Apple Confirms iOS 16 Bug Impacting New Device Activation as iPhone 14 Orders Begin to Arrive

[UltimateSyn]

Yes, via a mac or pc upon restoring

Thank you

 

[winxmac]

So only iPhone 14 series are affected and not the older models that have iOS 16.0 out of the box?

 

[sorgo †]

Sure, but can you even install a new iOS update before activation?

Yes, via a mac or pc upon restoring

Is there a way to update before you begin activation?

Or you can just set up manually without transferring any data/signing in to iCloud/restoring backups so that you can get into the phone and update (maybe download a profile first if you want to be on the beta train), and then once that is done wipe the device and set up as you would normally, transferring data directly from your old device or restoring a backup. And again, if being on the beta is your MO (as it is mine), you can reinstall the proper profile since a full system wipe erases it.

I prefer this method since you don’t have to be tethered to a computer; all you need is your old device (if transferring its data/eSIM) and a wifi connection.

 

[dms_91]

Or you can just set up manually without transferring any data/signing in to iCloud/restoring backups so that you can get into the phone and update (maybe download a profile first if you want to be on the beta train), and then once that is done wipe the device and set up as you would normally, transferring data directly from your old device or restoring a backup. And again, if being on the beta is your MO (as it is mine), you can reinstall the proper profile since a full system wipe erases it.

I prefer this method since you don’t have to be tethered to a computer; all you need is your old device (if transferring its data/eSIM) and a wifi connection.

True!

 

[fanboy05]

They made and shipped a billion phones and NO ONE thought to make sure the phones would activate upon arrival? WTH

 

[gmanist1000]

What an absolute embarrassment that you have to plug your phone into a computer in 2022 to activate it. Apple should be ashamed they couldn’t get this working before they loaded it with iOS 16.

 

[efktd]

LOL. Connect to iTunes is the solution? So much for that post PC era that was bragged about like what, in iOS5?
Scot Forstall is rolling his eyes right now

And this is Apple. I'm readying the popcorn when it's time for the carriers' servers failures.

I'm glad you pointed this out, this headline about iTunes was the attention grabber! And bonus points for finding the keynote presentation that 'cable free' was noted as a feature. And probably more bonus points with Scott Forstall in the pic haha.

But wording it as iTunes, really? How many (old) people are going to be looking for whatever this iTunes thing is... sheesh.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple already stated that they are launching the 16.0.1 update..

But iOS 16.0.1 doesnt exist during iPhone manufacturing period, which is the whole point of this activation issue. Not everyone has a computer of any sort nowadays.

In short, there should not be any software update before activation. But that’s not the case this time.

 

[DocMultimedia]

I'm glad you pointed this out, this headline about iTunes was the attention grabber! And bonus points for finding the keynote presentation that 'cable free' was noted as a feature. And probably more bonus points with Scott Forstall in the pic haha.

But wording it as iTunes, really? How many (old) people are going to be looking for whatever this iTunes thing is... sheesh.

And is iTunes still a product? I thought it is now just called Music. Does that even connect to iPhones? I'm a geek and I haven't had to connect my iPhone in many years and don't actually remember how it works.

Will I need to connect a floppy drive? /s (partially lol)

 

[FrankieG889D]

Ok, so update to beta 16.1 now?

Get iPhone 14, install beta 16.1, restore from cloud that way?

I normally have to restore and jump on beta anyhow… not ideal for most but seems simple if 16.0.1 is the issue

 

[chips99]

1. Harder for employees to access iPhone 14 prototypes to test features while working from home. In office, anyone can probably just walk up to a station and start testing their team's features immediately. Work from home means they must be mailed updated iPhone 14 prototypes contstantly to test. Knowing Apple's extreme secrecy, they might limit shipping iPhone prototypes in the mail just in case they got lost. So the guy who was suppose to test this feature might have not even received a prototype.

2. Lack of good communication for work from home means something like this could have been missed

3. Employees slacking off at home instead of working

4. Employees are less engaged while working from home, leading to carelessness like this

5. Employees are too busy playing with their cats, distracted by their kids, distracted by people in a coffee shop if they are working there, distracted by a video game they have opened on the other screen, etc.

6. The guy who was supposed to write an automated integration test for this was too drunk on his margarita while "working" from the beach.

Probably dozens more reasons.

These obvious and silly mistakes are becoming far more common. It is as if work from home employees do the bare minimum.

None of us here have data on Apple employee productivity, creativity, and engagement level. Only high-level Apple executives do have this data.

But we do have two pieces of evidence that working from home isn't working for Apple:

1. Tim Took and the rest of the exec team are adamant that employees must return to office
2. Poor product and software quality and a lot of delays

And please, don't tell me that Tim Cook wants employees back in the office because he wants to fill his billion dollar spaceship office. He doesn't give a damn about the spaceship office if his employees are actually more productivitive. Clearly, they aren't more productive.

