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Apple Working on a Fix for iOS 9.3 Web Links Crashing Issue

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Apple has confirmed that it is aware of an issue causing web links to crash in multiple iOS apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages, reports TechCrunch. Following multiple complaints about the bug over the past few days, Apple says it is working on a fix that will be released "soon" via a software update.

Shortly after the release of iOS 9.3, iPhone and iPad users began complaining about a bug that causes multiple built-in and third-party apps to crash or freeze after a web link is tapped or pressed using a long press. The issue does not affect all users, but based on threads in the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support Communities, it is impacting a wide range of iOS users and a long list of iOS devices including the iPhone 5, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, iPad Air 2, and iPad mini.


The specific cause for the issue is still unconfirmed, but there is speculation that it is related to Apple's Universal Links feature. According to mobile specialist Ben Collier, the Shared Web Credentials daemon, which allows apps and websites to share login credentials for Universal Linking purposes, may be a factor.

Apps with large deep linking files for use with Universal Linking could also be causing the problem, as many users who had installed the Booking.com app have experienced crashing and freezing issues. The Booking.com app, though now fixed, was originally using an overly large 2.3MB deep linking file.

While there is no fix for the crashing issue, some users have had success turning off JavaScript in the Settings app by going to Safari --> Advanced, but this is a suboptimal option because it will degrade the web browsing experience. Force closing affected apps and restarting the iOS device does not solve the problem.

The web links fix may be bundled into iOS 9.3.1, which Apple is already working on. Over the last few days, we've seen an increasing number of visits from devices running iOS 9.3.1, suggesting Apple has sped up testing on the update.

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The web linking bug is the second major bug to affect iOS 9.3 users. The first rendered some older devices unusable due to a problem with Activation Lock, which required customers to enter the information originally used to set up their iPhone or iPad. Apple issued a new version of iOS 9.3 on Monday to fix the issue.

Article Link: Apple Working on a Fix for iOS 9.3 Web Links Crashing Issue
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/29/apple-working-on-fix-9-3-web-links-crashing-bug/
I'm curious to understand what was changed from the last beta to the final release to have caused this issue. I think Apple has relied too much on its outside beta testing program and has not done enough thorough internal alpha and beta tests. Who is finalising the design of Apple products-- Apple or random users in the public beta program? With Apple's resources, a whole department of testers using all combinations of devices against a combination of apps should be testing iOS to perfection. Only then release to public testers. Why the nonsense with so many multiple seeds? Ridiculous. iOS is a complex system software, so it requires fine grained internal testing to perfection first.
 
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Give Apple some credit. It takes time to perfect code, and its not always easy to write in the first place.

Yes, they should have kept it in beta longer or worked on it more exclusively, but thats another story.
And yes, these things can appear after release rather than in the beta process.
 
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smacrumon said:
I'm curious to understand what was changed from the last beta to the final release to have caused this issue. I think Apple has relied too much on its outside beta testing program and has not done enough thorough internal alpha and beta tests. Who is finalising the design of Apple products-- Apple or random users in the public beta program? With Apple's resources, a whole department of testers using all combinations of devices against a combination of apps should be testing iOS to perfection. Only then release to public testers. Why the nonsense with so many multiple seeds? Ridiculous. iOS is a complex system software, so it requires fine grained internal testing to perfection first.
Click to expand...
This issue exists in versions prior to iOS 9.3 as well.
 
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Sirious said:
Give Apple some credit. It takes time to perfect code, and its not always easy to write in the first place.

Yes, they should have kept it in beta longer or worked on it more exclusively, but thats another story.
Click to expand...
Might not have been found there either even with a longer beta. Some things just surface when they surface. Most people don't realize that about software or don't want to believe it, but that's the reality.
 
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cjducasse said:
For as long as this has been in beta, it's really unacceptable. I'm not affected, I hardly use bookmarks because I can navigate manually faster than I can scroll through a list of links to identify the page I want… but geez.
Click to expand...

Has nothing to do with "bookmarks" as such, you click on a link in a webpage and some of them crashes/freezes safari. Happens on my iPad Air, all beta's were fine, but the final update screwed it up for me.
 
