium price tag that is attached to iPhones, the brand cannot afford to let these disruptive things happen on a frequent basis.
