iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.3 Update: 5 Reasons It’s Worth Installing Now

Apple’s iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.3 update is the device’s sixth iOS update since launch and it’s an update that I’ve been using for a solid month now. After using the iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.3 update for just over a month now, there are some reasons why I think you should consider installing it today.

A month ago, Apple finally delivered its iOS 8.1.3 update to iPhone and iPad users. It was an update that I, and many other iPhone 6 users, had been looking forward to. While my iOS 8 experience on the iPhone 6 has for the most part been very solid, I’ve been dealing with a few nagging iOS 8 problems. I have a feeling that many iPhone 6 users can relate.

Since launch, I’ve been experiencing two frustrating problems in particular. One, a sporadic issue with my Wi-Fi connectivity where it just drops the signal for no apparent reason. The other, an issue where the iPhone 6 gets stuck in landscape mode. They aren’t deal-breakers but they are annoying, especially the Wi-Fi problem. I no longer have unlimited data and using LTE eats into my precious monthly data pool.

iOS Wi-Fi problems are well-documented and I’ve spoken to several people, including various colleagues, who have experienced the pesky landscape problems on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. So, when iOS 8.1.3 arrived, I was pretty excited and better yet, hopeful.

Its been about a month since I got the iOS 8.1.3 update on board the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 is my daily driver and a phone that rarely leaves my side. I use it a lot. After a month of use, I’ve grown to love iOS 8.1.3 for the iPhone 6, so much so, that I think for most of you, it’s an update that’s worth installing 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 6.

It Comes With Small but Key Bug Fixes

iOS 8.1.3 is an incremental update but it comes with some crucial bug fixes. If you haven’t seen the iOS 8.1.3 change log, you can find it here. Included in this update is a fix for “an issue that prevented some users from entering their Apple ID password for Messages and FaceTime.” While I’ve never run into this issue myself, it’s a crucial fix for iPhone 6 users.

There’s also another fix that I am thrilled about. If you’ve ever used Spotlight to search for an app on the iPhone 6, you may have noticed that results often did not list a shortcut to that application. I ran into this issues several times though it would always work itself out.

iOS 8.1.3 introduces a permanent fix for this issues and boy have I appreciated it. I have tons of applications on my iPhone 6 and I often forget where they’re located. Spotlight, which is accessed with a swipe from the top of the display, allows me to instantly open up apps that I can’t find. It also allows me to be lazy if I want to be.

These are both key fixes but I think the latter one is a huge reason to upgrade to iOS 8.1.3. I recommend getting into a habit of using Spotlight, especially if you have tons of apps on the iPhone 6 like I do. It makes life with the iPhone a whole lot easier.

Potential for Fixes

Now, iOS 8.1.3’s change log isn’t massive and it doesn’t come with any fixes that are specific for the iPhone 6. That said, those of you who are experiencing problems on iOS 8.1.2 and below would be wise to make the jump up to iOS 8.1.3.

Neither I, nor any of my colleagues, have run into any major problems with the iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.3 update. It’s an extremely stable update. In fact, it appears to have wiped out the landscape problems and the Wi-Fi problems I’ve been seeing on the iPhone 6. It took nearly two weeks for those problems to vanish but vanish they have.

My point, in case it went over your head, is that iOS 8.1.3 has the potential to fix iOS 8 problems that aren’t listed on the official change log. This is not uncommon. iOS 8.1.3 isn’t guaranteed to solve all of your iOS 8 issues but the potential, in my eyes, makes it worth the risk.

If it doesn’t, I’ve put together a list of common problems and fixes that you can lean on ahead of the iOS 8.2 update. I doubt you’ll need them, iOS 8.1.3 is excellent, but keep that in mind just in case.

If You Own a 16GB iPhone 6

If you aren’t having problems, consider this. One of iOS 8.1.3’s features is a reduction to the “amount of storage required to perform a software update.” That’s a huge fix, especially for 16GB iPhone 6 users who are running out of space. If you have a 16GB iPhone 6, 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. Rumors point to March but that remains unconfirmed. 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.

This is 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 with iOS 8.2 just a few weeks away. Especially with iOS 8.1.3 as stable as it is a month after its release. Trust me. You don’t want to have to deal with the hassle of using iTunes or deleting files to make room for iOS 8.2.

You’re Not Planning to Jailbreak

When Apple released iOS 8.1.3, the change log didn’t go into depth about the security enhancements it brought with it. Well, Apple’s website runs them down in great detail and there are a grand total of 21 security updates included in iOS 8.1.3. There’s even a fix for a potential security problem on the App Store.

The security fixes plug up the iOS 8.1.2 jailbreak but if you’re not going to jailbreak your iPhone 6, you’d be wise to get these security enhancements on board your iPhone 6, especially if you keep sensitive material on board. Yes, malware can affect the iPhone.

If You’re Still on iOS 8.0

If you haven’t made the jump from iOS 8.0 to iOS 8.1, because you’re lazy or because you’ve been scared, I think that right now is the perfect time to make the move. Especially if you plan to buy the Apple Watch to pair with the iPhone 6.

iOS 8.1 brought Apple Pay to the iPhone 6. Apple Pay is Apple’s mobile payment service that takes advantage of near-field communication technology embedded in the iPhone 6. In other words, it allows you to easily pay for products and services with your phone. I absolutely love the service. It’s simple, fast and best of all, it’s not confusing. Apple Pay is only getting bigger too.

The feature will be one of the key components of the Apple Watch, Apple’s new smartwatch that we’ll be able to pair to our iPhone 6. If you aren’t familiar with Apple Pay yet, make the move iOS 8.1.3. That way, you can get acclimated to the service before you buy, or think about buying, Apple’s new smartwatch.