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5 Reasons We Need an iOS 11.4.2 Update

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6 years ago

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There’s a good chance iOS 11.4.1 is the last version of iOS 11, but we and many others are hoping for a surprise iOS 11.4.2 release ahead of iOS 12’s arrival this fall.

In July Apple released iOS 11.4.1, a point update that fixes lingering bugs and delivers new security features to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users.

iOS 11.4.1 fixed some issues, but it’s also causing problems for many iOS 11 users. Some of these issues carried over from previous versions of iOS 11 and some of them are brand new.

We haven’t run into any catastrophic issues on our devices, but we’ve encountered some annoying bugs during our time on the update.

Apple’s closed off the iOS 11.4 downgrade which means those of you dealing with issues on iOS 11.4.1 are on your own until Apple releases a new version of iOS. Unfortunately, it could be weeks before we see a new version of iOS emerge.

Nothing is confirmed, but iOS 11.4.1 could be the final version of iOS 11. With the iOS 12 update in beta and a release getting closer, Apple’s primarily focused on its new operating system. And that’s an issue for those struggling on iOS 11.4.1. The iOS 12 release date will likely land in mid-September after Apple’s annual iPhone launch event.

Like many of you, we’re hoping Apple rolls out an iOS 11.4.2 update in August to address some of the issues on board iOS 11.4.1 and earlier versions of iOS 11.

There’s no guarantee we’ll see Apple release an iOS 11.4.2 update, especially with an iOS 11.4.2 beta missing in action, but here are a few things we’d love to see Apple fix before the release of iOS 12.

Stuck in Landscape Mode

One of the issues that plagued us on iOS 11.3.1 is back in iOS 11.4.1. And while it’s not happening as often as it once was, it’s just as annoying.

While running iOS 11.3.1, many of our devices would get stuck in landscape mode when trying to shift back to portrait mode. It’s an issue we, and many other iOS users, have dealt with and it’s not unique to iOS 11.4.1 or iOS 11.

If you’re unfamiliar with the problem, here’s how it works. After turning the phone to landscape mode and turning it back to portrait, the screen remains stuck in landscape mode. We’ve also seen it occur when using various first and third-party including Chrome and YouTube.

To fix the issue we’ve had to pull up from the right side of the iPhone X’s display and not the bottom. Occasionally, we’ve had to reset the phone to get it back to the correct orientation.

Lag & Crashes

We, many others, continue to notice UI lag on older iPhone models. It’s an issue that’s plagued devices since iOS 11’s release last September.

We’ve noticed lag on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and iPad mini 2. The lag is more prominent on the iPhone 5s and iPad mini 2 and it’s noticeable throughout the operating system.

Most of the lag we’ve encountered on the iPhone 5s and iPad mini 2 is in the form of keyboard lag, stuttering, and slow down and chop when pulling up Control Center and Notification Center.

There’s also noticeable slow down when opening up folders and apps and when dragging app icons from one folder or home screen to another.

Lag issues can be difficult to fix and often times require a factory reset. If you don’t want to factory reset and can’t wait for iOS 12’s speed improvements, take a look at our guide to fixing bad iOS 11 performance.

We’ve also seen an uptick in the number of crashes, primarily on older devices like the iPhone 6. Random reboots are extremely common iOS problems and there are a few things you can do to try to limit them on your device.

iMessage Issues

We continue to see a frustrating issue where iMessages aren’t showing up as read on the iPhone after reading them on a Mac. Even our own messages sent on a Mac to friends and family sometimes popup as new messages on the iPhone and iPad.

We’ve enabled Messages in iCloud and we’re running the latest version of macOS High Sierra on a 2016 MacBook Pro and so far, we haven’t been able to fix the issue on our own.

Occasionally, Messages sent on a Mac are shown as “Not Delivered” even though they’ve been sent out. This is a daily occurrence on our notebooks.

Battery Drain & Connectivity

Those are the most annoying bugs and performance issues we’re seeing. Here are a couple prominent issues from other iOS 11.4.1 users.

We’ve noticed an uptick in complaints about Wi-Fi connectivity and cellular data problems.

Some iOS 11.4.1 users are seeing slow Wi-FI speeds and dropped connections. Others are having problems connecting to their cellular network. We haven’t seen any of these problems on our iPhone or iPad models, at least not yet.

