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8 Things to Do Before the iOS 8.1.1 Release Date

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With an iOS 8.1.1 release date getting closer, iPhone and iPad users should be starting to gear up for Apple’s next release for its iOS 8 operating system. With the iOS 8.1.1 release at hand, we want to take a look at some of the things iPhone and iPad owners should do before installing Apple’s brand new iOS 8 update and its bug fixes.

In September, Apple released its iOS 8.1 update into the beta program for developers. For several weeks, Apple and its developers tested the update in order to ensure a smooth public release. In mid-October, after a short stint in beta, Apple released the iOS 8.1 update to the public in an effort to deliver Apple Pay and bug fixes for iOS 8 problems.

While the iOS 8.1 update did fix some of the bigger iOS 8 problems affecting iPhone and iPad users, the iOS 8.1 update failed to tackle all of the annoying problems that emerged with September’s iOS 8.0 update. This has left many iPhone and iPad users around the world looking for some kind of relief in the form of a permanent fix.

We’re still not sure when that relief will arrive (we’ve offered some potential fixes to help in the meantime) but it’s looking like Apple’s next iOS 8 upgrade, and potential savior, will be iOS 8.1.1.

iPhone-6 copy

Earlier this month, surprised us all when it released the iOS 8.1.1 update into its beta program. The move was interesting given that the company rarely releases small bug fixes into beta. What it looks like, at least from here, is that Apple is trying to avoid the mistakes it made with iOS 8.0.1 for iPhone and iPad, several weeks ago.

With an iOS 8.1.1 release confirmed, now is the perfect time to make your final preparations for the iOS 8.1.1 release. Here, we want to tell you about some things most of you should do ahead of the iOS 8.1.1 release that’s rumored to be imminent. These will help to ensure a smooth iOS 8.1 installation process and transition from iOS 8.1 and below.

iOS 8 & iOS 8.1 Review

If you haven’t installed iOS 8 yet, and that’s probably the case for many of you, now is a perfect time to get acquainted with Apple’s new iOS update. That means looking into the features and changes coming with iOS 8 but also the changes coming with iOS 8.1.1. Do not blindly install the iOS 8.1.1 update on your iPhone or iPad. Know what you’re getting into first.

There are a few ways to get caught up. You can watch that walk through in the video above. You can have a look at our detailed iOS 8 vs. iOS 7 comparison. You can head on over to Apple’s website to hear about the changes and features from the horse’s mouth. And you can read our latest iOS 8.1 reviews. Educate yourself, get acclimated to the changes, and then install iOS 8.1.1 on your device. Just remember, no one is forcing you to install it right at 10AM PST.

Every single year we see complaints people moaning about all of the changes these updates deliver. The frustrating part, at least for us, is that Apple isn’t holding a gun to anyone’s head forcing them to install. All of you iPhone and iPad users have a choice. iOS 7 users can stay on iOS 7. iOS 8.1 users can stay on iOS 8.1 and so on.

Clean Up Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

If you didn’t do this before you installed iOS 8 or iOS 8.1, now is the perfect time to clean up your iPhone or iPad.

Over the past few months, or even in the past few weeks, you’ve likely downloaded applications or music or other files that you simply don’t use any more. Now is a great time to get rid of those applications and files that you aren’t using. It will get rid of any clutter and also free up some valuable storage space that could come in handy once iOS 8.1.1 arrives.

16GB iPhone and iPad owners will want to think about doing this because iOS updates require a ton of free space when pulled Over-the-Air. This was a huge problem on the iOS 8 release date and we expect uninformed iPhone and iPad users to cause a ruckus on whenever Apple decides to pull the iOS 8.1.1 update out of beta. It won’t be nearly as large as iOS 8 but it still might required free space to install thru Settings.

We recommend keeping iOS clean and tidy year round but some general clean up right before an iOS update could work wonders for your device and for your sanity. Use the upcoming release as an excuse to get things moving.

Have Your Passcode Ready

Now is also a great time to track down your Apple ID. Those of you that already own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch already have an Apple ID. When signing into iOS 8 for the first time, you will need to have the ID information handy, including your user name and password. This is only necessary if you’re installing iOS 8 for the first time when iOS 8.1.1 arrives.

iPhone 6 Review - iPhone 6 Plus

Even if you have iOS 8 on board already, the iOS 8.1.1 download process will prompt you to input your passcode when installing OTA. iTunes may even ask for your Apple ID. If you’re planning to install for someone else, make sure you have their passcode written down or memorized because you’re going to need that information to get the process rolling.

Make Sure Your Device is Charged

This is one of the tiniest little details but it’s also one that iPhone and iPad users tend to forget. You’ll need to have a minimum of 50% when installing the iOS 8.1.1 update if the device isn’t plugged into a power source.

Those of you who won’t have a power source readily available in the near future will need to make sure that the device is charged and ready before installing iOS 8.11. Those of you that do have access to a power outlet only need to plug the device in and Apple will take care of the rest.

Update Your Apps

App developers have been doing a good job keeping their apps updated with bug fixers and iOS 8 compatibility. As we’ve noted in our iOS 8.1 reviews, most apps are running smoothly though we are still having problems with a select few. iOS 8.1.1 and its beta should help to eradicate most problems but there is always a chance that something could get screwed up.

iPhone 6 Plus Review - 2

In the past, we’ve been able to alleviate some of these issues just by updating our apps with the latest bug fix updates. Ahead of the iOS 8.1.1 release date, you would be wise to update all of your apps to the latest version, especially if the version comes with iOS 8 support. If you are rocking the latest updates, there’s a good chance that your transition from iOS 8.1 or below will go a lot smoother.

