iOS 8.1 update fixes key issues, but creates some new problems

iOS 8.1 update fixes key issues, but creates some new problems

If you’ve been putting off the iOS 8 update on your iPhone or iPad because of all the issues it had, the iOS 8.1 update should make you want to finally take the leap. Apple’s latest update comes with important improvements and bug fixes, even though some users have reported a few new problems with the update.

For starters, the update now lets you switch between 2G, 3G and LTE networks for both voice and data, giving you better control over your data usage. Other important updates include the ability to save pictures and videos to your iCloud account and to make online payments via Apple Pay. The latter, however, is available only in the US and UK.

The iOS 8.1 update also seems to have addressed some performance issues in older devices, as the iPhone 5c we’ve been using feels smoother in operation than since the original iOS 8 update. This could be a result of all the bug fixes included in the latest update, which also addresses the issue which made it difficult for iOS users to pair with other Bluetooth devices, the one that could cause screen rotation to stop working and cases where videos would sometimes not play on Safari. Also, VoiceOver now works with 3rd party keyboards. Many users seem to be happy with the latest update, going by this thread on Apple Support Communities.

While we welcome the bug fixes, the update seems to have introduced few new problems. Going by this thread on the Apple Support Community, many users are complaining that the battery drains quickly after the update. However, as some of the users have pointed out themselves, a reboot after the update resolves this problem. Others have reported that the update causes the iPhone 5s to randomly reboot.

As with most iOS updates, devices tend to revert older settings after the iOS 8.1 update. For example, location-based reminders and background app refresh settings may get reactivated. You can undo these changes by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services to revoke location access for apps or go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to toggle off apps that you don’t want to refresh in the background.

Apple’s iOS 8 update met with plenty of criticism as it came with a number of glaring problems including slower Wi-Fi speeds, sluggish performance, battery and iMessage problems. Soon after the update was rolled out, users took it to Apple forums complaining about the problems that cropped up in their iOS devices. The subsequent updates tried to fix some issues in Apple’s Healthkit app, the keyboard and the Safari web browser, but the overall performance in older devices still lagged as compared to users who had stuck to iOS 7.1.

Consequently, iOS 8 had a lukewarm adoption rate, with Apple reporting just  47% users taking to the new OS after it was rolled out. Some of the key reasons being the huge storage requirements and reports of performance issues in older devices. While the iOS 8.1 just consumes around 90MB of space, you need at least 5GB of free space to initiate the download.