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C DM said:
Might not have been found there either even with a longer beta. Some things just surface when they surface. Most people don't realize that about software or don't want to believe it, but that's the reality.
Click to expand...
Bingo! - 9.3 was the most tested of their releases and in our 200+ devices we rolled out in our company, we have not encounter this issue. Obviously 200 users and millions are a different story so I don't doubt there is an issue that needs to be fixed.
 
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This bug is not exclusive to devices running 9.3. It has everything to do with installed third party apps.
 
Sirious said:
Give Apple some credit. It takes time to perfect code, and its not always easy to write in the first place.

Yes, they should have kept it in beta longer or worked on it more exclusively, but thats another story.
And yes, these things can appear after release rather than in the beta process.
Click to expand...

Why? Writing code isn't new---Apples been doing it for a very long time. My issue is that these types of problems are becoming the norm vs. the exception. This release has been in beta for months yet we first see a bad version on 9.3 for older devices and now this.

Apple's reputation for polished software is getting a bit tarnished in my opinion.
 
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Kaibelf said:
Quit being dramatic. It seems to be limited to people using the booking.com app or perhaps a small subset of apps, but it's clearly not that widespread. That's not a "huge number" and the devices are not "useless." Why do you insist on exaggerating so much? Remember that video a while back where the woman didn't have an appointment at the genius bar and lost it, screaming about her outrage and trying to make a scene and ended up looking like a weirdo? Yeah, that.
Click to expand...

hans1972 said:
So how many percentage of the approx. 800 million iOS devices in active use is affected?
Would you say less than 0,2%, like a million devices?
Click to expand...

CurryPanda said:
I swear news like this all over is just click-bait as usual. Gotta get that ad revenue somehow, right? ;) And, 700+ comments? Jeez louise. Now, I'm not defending the issues with the update, and bringing down the people experiencing problems. But, in the grand scheme of things, I believe the problem isn't as widespread as people are saying. Thankfully, I haven't experienced any of these issues. *knock on wood* But, its good Apple has fixed, and helping out the people having these problems.
Click to expand...

macfacts said:
I know lots of people are complaining, just like lots of people complained about bent iphones (bendgate) before but Apple's official response was only 9 people complained. :)
Click to expand...

Great job guys, I'll keep on following you. Too much fun
 
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tbayrgs said:
Why? Writing code isn't new---Apples been doing it for a very long time. My issue is that these types of problems are becoming the norm vs. the exception. This release has been in beta for months yet we first see a bad version on 9.3 for older devices and now this.

Apple's reputation for polished software is getting a bit tarnished in my opinion.
Click to expand...

This bug had NOTHING to do with the iOS 9.3 update. It just so happens that Booking.com released their update two days after the 9.3 update came out. The Booking.com app was installed on one of my devices that was affected, but luckily I had deleted it from my phone.
 
iBluetooth said:
This bug had NOTHING to do with the iOS 9.3 update. It just so happens that Booking.com released their update two days after the 9.3 update came out. The Booking.com app was installed on one of my devices that was affected, but luckily I had deleted it from my phone.
Click to expand...

That's not the point but rather that we're started to see significant software bugs almost regularly with all of Apple's software updates.

Of course bugs happen but they are far more prevalent in Apple's software than in the past.
 
As opposed to "Apple NOT working on a fix for iOS 9.3 ... crashing issue"?! Nice headline!

JFF! (Just For Fun)
 
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I've been lucky enough to have 9.3 and all of my apps - including all of the the Pβs - play very nice. Hopefully the next update gives everyone affected some relief.
 
Wait for 9.3.1... Are they serious? I haven't been able to use Safari on my iPhone 6s going on 4 days now. This is completely unacceptable. It's a shame that Apple software quality has fallen so much.

9.3.1 should be a quick fix for this issue. 9.3.2 needs to be slowed way down and tested much more thoroughly for any issues.
 
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Tomapple said:
Big Apple fun, but the amount of bugs recently is getting annoying. WTF is happening? Shame on you Apple!
Click to expand...
There were issues of all kinds in previous versions of iOS and iPhone OS as well. With the OS becoming more complex and larger and the list of supported devices growing and growing along with the apps and the number of users, all that will contribute to more potential issues being present and/or noticed. It's not to say that there isn't something in addition to that as far as Apple needing better/more development and quality control, but even that won't make it so that there aren't issues present, including some big ones sometimes, or that various people will still complain about this or that.
 
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