Get the Latest Version of iTunes

If you’re planning to download iOS 8 for the first time, you are going to want to download the latest version of iTunes ahead of the iOS 8.1.1 release date.

There are two ways to get the latest version of iTunes. The first is to get it through Apple’s website. There, you will need to download the proper version (Windows, OS X, etc) and install it on your desktop or laptop.

The second way is to manually check for an update. Go to iTunes – Check for Updates… or head to the Mac App Store if you’re using a Mac. For Windows users, head to Help – Check for Updates within iTunes. Those that don’t have the latest version should be prompted to download the latest when opening iTunes.

Backup Your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

iOS 8.1.1 has been in a beta for several days now which means that it should be fairly stable when it arrives. Apple also says that it will be coming with improvements  and fixes for iOS 8 problems and iOS 8.1 problems. There is, however, always a chance that something could go horribly wrong after installing the software. We’ve seen it with just about every single iOS update. While you may not be able to prevent every issue, there are ways to help minimize the damage if something does go wrong.

Before installing iOS 8.1.1, users will want to backup all of their files so that if anything goes wrong, the data can be retrieved with ease. This is particularly crucial if you’re moving from iOS 7 to iOS 8 for the first time.

iPhone 6 Review - 5

To do this, you will want to go into iTunes and make a backup. The backup process begins after you plug your device into a computer. If it doesn’t happen automatically, you can force a backup to occur.

Simply go into iTunes, right click on your device, and select Back Up. It’s going to take some time for the process to complete, particularly for those that have a ton of content on their device, but it’s worth doing ahead of the iOS 8.1.1 release date because it could save you from a ton of headaches later on.

Talk with IT

If you’re using your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for work and you happen to have an IT department, you should go and chat with them before installing iOS 8.1.1 update.

iPhone 6 Review - 9

In the past, we’ve heard from tons of enterprise users that run into problems with their enterprise software, with Exchange, and with other features after installing iOS updates. It literally happens every year after every single update. There may not be anything your IT department can do about it but there’s a chance that they might tell you to hold off until the coast is clear.

It’s very possible that your IT department is using the iOS 8.1.1 beta to test apps and services that users need. This probably won’t be the case everywhere but it’s certainly worth it to check in before the release date arrives.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Bgf

    11/12/2014 at 7:23 pm

    God are you there? It’s me, Margriate.

  2. Pat

    11/13/2014 at 7:45 pm

    God is everywhere Margriate. :)

  3. Techraxx

    11/14/2014 at 2:30 am

    Damn my girl effin updated my iPhone to iOS 8.1.1 beta and this new Pangu jailbreak isn’t working on iOS 8.1.1. She says by accident “okay, accident my @ss”. I need to figure out how to downgrade back to iOS 8.1 so I can jailbreak again and get the bigU Movies app from Cydia from xsellize repo or insanelyi repo. I was just using the bigU Movies app yesterday and I already downloaded the movies Interstellar, Nightcrawler, Ouija, John Wick, Fury, Dracula Untold, Annabelle, Gone Girl, The Equalizer, The Maze Runner, A Walk Among the Tombstones, No Good Deed and Guardians of the Galaxy. I planned to start watching them today and this happens. lmao, I can’t believe my girl did this crap to me. I guess I bite the bullet on this one. Once I jailbreak again she is not coming near my damn iPhone.

  4. James Hartline

    11/18/2014 at 10:24 pm

    The IOS 8.1 update from the IOS 7.2 wrecked my IPad 2. The IOS 8.1.1 update made things even worse to the point that my device is almost unusable. It is incredibly unethical and an evil company that destroys its customers products that cost $600 in less than 2 years from purchasing it. Now, Safari constantly shuts down, freezes, the camera takes pictures which can no longer be reviewed after taking them (I haves to close the camera app and open up my photo album to review the photo just taken) and photos will no longer open up to expand for review. All of the app icon from the apps I have purchased in the Apple Store no longer show up, but instead look like weird spider web circles. The back up no longer works on my device, thus I cannot do any new backups and only have the one stored in the cloud I backed up prior to the IOS 8.1 upgrade, and even though I purchased increase iCloud storage, my device now constantly states I do not have enough storage to do a backup. This was all caused by Apple. I spent 4 hours on the phone with an Apple tech working on remedies for the problems caused by the IOS 8.1 upgrade and have been testing my device to see what was fixed. Not much was fixed. Then the IOS 8.1.1 upgrade made the problems much, much, much worse to the point that my device is working about as good as if it was an apple computer from 1985: worthless. Apple basically stole over $600 from me, as well as I lost a tremendous amount of projects I was working on and they are ruined. It is the same with my other devices like my iPod which I use when I run. It ruined hundreds of songs I purchased from iTunes and when the battery wears out on the iPod in about 14 months, Apple forces you to pay as much for a new replacement battery as the cost of the iPod itself. This constant financial rip off of Apple customers is the reason that Apple profits are soaring. If Apple refuses to replace my IPad due to the damage they caused, I will never buy another Apple product and I vow to start a very serious public campaign to boycott their products. I am very well known for leading effective boycotts and Apple really doesn’t want me to do this, but they have treated me as a faithful customer as if I was an open wallet piece of trash. And the trash is where my useless Apple devices will go if they don’t fix them.

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