iOS 8.1.3 for iPhone & iPad: What to Know This Week

Apple still hasn’t announced an iOS 8.1.3 update for iPhone and iPad but it looks like the company will release the new software ahead of the highly anticipated iOS 8.2 update. Here, we take a look at what you need to know this week ahead of the possible iOS 8.1.3 release for Apple’s iOS 8 powered iPhones and iPads around the world.

At the end of last year, an iOS 8.1.3 rumor sprouted up. That rumor indicated that Apple would likely deliver an iOS 8.1.3 update sometime in 2015, ahead of the iOS 8.2 update that it put into beta for testing ahead of its arrival alongside the Apple Watch. While a rumor, it made some sense. We’d seen iOS 8.1.3 pickup in our analytics, pickup that continues to this day.

The iOS 8.1.3 update was heavily rumored for release last week with multiple reports suggesting that the software was close to arrival. Despite those rumors, iPhone and iPads remain on iOS 8.1.2, a tiny bug fix update that Apple pushed out at the end of last year to tackle at least one iOS 8 problem on the iPhone and the iPad. iOS 8 problems remain on the iPhone and iPad and users continue to complain about bugs on various versions of Apple’s new operating system, including iOS 8.1.2.

Late last week, we learned that Apple’s iOS 8.1.3 update was still in the works and that it had inched closer to its upcoming release date. With that in mind, we want to take another look at iOS 8.1.3 and tell you what you need to know this week about Apple’s rumored but probable replacement for Apple’s iOS 8.1.2 update.

If you’ve missed all of the iOS 8.1.3 update news, this will bring you up to speed. If you’ve been following along but need a refresher, this will fill you in on everything you need to know about the rumored iOS 8.1.3 upgrade.

iOS 8.1.3 for iPhone and iPad Likely

Apple’s iOS 8.1.3 update is still not official and it’s still not available for iOS 8 users. With the update missing last week’s ETA, there is some skepticism going around, skepticism that we think that is unwarranted at this point.

It’s very clear, at this point, that Apple is working on an iOS 8.1.3 update behind the scenes. If the credible rumors aren’t enough, consider the fact that we’ve seen a heavy increase in iOS 8.1.3 traffic in our backend over the past few weeks, a sign that Apple is testing the update ahead of a public release. We always see heavy traffic ahead of an iOS release date.

Apple could still cancel iOS 8.1.3 if it’s more trouble than it’s worth but given that it has seeded two betas and spent a ton of resources leads us to believe that a release is still in the cards and that one could be close.

iOS 8.1.3 Release Date for iPhone and iPad

Last week, MacRumors reported that Apple has seeded an updated version of the update to Retail Store employees. As we noted this indicates Apple is still identifying and fixing bugs or other problems in iOS 8, iOS 8.1.2 and quite possibly in the iOS 8.1.3 update itself. It also means that a release could be very, very close. Perhaps as soon as today.

Here’s what you need to know. Apple always releases its updates between Monday and Friday. It also releases its updates in and around 10AM PST. If an update doesn’t come by 10:30AM PST or so, then you can stop checking for the update. Apple’s release dates are extremely unpredictable and based on internal testing so it’s impossible to nail down a date.

A release by the end of January does make sense given the progress it has made. There are no guarantees though and users will simply need to keep an eye out in the morning, or afternoon, depending on where you are located.

Bug Fix Update

We still don’t know exactly what will be on board the iOS 8.1.3 update when it arrives but it’s safe to assume that it will be a bug fix update aimed at squashing iOS 8 problems and perhaps, the iOS 8.1.2 jailbreak that utilizes security exploits to operate. While it would be nice to see a massive, all-encompassing bug fixer, iOS 8.1.3 will likely be very small given that it’s arriving between iOS 8.1.2 and iOS 8.2. Don’t expect too much from it.

For those that haven’t been in the loop, iOS 8.2 is expected to arrive with the Apple Watch in March. The update is set to bring Apple Watch support to iOS 8 powered iPhones and iPads and it’s possible that we’ll see the update touch down with assorted bug fixes for iOS 8 problems. It figures to be a bigger update than iOS 8.1.3.

Start Preparing

Finally, just because the iOS 8.1.3 release date remains missing doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t start preparing for its arrival. We’ve put together a list of things to do ahead of the iOS 8.1.3 release. We highly recommend checking these out, especially if you’ve dealt with iOS problems in the past.

We know it’s going to be tempting to install the update as soon as the iOS 8.1.3 release arrives, but there are several reasons to wait a few days, or longer, before upgrading your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The update is coming to the iPhone 4s and newer, iPad 2 and newer and the iPod touch 5th generation. All of these run iOS 8.