In iOS 14, iPhone owners have received one of the best generational upgrades in years, but it is far from bug free. And now Apple has just confirmed a number of serious problems for upgraders.
Apple’s current iPhone range: from left to right:[+]
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MORE FROM FORBESApple iOS 14 Has 25 Great Secret FeaturesBy Gordon Kelly
In an official post, Apple reveals seven significant data and battery-related problems with iOS 14 and watchOS 7, and the company states the only fix is to “erase all content and settings from your iPhone”.
Breaking these down, Apple classifies six as related to its Activity, Health and Fitness apps as well as the broader problem of “Increased battery drain on your iPhone or Apple Watch.” The latter will not be a surprise to anyone who has seen the growing number of complaints directed at the company’s @AppleSupport Twitter account since iOS 14 was released. Some examples:
“@AppleSupport Whoa. iOs 14.0.1 major battery drain, days later. Whyyyyyyyy? Sigh. Hate having to recharge mid-day again.” – source
“@AppleSupport … good grief! iOS 14.0.1 … the battery life drain … you’re killing me with this. My brand new phone and I can’t take [it] anymore!” – source
“The battery drain with the iOS 14 update is ridiculous, feel like I shouldn’t have done it. comeeee on @Apple @AppleSupport” – source
“The battery drain is unbelievable in iOS 14. Do something @AppleSupport @Apple” – source
“@AppleSupport Updated iOS 14 on iPhone major battery drain and overheating. Pls help?” – source
Apple’s iPhone 12 range will have smaller[+]
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On the plus side, Apple’s belief that these problems can be fixed without an iOS update is good news. That said, a complete data wipe is also the nuclear option, so Apple is not messing around. At this stage, it is unclear how effective this solution has been for affected users but I would also be amazed if iOS 14.0.2 is not being fast tracked as we speak.
Battery drain has been a persistent bugbear for iPhone owners in recent years, and that looks unlikely to change given Apple’s risky decision to launch the iPhone 12 range with smaller batteries than their equivalent iPhone 11 models. This seems particularly strange given the new iPhones are also equipped with Qualcomm’s power hungry 5G modems – hardware that has forced rivals to fit larger batteries just to stand still.
Will Apple get away with this gamble? With the launch date fast approaching, we won’t have to wait much longer to find out.
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Apple iOS 14 Has 25 Great Secret Features
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I am an experienced freelance technology journalist. I have written for Wired, The Next Web, TrustedReviews, The Guardian and the BBC in addition to Forbes. I began in b2b print journalism covering tech companies at the height of the dot com boom and switched to covering consumer technology as the iPod began to take off. A career highlight for me was being a founding member of TrustedReviews. It started in 2003 and we were repeatedly told websites could not compete with print! Within four years we were purchased by IPC Media (Time Warner's publishing division) to become its flagship tech title. What fascinates me are the machinations of technology's biggest companies. Got a pitch, tip or leak? Contact me on my professionalFacebook page. I don't bite
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