5 Reasons We Need an iOS 11.3.1 Update

The iOS 11.3 update comes with lots of exciting changes, but it’s also brought some annoying issues we hope Apple fixes before the iOS 11.4 update arrives.

Apple’s iOS 11.3 update is a milestone upgrade which means it brings more than just bug fixes and security patches. The newest version of iOS 11.3 also includes an extensive list of new features including new Animojis for the iPhone X, battery throttling features for older iPhones, upgrades to the App Store and Apple Music, and a new Business Chat for Messages.

For the most part iOS 11.3 is treating our devices well. We haven’t run into severe battery drain and the upgrade is snappy on newer devices like the iPhone X and iPhone 8.

Unfortunately, we’ve encountered several annoying problems on the iPhone and iPad and they’ve got us hoping for an iOS 11.3.1 release ahead of iOS 11.4.

With iOS 11.4 on its second beta, it could be several weeks before we see it go live. Many believe iOS 11.4 will be released in and around Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote on June 4th.

Floating Icons

One of the most annoying issues we’ve encountered while running iOS 11.3 is a UI issue where app icons often start floating after you open and then minimize an app.

After opening and closing an app, the app icon sometimes starts floating in no man’s land, typically in the top left corner of the screen. You can get a feel for what we’re talking about in the screenshot here, taken on the iPhone X.

YouTube app icon floating on iOS 11.3.

It’s starting to happen a few times a day with various apps on the iPhone X and we’ve also noticed the issue on the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 6s.

We’re usually able to get the icon to return to the correct spot on the home screen by turning off the screen and turning it back on though we’ve also been forced to restart the phone.

We aren’t the only ones dealing with this problem so hopefully that motivates Apple to release a quick fix inside an iOS 11.3.1 update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Stuck in Landscape Mode

We dealt with this issue on several versions of iOS 10 and its returned with a vengeance on iOS 11.3.

While testing iOS 11.3 for the past few weeks, several of our devices (including the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 7) often get stuck in landscape mode.

After turning the phone to landscape mode and turning it back to portrait, the screen remains stuck in landscape mode. It’s happened with several of our core apps (Spotify, YouTube, Chrome) and it’s also affecting the home screen.

The screenshot you see here was taken while holding the iPhone in portrait mode. To access the phone, we had to pull up from the right side of the display rather than the bottom.

Like the floating icon bug, this has been happening several times a day so we’re hoping for a fix.

Lag on Older Devices

If you own an older device like the iPhone 5s or iPad mini 2, there’s a very good chance you’ll encounter annoying lag after you upgrade.

During our week with the iOS 11.3 update we’ve noticed a ton of UI lag on the two aging devices. And unlike the last two problems, lag can be difficult to fix without a factory reset.

On the iPad mini 2 we’ve encountered annoying amounts of keyboard lag, stuttering, and lag when pulling up Control Center and Notification Center. We’ve also noticed lots of choppiness when opening up folders and apps and when moving from one home screen to another.

On the iPhone 5s we’ve noticed lag when moving around the home screen and when opening folders. We’ve also noticed keyboard lag and stuttering when pulling up for Control Center and pulling down for Notifications.

Hopefully the next version of iOS 11 delivers a better experience.

Busted 3D Touch

If you use 3D Touch on your devices you might run into another frustrating issue with the iOS 11.3 update.

After unlocking the iPhone, 3D touch is either unresponsive, or won’t work on the first try. When using 3D Touch on the phone app to get to favorites, it sometimes won’t open at all.

We aren’t the only ones dealing with this issue and the problem has apparently been around since the release of iOS 11.3 beta 3 back in February.

Hopefully Apple fixes this sooner rather than later.

Wi-Fi Drops

Connectivity (Wi-Fi, GPS, cellular data, and Bluetooth) has been strong for the most part, but we’re starting to experience some annoying problems with Wi-Fi on the iPhone X.

While the first couple of days went fine, we’re starting to notice frequent issues with Wi-Fi connectivity. Our Wi-Fi connections are dropping more than usual which is a problem if you’re watching a show on Netflix and you have a data cap.

We’ve minimized YouTube, Netflix and several other apps and noticed the phone’s (on several different routers mind you) kicked back to LTE.

We’re hoping this is a temporary issue, but it could be annoying if you’re trying to limit your (or someone else’s) data usage this month.

So those are the frustrating issues we’ve noticed while running iOS 11.3 on our devices, but those aren’t the only iOS 11.3 problems that need a quick fix.

iOS 11.3 users are also complaining about severe battery drain, issues connecting to Bluetooth devices, problems with various applications, and sound issues.

iPhone 8 users who got their screen repaired by third parties are also running into touch screen problems after downloading iOS 11.3.

