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iOS 7.0.4 for iPhone 5 Review

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Last week, Apple rolled out its iOS 7.0.4 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. On the day that it arrived, we offered up our initial impressions of the software, a bug fix update that was aimed at solving an issue with FaceTime Audio. Now, after using the software extensively for the past couple of days, it’s time to take a closer look at Apple’s iOS 7.0.4 update for iPhone 5.

Since September and the arrival of iOS 7, we’ve been hearing about the issues that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners have been dealing with. Right off the bat, Apple rolled out iOS 7.0.1 and iOS 7.0.2 to take care of some of the issues that were discovered right off the bat. Several weeks later, we saw Apple roll out iOS 7.0.3, a massive bug fix update that promised to take care of a number of issues with iOS 7.

However, like many iOS updates before it, iOS 7.0.3 brought a number of issues of its own. In the weeks after iOS 7.0.3’s release, we detailed many of the issues that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners were dealing with. While some owners found relief in temporary fixes, others were hopeful for another iOS 7 bug fix update that would squash their issues permanently.

The knight in shining armor, at least in this case, was thought to be an iOS 7.0.4 update, an update that started appearing in server logs ahead of its release date. Last week, Apple delivered an iOS 7 update in the form of iOS 7.0.4, a small bug fix update that was aimed at fixing issues with Apple’s FaceTime service. It’s a small update, sure, but iOS updates are never small.

Why? Simple. Because iOS updates always have the potential to break things and make the overall experience worse for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. iOS 7.0.4 was aimed at killing bugs but there was always a chance that it could bring bugs of its own.

Last week, we offered up some initial impressions about our iOS 7.0.4 experience on the iPhone 5 and now, after spending a ton of time with the update, it’s time to take a final look at how the update is performing on last year’s iPhone.

iOS 7.0.4 Performance

Applications

One of the first things I typically look for after installing an iOS update is whether applications are broken or not. In the past, iOS updates have caused applications to start misbehaving. So far, the experience with iOS 7.0.4 has been good. My main applications which include stock Apple applications like Mail, Maps, Camera, and Photos are all performing up to par.

Third-party applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yahoo! Fantasy Football and Basketball, Spotify and SoundCloud are all working as if I was still running iOS 7.0.3. In other words, all of these applications are working flawlessly for me. Those are just a sampling of the apps I use but those are some of the biggest names.

The iPhone 5 scratches easily, and the iPhone 5S may as well.

Chrome still has stability issues though again, I don’t think that has anything to do with iOS 7.0.4. I’ve had problems with Chrome for awhile now and my hope is that Google comes up with a new bug fix update in the near future.

I can’t speak for every single application on the App Store but from the looks of things, app are playing nicely with iOS 7.0.4 and that should give those still on iOS 7.0.3 or below some peace of mind.

Battery Life

The second thing I always look for is whether battery life has taken a hit. For those that have been following along for years, you’ll remember my experiences with the iPhone 3GS and iOS 5 and iOS 6. Battery life would vary from one update to the next and often times it would start out great and then deteriorate in the days after installation.

In the case of the iPhone 5, I have never encountered these issues. My battery life has been fantastic since I picked up the phone in September of last year. That hasn’t changed with the arrival of iOS 7.0.4. I am still able to get a very full day of use out of the iPhone 5 when it I am connected to a Wi-Fi network. Of course, things go a little downhill when I am consistently using 4G LTE data but that is not out of the ordinary.

We expect Apple to hammer home an improved camera.

The key takeaway here is that the iOS 7.0.4 doesn’t appear to have any major battery drain issues. I’ve heard from a couple of iPhone owners who claim that the software introduced battery drain but again, it’s difficult to place the blame on iOS 7.0.4 at this point.

Things seem to be as good as they were in iOS 7.0.3 and below and I encourage those experiencing battery life issues in iOS 7.0.3 to give iOS 7.0.4 a shot as there don’t appear to be any issues.

Bugs

The third thing that I look for after installing an iOS update are bugs. As many iPhone owners know, iOS updates can be littered with issues, some big, some small, all frustrating. I myself experienced the iMessage bug that arrived with iOS 7.0.2 wherein I couldn’t send out iMessages to my friends and family using Apple’s iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

I also experienced random reboots on my iPhone 5 in iOS 6 though those issues disappeared after Apple rolled out the iOS 6.1 update. Point is, I’ve run into some problems with iOS updates. I’m just not experiencing any issues with iOS 7.0.4.

The iPhone 5S release date is confirmed by multiple sources for September 20th.

I’ve received tons of complaints about iOS 7.0.3 and I am just starting to see some people complain about iOS 7.0.4. Often times, bugs don’t show themselves until a few days after an update arrives so I am not surprised about the delay. Thing is, I’m not seeing any of these issues that iPhone owners are seeing. That includes a Wi-Fi bug, that includes random reboots, that includes random freezing, and that includes some of the other issues iPhone owners are complaining about on Apple’s discussion forum.