Wow it seems like everything you say here is contradictory to nearly all the studies I've read that productivity has actually gone UP since people are at home and working and not having to spend hours each week on a commute into offices just for the sake of showing face to other people.

I suspect as has been written in articles since all of this started - many of these staunch gotta get back to work full time in office no exception and no flexibility "leaders" actually internally have a power problem by feeling they only can get work out of their employees by using fear and control over them as a motivator. That will never work in the long term and burnout and cause employees to quit. Many of these middle and low level managers found out very quickly during the pandemic that their teams are rather autonomous and work quite well together and can get things done. It's those folks who fear people not returning to the office, because let's face it, if people can work together and get things done on time - they really don't need middle level managers to "babysit" them and then what are they doing all day and are they really needed?

 

[chips99]

And is iTunes still a product? I thought it is now just called Music. Does that even connect to iPhones? I'm a geek and I haven't had to connect my iPhone in many years and don't actually remember how it works.

Will I need to connect a floppy drive? /s (partially lol)

iTunes is still used on PCs, but modern Macs just use Finder now.

 

[svish]

Hope it is not a widespread issue.

 

[senttoschool]

Wow it seems like everything you say here is contradictory to nearly all the studies I've read that productivity has actually gone UP since people are at home and working and not having to spend hours each week on a commute into offices just for the sake of showing face to other people.

All those studies were questionaires done by employees. You think these employees will tell you the truth?

We can clearly see that real companies, with real data on their employees, want their employees back. Facebook, Google, Apple are all data-driven companies. If they're asking their employees to return, it's because they have real data that tells them they should.

 

[chips99]

But iOS 16.0.1 doesnt exist during iPhone manufacturing period, which is the whole point of this activation issue. Not everyone has a computer of any sort nowadays.

In short, there should not be any software update before activation. But that’s not the case this time.

Because of the lead time to manufacture phones, there will likely always be a day one update needed for iPhones going forward. The iOS 16 build that is on these phones is essentially a late beta because they were starting to be assembled back over the summer.

The 16.0.1 update brings it to the Gold Master version of iOS 16.

 

[GraXXoR]

They’ve made a right pig’s ear of it this year.

Have they, though, really?
In Japan rollout is already underway.
Not seeing much anger or negative feedback so far this morning.

 

[_Spinn_]

Ouch. This is not good.

 

[Kkspire]

it will, but to activate eSIM you need wifi lol

Not true at all.

iPhone 14 models that are eSIM only can activate without a Wi-Fi network, so we their activation article.

 

[Nde]

Can't wait for the Apple car that requires iTunes to activate.

Dude. You got it all wrong. You need to connect your apple car with a usb cable and boot the car in recovery mode by using an ipsw file. And make sure you also have the latest iTunes.

 

[efktd]

And is iTunes still a product? I thought it is now just called Music. Does that even connect to iPhones? I'm a geek and I haven't had to connect my iPhone in many years and don't actually remember how it works.

Will I need to connect a floppy drive? /s (partially lol)

Imagine if you'd have to download 16.0.1 on a computer, transfer that to a usb stick (with lightning support) and plug it into the iPhone to be able to load and boot... holy crap.

 

[I7guy]

iPhones have had eSIM since the Xs.
This is more like iOS16 bug as it is fixed with 16.0.1.
Still, for a company that keeps bragging about software and hardware, and post PC era, it's embarrassing.

Not embarrassing at all. **** happens and life goes on.

 

[Sydnxt]

ok. Did you have to transfer your eSIM via restore/Bluetooth? I’m guessing since activation got messed up that didn’t transfer over…

Australia doesn’t support Esim transfer, I contacted my carrier and they texted me a link with my new Esim.

 

[GadgetBen]

I think you should be more clear and emphasise more detail in your headline and story on ‘open’ networks. A lot of people confusing this with home networking.

 

[ian87w]

Dude. You got it all wrong. You need to connect your apple car with a usb cable and boot the car in recovery mode by using an ipsw file. And make sure you also have the latest iTunes.

And of course, the port for activation is located underneath the car, maintaining the Apple design language. 😂

 

[fcs132]

All those studies were questionaires done by employees. You think these employees will tell you the truth?

We can clearly see that real companies, with real data on their employees, want their employees back. Facebook, Google, Apple are all data-driven companies. If they're asking their employees to return, it's because they have real data that tells them they should.

Google is Hybrid. Meta doesn’t care at atm. Amazon fully WFH, team based. i’m a software dev, WLB has been less rn than before pandemic. We’re working harder and later than ever. If you want to point the blame at anything it’s Apple’s comically low TC (Total Compensation) compared to the rest of the industry. You have microsoft paying more than Apple for engineers. If they want top tier talent & software they’re going to need to start matching other companies. Talented devs are leaving Apple to work on the stupid sh*t like meta’s “meta verse”