It seems aftermarket display have abruptly stopped working with the release of iOS 11.3. Apple hasn’t confirmed plans to release a fix, but those dealing with the issue are probably hoping they don’t have to wait until iOS 11.4 to get one.

Apple hasn’t confirmed an iOS 11.3.1 update yet, but given how many issues have sprung up after the iOS 11.3 release, there’s a chance we get one before iOS 11.4 arrives.

Be on the lookout for an iOS 11.3.1 release during the week at 10AM Pacific as we push toward the release of iOS 11.4.

Install iOS 11.4.1 for Better Security

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Apple's iOS 11.4.1 update comes with 15 patches for potential security issues. If you value your security, you should think about installing it today. iOS 11.4.1 also comes with a USB Restricted Mode that disables the Lightning port on your iPhone or iPad if a device hasn't been unlocked or connected to a computer using a passcode within a certain amount of time.  The new setting is located in Settings > Face ID/Touch ID & Passcode. There you’ll see a new toggle for USB Accessories. It's toggled off by default.  This provides an added layer of protection and prevents the use of cracking tools like GrayKey. If you skipped iOS 11.4, your iOS 11.4.1 update comes with 30+ patches aimed at improving your device's security. This makes it an essential download for most iPhone and iPad users.  If you missed any of Apple's previous iOS updates, your iOS 11.4.1 update comes with a lot more. If you skipped iOS 11.3.1, your version of iOS 11.4.1 comes with iOS 11.3.1's four security patches. If you skipped iOS 11.3, your iOS 11.4.1 update comes with 27 additional patches for potential exploits. Those of you lingering on iOS 11.2.6 would be wise to make the move sooner rather than later. If you missed iOS 11.3, your iOS 11.4.1 update also includes a new privacy feature. When an Apple feature wants to use your personal information, an icon now appears with a link to access detailed information about how your data will be used and protected. If you're running iOS 11.2.5 or older, you're currently exposed to an issue that lets people send a specific character that will crash an iOS-powered device and block access to the Messages app. It can also block apps like Facebook Messenger, Gmail, Outlook, and WhatsApp. The iOS 11.2.6 update's main purpose was to patch up this issue. If you skipped iOS 11.2.6, you'll get these enhancements with iOS 11.4.1. If you skipped iOS 11.2.5, you'll get 10 additional security patches including one for the malicious chaiOS link exploit. If you're running iOS 11.2.2 or below and receive a certain GitHub link through your Messages app, your iPhone or iPad can lockup or respring. The Messages app will also become unusable. If you're on iOS 11.2.1, your iOS 11.4.1 update includes security improvements to Safari and WebKit to mitigate the effects of Spectre. Apple's iOS 11.2 update fixed several problems, but it also brought problems of its own including a potentially nasty zero-day iOS HomeKit vulnerability. The vulnerability, discovered by Tian Zhang, allowed for unauthorized control of HomeKit accessories including garage door openers and smart locks. Apple quickly rolled out a server-side fix, but the company restored full functionality with the release of iOS 11.2.1. If you skipped iOS 11.2.1 and use HomeKit, you should download iOS 11.4.1 right now. If you skipped iOS 11.2, you'll get a few more patches with your iOS 11.4.1 update. Apple's iOS 11.2 update delivered 11 patches including one for Mail and one for Wi-Fi. The iOS 11.2 and iOS 11.2.1 updates also patched up a widespread security issue called "Meltdown." Apple says its analysis suggests it "has the most potential to be exploited." Meltdown affects all iOS 11 powered devices so we highly recommend downloading iOS 11.4.1 if you skipped iOS 11.2. If you skipped iOS 11.1.2, iOS 11.1.1, and iOS 11.1, you'll get additional patches with your iOS 11.4.1 update. The iOS 11.1 update delivered eight security patches including a fix for a serious Wi-Fi vulnerability called KRACK or Key Reinstallation Attack. KRACK is an exploit that targets the common WPA2 encryption protocol. If you're just now making to move from iOS 10 (or whatever you're on) to iOS 11, your iOS 11.4.1 update will come with even more security-related features. Apple's first iOS 11 update delivered several patches for potential exploits. iOS 11 also comes with new security features aimed at keeping your data safe. In iOS 11 you can't establish trust with a PC using fingerprints alone. You'll also need to put in a full passcode in order to gain that trust. If you want to protect the data you store on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you should make your move to the latest version of iOS. This is particularly important for those of you running older versions of iOS.

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