Now, again, that’s not to say that there aren’t any issues on board my iPhone 5. There could certainly be some bugs in hiding, and maybe, I just haven’t discovered them yet. But for someone that uses their smartphone as much as I do, I would think that if there were any major bugs on board iOS 7.0.4, I would have run into them. Maybe I will in a few weeks but so far, things are extremely smooth.

Connectivity

The fourth thing that I check for after a major iOS update is the connectivity. Way back when iOS 6 was first released, I saw some connectivity issues with my iPad and my iPhone 5. My iPad could not hold down a connection on known networks, something that drove me nuts, until Apple fixed it with iOS 6.1. As for my iPhone 5, I saw trade-off issues with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi in iOS 6, something that was infuriating until the issue vanished when Apple rolled out a bug fix update.

That was the last time I dealt with connectivity issues on my iPhone and iPad. The last couple of iOS 6 updates were fine and Apple’s iOS 7 updates have played nice with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE as well. I am well aware of the grayed out Wi-Fi issues that have been prevalent since iOS 6. And I am also hearing complaints about broken Wi-Fi in iOS 7.0.4. I’ve never seen either issue.

Speed

And finally, the last thing that I look for, and something that is all encompassing, is speed. Speed is an extremely important aspect of any mobile experience. Users like me want to be able to tap a folder and have the contents open quickly. They want to shift between home screens and have the animations be fluid. And users want to open an application and not have to sit and wait forever while it loads up.

ios7

Lack of speed has hampered my experience on the iPad 3. However, my experience with iOS 7.0.4 and iOS 7 in general on the iPhone 5 has been overwhelmingly positive. I saw some slow down with the initial iOS 7 update but it wasn’t anything like the lag that I am seeing with my iPad. And things have progressively gotten better.

iOS 7.0.4 is fast and fluid on my iPhone 5, just as it should be. And my hope is that iOS will retain this type of fluidity all the way until the end of the iPhone 5’s life though that may just be wishful thinking. Older iPhones tend to have issues with brand new iOS updates. I still expect a great experience from iOS 8, however.

Should You Install?

So, lets run down my iOS checklist. Applications are working normally. Battery life is still solid. I haven’t found any catastrophic bugs inside iOS 7. Connectivity is where it should be. And finally, my iPhone 5 is still running extremely fast.

At this point, it’s hard for me to say that installing iOS 7.0.4 is a bad idea. And with iOS 7.1 now the update most likely to get a jailbreak, now is probably the time to think about installing iOS 7.0.4. To me, it seems like the most stable iOS 7 update to date and for those experiencing issues in iOS 7.0.3, it’s probably worth a download.

Screenshot 2013-11-18 14.06.09

Next up for the iPhone 5 is the iOS 7.1 update, which was just seeded to developers today, and will likely be out sometime during the month of January to shore up some of the remaining issues that iPhone owners are seeing in iOS 7.0.4 and below.

24 Comments

24 Comments

  1. Hammad

    11/19/2013 at 4:10 am

    We need to sue Apple — how come we are getting all these problems during the last few weeks after this Sh-t hole IOS 7 update —-

  2. gunther

    11/19/2013 at 4:44 am

    my buddy’s step-aunt makes $75/hour on the computer. She has been unemployed for six months but last month her income was $19497 just working on the computer for a few hours. why not check here………. https://iop.li/2V3

  3. Ronnie

    11/19/2013 at 5:44 am

    Terrible update. since 7.0.4 my battery life sucks, in 2 hours standby goes from 100 to 30 percent then to 20 then dead. cant delete emails, unchecks itself before i cant hit trash and when sliding across to delete, it also goes away before it can be deleted. SUCKS

    • Andrew

      11/21/2013 at 1:42 pm

      I’m seeing the same thing where i can’t delete emails because it unchecks itself before I can hit delete. Also slide to delete isn’t working either. Very annoying.

    • Jennifer

      11/22/2013 at 10:30 am

      I am having exactly the same issues. Is there a solution???

  4. Ann Hall

    11/19/2013 at 8:06 am

    When I installed 7.0.2 the phone completely froze – back to the Genius Bar. When it was up and running I noticed that my INBOX for my Exchange emails had stopped showing emails that, in Outlook, had been redirected to folders. Previously, I could see every email that came in. Back to the Genius Bar – and then Home without resolution. This used to happen with my Blackberries . . . every time I got a new one I had to change some settings to make the redirects show up. Anybody know what to do?

  5. Nick Marcus

    11/19/2013 at 8:16 am

    Agree. Battery hog, very laggy, can’t find wifi or 4G on the road. I had thought we lost Siri in the update completely as NO response for hours but she’s back! With the news “i’m really sorry about this but I can’t take any requests right now.” Thanks Apple, you’ve lost an IPhone fan. I won’t be buying another after this IPhone5 contract expires. This is why I pay the big bucks for your phone? You people suck bigtime.

