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iOS 8.1.1: 5 Things iPhone 5 Users Need to Know

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Last week, Apple released the iOS 8.1.1 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. With iOS 8.1.1 problems swirling and iPhone users looking for feedback, we want to take a look at the five most important things owners of Apple’s aging iPhone 5 need to know, right now, about their latest iOS 8 update.

Way back in June, Apple announced its replacement for last year’s iOS 7 update. Two months ago, Apple rolled out that brand new update for iPhone and iPad, an operating system that it dubbed iOS 8.0. iOS 8 doesn’t deliver the massive overhaul that arrived with last year’s iOS 7 update but it still brings some important new features to the table including improved notifications, Apple Pay, changes to iMessage and the Camera app, and a new keyboard.

Like any software update, the iOS 8 update delivered bugs and problems to owners of the iPhone and iPad. Over the past two months, Apple’s worked to iron out those kinks with a series of incremental upgrades. First, the company pushed out iOS 8.0.1. Next, it was iOS 8.0.2, an update that delivered fixes for iOS 8.0.1 bugs. After that, Apple rolled out iOS 8.1, a much larger update that spent time in its beta program. Last week, after another beta period, Apple pushed out iOS 8.1.1.

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Apple’s latest iOS 8 update, like the iOS 8 updates before it, delivers bug fixes for iOS 8 problems. It also comes with self-proclaimed performance enhancements for the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2. While there are benefits, the iOS 8.1.1 update also delivered a number of problems for iPhone users, problems that have many users on edge with some looking to go back down to iOS 8.1.

iPhone 5 users continue to bombard us with questions about the iOS 8.1.1 update and today, with those users in mind, we want to take a look at the most important things that iPhone 5 users need to know about their iOS 8.1.1 update, an update that is small in size but could have a big impact on one of Apple’s most popular iPhones.

iOS 8.1.1 Review

First, you should know that we recently posted our full iPhone 5 iOS 8.1.1 review. This review outlines all of the key components of the update including battery life, connectivity and apps. It’s a great starting point for those of you that are still on iOS 7 or are on another version of iOS 8 looking to make a move. It will give you a ton of feedback so it’s worth checking out before you decide one way or the other.

Our goal is obviously to ensure that you’re as educated as possible before you make a decision about making the move up to iOS 8.1.1 from whatever it is that you’re currently on. We highly recommend doing a ton of research, that means reading several reviews (if you can find them), before coming to your decision. Remember, you don’t need to install iOS 8.1.1 if you don’t want to. There’s no rush.

Why You May Not Want to Install the iPhone 5 iOS 8.1 Update

You should know that there is reason to pause if you own an iPhone 5 and you’re running iOS 8.0.2 or lower. As we noted in our iOS 8.1 and iOS 8.1.1 reviews for the iPhone 5, we’ve seen a significant drop in speed with these updates on board. Animations and transitions that used to be silky smooth and fluid are now clunky and slow.

The iPhone 5 doesn’t crawl but it’s a sluggishness that we didn’t see when we had iOS 8.0.2, iOS 8.0.1, iOS 8.0, or iOS 7.1.2 on board. We’re still not sure what’s causing the problem but it’s clear that we’re not the only ones noticing a drop in overall speed after the iOS 8.1 upgrades. Speed is essential on the iPhone and given that you can’t move back to anything beyond iOS 8.1 after making the move makes the iOS 8.1.1 upgrade a tough decision.

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At this point, we recommend waiting it out. While there is no guarantee that Apple will fix the speed issues with an upcoming update, the door is still open. iOS updates can have a profound effect on speed, for better or worse, something that was showcased with last year’s iOS 7.1 update for iPhone 5 (better) and this year’s iOS 8.1 update (worse).

With an iOS 8.2 update on the way, those of you hanging around on iOS 8.0.2 and below might be better off staying put. We obviously can’t make that call for you but the speed issues in iOS 8.1.1 are enough to make us want to retire the phone for good.

Yes, There Are iOS 8.1.1 Problems

You need to know, absolutely, that there are iOS 8.1.1 problems. iPhone 5 users have told us that they’ve seen their battery life negatively impacted after installing the iOS 8.1.1 update and that’s what prompted us to detail potential fixes for the issues in the days after the release. iPhone 5 users are also complaining about Wi-Fi issues, various problems with stability, battery drain, random crashes, Bluetooth errors, and more.

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We bring these up because we think that it’s essential that you know there is some risk involved in making this upgrade. iOS 8.1.1 does fix some problems but it also has the chance to deliver some new ones to your iPhone 5. Speed issues included. Before upgrading, make sure you take a look at user feedback and potential fixes so that you are better prepared in case you do run into issues with iOS 8.1.1 in the near future or further down the road.

That said, we don’t want to scare you. Our experience on the iPhone 5, for the most part, has been flawless. And many of these issues seem to be very isolated. Do your homework and you’re going to be much better off.

Fixes for iPhone 5 iOS 8.1.1 Problems

We’ve put together a big list of the most common iOS 8.1.1 problems affecting iPhone users. These problems have plagued iPhone users for years and that means that we have a pretty good read on some possible fixes. Fixes are often passed down from iOS update to iOS update and many of them work for users utilizing iOS 8.

If you’re experiencing issues with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, battery life, or even the installation process, head on over to our list of fixes and see if you can’t get yourself sorted. These fixes aren’t going to work for everyone but there’s a good chance that at least some of you will find the remedy you’ve been looking for. This is important because we still don’t know when Apple’s going to roll out its next iOS update. iOS 8.2 is in the beta process but it could be weeks away.

You Can Go Back to iOS 8.1 Right Now

Finally, you iPhone 5 users need to know that you can go back to iOS 8.1 right now if you really need to get off of iOS 8.1.1. The option probably won’t be available forever but if you act fast and follow our guide, you’ll be able to move back to Apple’s aging iOS 8.1 update. There’s a few reasons to consider moving down.

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One, you were having a good experience with iOS 8.1 and things have fallen apart after installing iOS 8.1.1. And two, you want to jailbreak your iPhone 5. The Pangu Jailbreak does not work with iOS 8.1.1, at least not yet, which means that the only way you’re going to be able to take full advantage of the tweaks and features afforded to jailbreak users is if you move back to iOS 8.1.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Larry

    11/25/2014 at 8:14 pm

    Ya iOS 8.1.1 and 8 itself sucks!! Nuff said

  2. zdarma

    11/27/2014 at 8:50 am

    I should have never updated my iPhone 5s to iOS 8.1.1. Spotty wifi connection. Wifi connection drops when phone comes out of sleep and does not reconnect automatically and I have to manually reconnect via settings, because turning the wifi widget on and off, doesn’t reconnect to wifi network. I find the whole phone laggy. Tap an icon and there’s a pause, scroll homescreens and there seems to be a pause. Weather in notification is there one minute and gone the next, and then it is back, and then it is gone, and then…… DO NOT GET THIS USELESS UPADATE!!!!!!

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