Articles about iOS 8

Every major iOS release seems to come with some annoying bugs these days. In the case of iOS 9.3, users have reported crippling activation errors and crashes and hangs in some of the built-in apps, leading Apple to release updated builds. However, despite these problems, iOS 9.3 seems to be very reliable.

According to a new report by Apteligent, iOS 9.3 is actually the most stable iOS release since iOS 8. Its crash rate stands at 2.2 percent, besting iOS 9.2, iOS 9.1, iOS 9 and iOS 8 over an eight-day period. Not only that, but iOS 9.3 is also claimed to be more stable than Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

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At the 2015 RSA Conference, security researchers from Skycure showcased a new iOS 8 vulnerability which, if properly exploited, can send iPhones and iPads connected to a malicious hotspot into a reboot loop. The vulnerability affects both the operating system as well as apps which use SSL to communicate.

All that an attacker has to do to exploit the vulnerability is to set up a router in a "specific configuration", and allow anyone to connect (basically make it an open hotspot). The iOS 8 devices that connect will be affected, without the attacker having to have access to them.

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When I first pondered leaving Windows Phone behind, I imagined it would be for an Android flagship. It made sense. Android is, after all, much more permissive, has way more apps, and is available in a larger variety of smartphone flavors. And Google is committed to improving the operating system, launching at least one major update a year. Also, I use a Google Nexus 7 as my every day tablet; an Android smartphone would be a perfect fit. But things change.

Apple finally came up with bigger iPhones last year, and the prospect of ditching Windows Phone for a new iPhone suddenly became irresistible. It didn't hurt that iOS 8 dropped some of the annoying restrictions of its predecessors. Ultimately, I ended up with an iPhone 6 Plus. And, after two years of Windows Phones, using Apple's phablet as my daily driver can only be described as liberating.

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Having to type in a password every time to unlock your Mac is recommended practice, but it is also a nuisance. Since ditching the password is a bad idea, from a security standpoint, you are not left with many options to make life easier. But, there is a way you can have your cake and eat it too.

You can set up your Mac to automatically unlock when it detects your iPhone nearby. You still get to enjoy the benefits that come from having a password, but without having to put any effort into it. And you can do that using Tether, touted to be "the wireless leash to your Mac".

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Yesterday, I told you that Android users may be affected by malware even if they only use Google Play to get apps. Three popular, adware-riddled, titles made it past Google's security checks, remaining undetected for months -- in fact, they may still be affecting users as we speak. And if you believe that iOS is safe, you might want to reconsider. New malware has been found, affecting iOS users even if they haven't jailbroken their device. Is there nothing that's safe anymore?

Security firm Trend Micro has uncovered the malware as part of an investigation into Operation Pawn Storm, a cyber-espionage operation with economic and political targets. It is designed to steal personal information, like contact lists, geo-location data, photos, text messages and more. The malware affects both iOS 7 and iOS 8, which are found on 97 percent of Apple's mobile devices.

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It's at this time of year that many people start a diet -- and it's something that Apple might want to think about as well. Two US men are suing Apple because they believe iOS 8 is too big. Or, as the lawsuit puts it, uses an "unexpectedly large percentage of the storage capacity on 8 GB and 16 GB iPhones, iPads and iPods".

Paul Orshan and Christopher Endara complain that Apple failed to warn users that upgrading to the latest version of iOS could mean filling up to 23.1 percent of the available storage space. The lawsuit goes on to suggest that Apple is using the fact that users are likely to run out of space to push its iCloud storage service.

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Even though iOS 8.0 has received four updates since launching in mid-September, which have introduced new features, but also squashed quite a few (nasty) bugs, the latest incarnation of the popular mobile operating system still has its fair share of issues. To change that, Apple just introduced iOS 8.1.2.

Maybe fifth time's the charm, right? Well, that depends on what sort of issues you have been having, even while on iOS 8.1.1, because, according to the information provided by Apple, this update only fixes a single noteworthy problem.