  6. Apple Sucks Now

    11/19/2013 at 10:29 am

    Got ios7.04. Battery meter read 27% today but after opening one email, the phone shut down. Low battery icon. The author hasn’t tested enough days. I got the update the day it came out and am regretting it. I didn’t notice issues with ios7.03 or earlier so I still had faith in Apple despite others complaining…until now. BTW, wife has 5S and is pissed she gets no bars/”circles” at home when I get four. What’s going on!?!?!?!

  7. Patrice

    11/19/2013 at 11:39 am

    Battery goes from 42% to 1% in approximately 1 minute. I’m over Apple…since Steve Jobs died they do nothing but crap updates. You’ve lost a longtime fan. Samsung here I come.

  8. maphead

    11/19/2013 at 2:59 pm

    This article was written by an editor? Really?
    While I was able to glean some info – I was put off by the unpolished writing. I thought I was on a personal blog because the writing is so weak.
    I’ll stick to sites that value readers enough to write well for them.

  9. mike

    11/19/2013 at 4:33 pm

    just tried to update the current ios release on my iphone4 the phone seems to have a bug. icon of itunes and charger line appear on the screen. Just sitting there motherf@#$%r.

  10. viknesh

    11/19/2013 at 8:15 pm

    in ios 7.0.4 the pictures which we copy from the pc cannot be deleted can anybody suggest me any answers
    huh

  11. Douglas Higham

    11/19/2013 at 8:46 pm

    Haven’t read others complaining of my problem since the update on Sunday: Strange up and down lines across the top of my screen that not only block a portion of my screen, but also keeps me from being able to click on any links (i.e., back buttons) at the top of my screen. Maddening!

  12. Julian Wilson

    11/20/2013 at 9:51 am

    Try this for size just downloaded 7.0.4 for iPhone 4& all the status bar icons are now at the bottom of the home screen ( they revert to the top when you open mail, safari etc) also when you wake the phone you cannot use the camera without opening the homescreen.
    Not impressed.

  13. Paul R

    11/20/2013 at 8:05 pm

    Since iOS 7.04 Sirii and Voice over periodically start on their own., even when the phone is not being used in stand by mode. Also phone shuts down after 40% when using LTE but not when using WIFI… Apple support has no answer

  14. shawn regan

    11/21/2013 at 5:20 am

    my email exchange died on me since this update , and I use this for work , emails are my life !” what is happening with APPLE ?

    • Scott H

      11/21/2013 at 7:52 pm

      Same here…the only way to update my exchange email is to reboot my iphone. Ironically my ipad is still on 7.03 and email works fine. Really wish I hadn’t updated the phone to 7.04. Any ideas about how to revert back?

  15. cpz

    11/23/2013 at 9:05 am

    Nice review https://goo.gl/TWhBxG

  16. Shawn

    11/24/2013 at 1:13 pm

    DO NOT UPDATE YOUR PHONE. It made me restore my phone to factory settings and lose everything. I called apple and they basically said sorry and could do nothing.

  17. Jean

    11/25/2013 at 11:37 am

    I don’t have any function issues with this update but I HATE the look. The screen icons look like gaudy cartoons, fine for a kid but I much prefer the more sophisticated look that Iphone/Ipad screens used to have.

  18. Emil Wennborn

    11/26/2013 at 12:27 am

    My multitask gesture feature fails sporadically. Can’t flip through open apps or even return to the home screen. At one time the homescreen was not retrievable at all and showed the background of a folder instead.

    Weird indeed. Calls for hard reboots sometimes

    Also an app started to crash whilst trying to go to its settings.

    Did not have any problems up until 7.04.

    ipad mini it is.

    :/

  19. I. Hate Spammers

    12/03/2013 at 11:33 am

    LOSER!!!

  20. Maureene

    12/03/2013 at 5:47 pm

    I am having so much trouble with the calender. I can enter an appt., but the time takes
    forever. Any suggestions?

  21. Dakota screamer

    12/24/2013 at 12:03 am

    I have an iPhone 4 16gb and I downloaded the iOS 7.04 on my phone and the first thing I start noticing is my camera app is acting up. Sometimes it will start right up others it takes it a while and I usually have to shut down the app and re open it. We’ll I think nothing about it. I leave it alone for a day and when I come back I decide I wanna take a selfie and I open up my camera app and it’s good so far but when I touch the switch camera button so I can have my front facing camera on it freezes and stays that way I’m dually noting that two days ago it was working fine but now I don’t know what happened. Is it iOS 7.04 or what?!? Please help me. I love iPhone . Also my iMessage has been acting up but I could care less because I mainly got an iPhone for the cameras and because it’s a popular phone.

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