iOS 7.1: New Details You Need to See

The iOS 7.1 update for iPhone and iPad has been out for almost two weeks now but we’re still seeing new details emerge as the dust around the update continues to settle. Over the past week, we’ve seen a number of new iOS 7.1 details emerge for iPhone and iPad owners and here, we take a look at the most important things to know.

All along, iOS 7.1 release date rumors pointed to an arrival in the month of March. So, it came as no surprise when last Monday, Apple pushed out the iOS 7.1 update for the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, iPhone 4, iPhone 5c, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPad mini with Retina, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPod touch fifth-generation.

As many iPhone and iPad owners have found out, the iOS 7.1 is a little more than your standard iOS update. Instead of just bug fixes, the iOS 7.1 update brings bug fixes, performance enhancements, and design tweaks. And as we have learned over the past few days, it comes with some other features that cannot be found on Apple’s change log.

The iOS 7.1 update is no longer new but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t still learning new details about Apple’s latest iOS 7 update. In fact, we’ve seen new details emerge in recent days, some good and some bad. Either way, they are details that iPhone and iPad owners running Apple’s iOS 7 operating system need to see.

Fantastic iOS 7.1 Bug

This new bit of information is a must see for iPhone and iPad users who use a ton of applications and have a home screen that resembles a cluttered mess.

A week ago, it looked like a friendly bug inside iOS 7 was killed off by iOS 7.1. We say friendly because the bug allows users to put folders inside of folders. The feature has been dubbed “nested folders” by those that utilize it and it’s an incredibly easy way to keep the iOS home screen organized.

It looked like the “feature” was dead in the water in iOS 7.1 but as TUAW reports, there is a way to take advantage of nested folders inside of Apple’s brand new update.

Here is how to put a folder inside of another folder:

1. Select two apps and a folder that you want to put inside of another folder.
2. Start creating a folder by dragging one app over the other. Quickly, as the folder appears and before the UI zooms into the contents of the folder, grab the other folder and highlight it.
3. At this point, the UI should take you into the folder while you’re still holding onto the other one. At that point, you can release the folder into the new folder that you’ve created.

Those that aren’t good at following directions can just watch these steps in video form in the video below.

iOS 7.1 Jailbreak

Like nested folders, the iOS 7.1 jailbreak appeared to be dead in the water after the release of iOS 7.1 last week. Apple patched up the exploits used by the Evasi0n jailbreak and developers said that they would probably turn their attention to iOS 8 rather than both with iOS 7.1.

There is hope though thanks to Winocm who has successfully jailbroken iOS 7.1 and posted proof of his efforts in a video that shows off an untethered iOS 7.1 jailbreak.

https://youtu.be/X3QWRY_k6V0

Unfortunately, the jailbreak only works on iOS devices running Apple’s A4 processor. The only iOS device running the A4 chip that’s compatible with iOS 7 is the iPhone 4.

It’s still not clear if he will release the jailbreak to the public and it’s also not clear if the iOS 7.1 jailbreak will land for other devices outside of the iPhone 4. Again, developers have said that iOS 7.1 isn’t a priority and there is a good chance they are saving exploits for iOS 8 later in the year.

iOS 7.1 Problems

While performance remains steady on our iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina Display, and iPad 3, there are plenty of people that are talking about problems within iOS 7.1.

A recent report from AppleInsider details several of these issues which are said to include non-responsive applications on the touch screen, freezes and lockups with the software, issues with Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, and the usual complaints about Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi, and iOS 7 battery life.

We’ve heard from readers who confirm the issue with non-responsive applications and it appears that at least some have experienced the problem with the Facebook application.

We have not experienced any freezes or lockups on the iPhone or iPad since installing iOS 7.1. Springboard issues are gone and the software appears to be stable. Users dealing with these issues should try one of two things. Restarting the device will often solve problems like these but if that doesn’t work, it might be worth performing a hard reset.

It appears that some users are reporting success at fixing Touch ID issues simply by rescanning their fingerprints into the system. There are still others that are continuing to experience problems with one of the iPhone 5s’ unique features.

As for iOS 7.1 battery life, we’ve already offered tips and tricks in addition to a fix that should help those who are experiencing abnormal battery drain.

iOS 7.1 Personal Hotspot

What has been perceived by some to be an iOS 7.1 issue actually appears to be a case of Apple cracking down on unauthorized tethering.

iPhone users have been complaining about the deactivation of their hotspot feature after installing iOS 7.1. At first it appeared to be a bug but it now appears that the issue pertains to a lack of authorization from specific carriers.

Those who are experiencing hotspot issues on a carrier that supports the personal hotspot feature should certainly check out the thread on Apple’s discussion forums.