iPhone 5 iOS 8.1.3 Update: 5 Reasons It’s Worth Installing Now

The iPhone 5 iOS 8.1.3 update represents the device’s six iOS 8 update since September and after using the iOS 8.1.3 update for a little over three weeks, there are some reasons why I think you should at least consider installing it today.

Three weeks ago, Apple finally released its iOS 8.1.3 update. It was an update that I, and many others, had been looking forward to. I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ll fill you in on the reasons why I was so excited for Apple’s iOS 8.1.3 update for iPhone 5.

iOS 8.1, iOS 8.1.1 and to an extent, iOS 8.1.2, all ran poorly on my iPhone 5. Battery life was good, connectivity was fine, apps ran like apps should run. The problem was speed. The iPhone 5, a device that I bought on the day it came out, was running fine up until the arrival of iOS 8.1. iOS 8.1, for whatever reason, ruined performance. We’re talking worse than iOS 7.0. My problems are well-documented and I’ve talked to several iPhone 5 users who experienced the same thing.

When iOS 8.1.3 arrived I was (naturally) giddy. I had extremely high hopes for an update that had been rumored since December. I don’t think I’ve ever downloaded an iOS update that fast before. Kind of pathetic, I know.

Its now been three weeks since I got the iOS 8.1.3 update on board the iPhone 5. I’ve been using the phone as much as possible over the last 21 days or so. After 21 days, I’ve grown to love iOS 8.1.3 for the iPhone 5. So much that I think for most of you, it’s an update that’s worth an install right now. Obviously, I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do but I can attempt to persuade you.

Here are five reasons why I think the iOS 8.1.3 update is worth installing on the iPhone 5.

iOS 8.1.3 Battery Life

If you aren’t on iOS 8.1.3 yet and you are running into battery life issues, I suggest making the move up to iOS 8.1.3. I haven’t run into any problems, in fact, I’ve noticed some small improvements especially when the device is in standby mode.

I’ve never experienced iPhone 5 battery life problems but I know people that have. I’ve heard lots of good things about iOS 8.1.3 from these people and from people I don’t know. I’ve been searching around for feedback for three weeks now and while I’ve seen some iPhone 5 users complain about battery drain, most of the feedback I’ve seen (and received) has been positive.

It’s also important to remember that iOS battery drain typically isn’t a product of the iOS update itself. Third-party apps are often to blame and so are user habits. Many of the people I’ve spoken to over the years about iPhone battery drain have horrible habits and high expectations. If you want great battery life, you have to be proactive. I’ve put together a list of tips for iOS 8.1.3 and I suggest taking a look at those if you’re curious or if you’re nervous about iOS 8.1.3.

iOS 8.1.3 Performance on iPhone 5

If you are on iOS 8.1.2 or below and you were running into the same sluggishness, the same random freezes, the same lag that I was with iOS 8.1.2, iOS 8.1.1 and iOS 8.1 on board, I suggest bumping up to iOS 8.1.3 to see if that solves your problems. iOS 8.1.3 on the iPhone 5 isn’t perfect but it’s a whole lot faster than Apple’s past three iOS 8 updates. My iPhone 5 is usable with iOS 8.1.3 on board.

iOS 8.1.3 Problems

I’ve run into a few sporadic problems with iOS 8 on the iPhone 5, namely, landscape issues and the occasional random reboot (memory leak). I haven’t seen any of these with iOS 8.1.3 on board. The ride over the past three weeks has been very smooth.

Typically, if an iOS update is plagued by a massive bug or two, those bugs make themselves known within a couple of weeks. We’re now three weeks out and I haven’t run into a single annoying problem. Not with Wi-Fi, not with Bluetooth, not with my apps, not with Apple’s features. It’s running perfectly fine.

So if you are noticing some oddities in iOS 8.1.2 or below, I think iOS 8.1.3 is worth the risk. I haven’t seen anything jump out at me and iOS 8.1.3 has the potential to fix issues. Even those that aren’t listed on the official change log.

If You Have a 16GB iPhone 5

If you have a 16GB iPhone 5, now’s a great time to get acquainted with iOS 8.1.3. In just a few short weeks, Apple will release iOS 8.2. We’re expecting iOS 8.2 to be a fairly substantial update. If it is a large update, it’s going to require a ton of space to install OTA. And that could be a problem for those of you that don’t have access to a computer and iTunes.

iOS 8.1.3 minimizes the amount of storage that you need to install iOS updates. It’s a solution that Apple should have offered years ago but it’s here now and I think it makes iOS 8.1.3 worth installing. Especially now that iOS 8.2 should be just a few weeks away. You don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of using iTunes or deleting files to make room. Trust me.

If You’re Planning to Buy the Apple Watch

If you’re still on iOS 7 (and I know some iPhone 5 users that are), now is a very good time to make the move to iOS 8. The Apple Watch is going to require iOS 8.2 to operate. The only way you’ll be able to use Apple Pay with the iPhone 5 is with Apple Pay. So there definitely should be some interest amongst iPhone 5 users.

If you’re one of those people interested in Apple Watch and you’re still on iOS 7, jump up to iOS 8.1.3 now. For one, it’s stable. More importantly though, you’ll get a few weeks to get acclimated to iOS 8 and its features. iOS 8 isn’t a massive overhaul but it’s going to take some getting used to and you’re not going to want to be learning about iOS 8 and the Apple Watch at the same time.

Update now, give yourself some time to adjust, and you’re going to be much better off in March.