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For those of you who have made the commitment of purchasing the new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, you’ve probably spent a fair bit of time figuring out all the cool tricks and shortcuts that they offer. The same may also be true for anyone who has recently upgraded to Apple’s new operating system, iOS 8.1.

However, there are always a few secrets that slip under the radar. With that in mind, here are 11 tips and tricks for your iPhone 6 and iOS 8.1 that you may not know yet, but definitely should.

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An enterprising Chinese hacker has decided to ditch iOS 8 from his new iPhone 6 Plus, and instead run… Windows 98.

Yes, Microsoft’s venerable desktop OS runs quite readily on Apple’s new phablet by all accounts, even if there isn’t much point to installing an old incarnation of Windows on a modern smartphone.

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The iPhone 6 and iOS 8 have well and truly captured the public's imagination. The opening weekend sales of the latest iPhone were the best ever for a new Apple model, selling close to 10 million units, and over 52 percent of existing Apple users have upgraded to iOS 8.

Consumer adoption is bound to spill into the enterprise, just like with every other iPhone, but when it does, what new features will enterprise developers have at their disposal when developing for Apple's latest hardware and software? After sifting through over 4000 new APIs, here are the top highlights for enterprise developers.

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The new iPhone, as every smartphone fan knows by now, is not in fact one phone, but two. And unlike last time Apple launched two handsets at once, this time you don't have to choose between a cut down version (the iPhone 5c) or a full-fat version (the iPhone 5s).

This time, while there are some differences between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, apart from screen size they are subtle ones, and your choice is primarily about size -- do you want a 4.7-inch screen or a 5.5-inch one? This review is of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, kindly provided by Three -- our review of the iPhone 6 Plus will follow.

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Apple and Google do not want the US Government to be able to access your private data, even when search warrants are involved. It's a bold stand they're taking, which has been applauded by privacy advocates and, quite probably, criminals as well. But, guess what? That does not sit well with the authorities. FBI Director James Comey is troubled by the idea that the all-mighty agency that he runs can be stopped dead in its tracks when trying to see your intimate photos, videos and whatnot. Imagine that.

Here's what the fuss is all about. If encryption is turned on, the encryption key, that is needed in order to access the data that is stored on an Android or iOS 8 device, is in the user's control, instead of Google's or Apple's. As such, this allows the companies to be unable to comply with search warrants. It's clever: you can't give what you don't have.

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Apple makes amazing products and software, but every company is bound to make a mistake. Unfortunately, iOS 8.0.1 was quite the doozy. You see, the update crippled the brand new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus by taking away the ability to make phone calls and use the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Apple was responsible however, and pulled the update very quickly. Before the update was removed, many people had already applied it and found themselves in dire straits.

Losing the ability to make phone calls is not only annoying but extremely dangerous too. Forget about the teens that just want to talk about gossip and the mall, and consider medical professionals that depend on communication or a stranded mother on the side of the road. Today, Apple rights a wrong and releases iOS 8.0.2 which undoes the damage of the previous release and introduces other bug fixes too. Kudos to the company for fixing the bug so quickly.

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Apple is now advising its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus-toting customers to downgrade from iOS 8.0.1, which was only introduced yesterday, because the latest version of its mobile operating system contains some pretty nasty bugs that ruin the user experience.

Apple publicly admits that installing iOS 8.0.1 on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may lead to a loss of cellular service and the inability to make use of Touch ID, neither of which plagues iOS 8. The older iteration, which was rolled out on September 17, is not without bugs, however Apple would rather you run into them again over not being able to make calls and use the fingerprint scanner.

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Apple’s iOS is an amazing operating system. When iOS 7 came out last year, people were thrilled to discover it made their iPhones waterproof. And iOS 8 is no less magical, as it comes with a new 'Wave' feature which lets users recharge a phone in just two minutes, simply by microwaving it.

Of course, neither the waterproofing nor the new super-quick charging feature is true, it’s just a practical joke spreading across the internet, but some poor fools could well fall for it.

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