These can be rather tricky to fix, but here are a few fixes to try while you wait for Apple’s next version of iOS.

App Update Problems

iOS 11.4.1 is also reportedly causing problems with the App Store. Some users are having trouble accessing the store and downloading app updates.

We haven’t noticed this issue on any of our devices, but it appears it’s fairly widespread. It’s worth noting that we saw complaints about this issue from users running older versions of iOS 11.

4 Reasons Not to Install iOS 12.5.6 & 10 Reasons You Should

Install iOS 12.5.6 for Better Security

Install iOS 12.5.6 for Better Security

If you're on the fence, here's one of the best reasons to install iOS 12.5.6 right away.

iOS 12.5.6 has a vital security patch on board and it will protect your device(s) from harm. If you want the details, head over to Apple's website.

If you missed the iOS 12.5.5 update, it brought three security patches to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can learn more about the trio on Apple's security site. 

If you missed iOS 12.5.4, you'll get that update's important security upgrades with your iOS 12.5.6 update. If you're interested in the particulars, head on over to Apple's website for more.

If you skipped iOS 12.5.3, you'll get its security patches with your upgrade. Both of its patches were related to WebKit. If you want to learn more about them, head on over to Apple's security site. 

If you skipped iOS 12.5.2, you'll also get its security patch with your upgrade. You can read more about it over on Apple's website. 

If you also skipped iOS 12.5, you'll also get its patch with your upgrade. Apple's outlined the update's patch in detail on its security site. 

If you missed iOS 12.4.9, you'll also get its four security patches with your upgrade. You can read more about those right here. 

If you skipped iOS 12.4.7, you also get the update's three security patches (two for the Mail app and one for Wi-Fi) with your upgrade to iOS 12.5.6.

If you're running software that's older than Apple's iOS 12.4.4 update, you'll want to download iOS 12.5.6 in the near future because it brings iOS 12.4.4's security patch to your device. You can read about it right here.

If you're running software older than iOS 12.4.2, you'll get an its patch with your upgrade. You can read about the security contents of iOS 12.4.2 right here. 

If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.4.1, you'll get iOS 12.4.1's security patch with your iOS 12.5.6 update. You can read about that patch right here. 

If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.4, you get iOS 12.4's patches with your iOS 12.5.6 update. 

iOS 12.4 brought 19 security patches to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you're interested in the specifics, you can read about them on Apple's security site. 

If you're running software older than iOS 12.3, your iOS 12.5.6 update carries iOS 12.3's security patches on board. The iOS 12.3 update brought 23 patches and you can read about all of them right here on Apple's site. 

If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.2, you'll get iOS 12.2's security patches with your version of iOS 12.5.6.

iOS 12.2 brought a whopping 41 security patches to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can read more about the iOS 12.2's patches over on the company's website. 

It's important to note that Apple's iOS 12.2 update patched up an exploit that allowed websites to use motion sensors to "fingerprint" devices.

The exploit, discovered by researchers in Europe, uses JavaScript to snag data from a device's accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer when the user visits an infected website. If the attack is successful, a device can be tracked around the internet. 

Fortunately, Apple's patched up the issue. If you skipped it, you'll probably want to move to iOS 12.5.6 soon.

If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.4, you get four important security patches including fixes for a widespread FaceTime eavesdropping bug that lets you call someone via FaceTime and hear the audio coming from their phone before they pick up the phone.

If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.3, you get some additional patches with your version of iOS 12.5.6. Again, they're baked into your upgrade.

Apple lists a grand total of 23 patches on board iOS 12.1.3 and you can read about all of them over on Apple's website. 

If you're on software older than iOS 12.1.1, you should install the iOS 12.5.6 update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch today. 

The iOS 12.1.1 update brought 17 patches for potential security exploits. They'll will help protect your phone. You can read about them here.

If you're running software older than iOS 12.1, you'll get 24 patches from that update with your version of iOS 12.5.5.

If you're on software that's older than iOS 12.0.1, your iOS 12.5.6 update brings two additional patches. Both patches are for potential lock screen exploits.

Long story long, if you store sensitive data on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you have some really good reasons to upgrade to iOS 12.5.6 today.

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