iOS 14 Resets iPhone's Default Apps To Apple's Safari and Mail After Reboot (cnet.com) 55
Users have found a major bug in Apple's iOS 14 iPhone software. The free software upgrade, which Apple made publicly available last week, includes features many users had long asked for, such as better ways to organize apps, living programs called widgets on the home screen, and the ability to change which default apps the phone uses to browse the web or send an email. That last one doesn't appear to work. From a report: A growing chorus of Twitter users has been posting about the bug in Apple's default email and default web browser options. What happens is that whenever they set the default browser to Google's Chrome, for example, it works as expected, and tapping any link in an app or browser will open Chrome on the iPhone. But then if they restart the phone, iOS 14 changes that default back to Apple's Safari. "We are aware of an issue that can impact default email and browser settings in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. A fix will be available to users in a software update," Apple said in a statement.
Wait a second... (Score:3)
Apple would never be so evil to offer choice and then take it back... wait a second!
Re: (Score:3)
Re: Wait a second... (Score:2)
How is it clearly a bug? Evidence?
Re: (Score:2)
Internet Explorer of the 90s killed Netscape Navigator by becoming the default browser of Windows. It's about time Apple acknowledged other browsers and mail programs... but this didn't work right.
Re: (Score:3)
Could you imagine if Microsoft tried to pull that with Windows?
Re: (Score:2)
Didn't you notice that the new Edge for Windows is really Chrome with a skin now?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
In the days of IE6, there was an ActiveX Control that let a drag-and-drop VB6 operation turn IE into a new browser. A young Mozilla followed with a same-API ActiveX offering. This led the Bigfoot search engine to make the NeoPlanet browser without much effort... but then they tried to patent and failed so they acted like they had one, leading to enough hate to ruin their business. With that dangerous of a program in bad hands, the ActiveX controls were recalled.
Annoying maybe, but not a "major bug" (Score:1)
It's very annoying when some setting gets changed unexpectedly but calling this a "major bug" is overblown.
Were I opening the Jira I'd classify this as minor.
Agreed (Score:5, Insightful)
calling this a "major bug" is overblown
Agreed. Calling it a bug implies that it was a mistake.
Re: Agreed (Score:2)
Why would Apple introduce this functionality to make it fail and make Apple look bad instead of not introducing it at all? I mean, itâ(TM)s not like iOS users weren't used to not being able to choose a default browser and email client.
Re: (Score:2)
webkit & apple mail will be the only & gsu (Score:2)
webkit & apple mail will be the only & gsuit / 365 will be banned unless apple get's 30% of the sub fees
Everytime, Apple... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: Everytime, Apple... (Score:4, Interesting)
It gave you something to bitch at Apple about. Why complain?
You would gripe anyway if they didnâ(TM)t add that ability. Win win for you.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm sure you can't find any reason to buy a BMW over a Kia Rio either. They both have steering wheels and seats and a radio and stuff like that. Why in the world would someone pay a premium price for the same things?
Re: (Score:3)
I believe the original point is that many features Apple just introduced have been commonplace in the market for 5+ years.
Re: (Score:1)
Apple products are Buick, not BMW.
Re: (Score:2)
Buick is American. It's well known that Americans can't build cars.
Apple stuff is Bentley, not BMW.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Everytime, Apple... (Score:4, Interesting)
Every single time Apple releases a new product, I come across a list of "new" features and I can't comprehend why someone would shell a premium for what you already could find elsewhere years before.
What's so surprising about not wanting to be in the Google eco-system? It's not like there aren't a few good reasons for that.
Re: (Score:2)
It's not like you only have two choices. Don't want to eat at Burger King? there are healthier choices than McDonald's.
Re: Everytime, Apple... (Score:2)
Seriously? What's #3? If the answer is Microsoft then I'm going to ask the same question again.
Re: Everytime, Apple... (Score:2)
I guess his third option is going to be something like the Librem 5 or the PinePhone.
Re: (Score:2)
It's surprising because the Apple ecosystem is worse.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah? Type "Android botnet" into Google some time.
Re: (Score:2)
Results don't seem any worse than the ones for "iOS botnet".
Re: (Score:2)
Heh.
"ios botnet"
- "Botnets for iPhone and iPad" -- story about how it could happen cos new exploits were found.
- "Analysis of Botnet Counter-Counter-Measures" - "does 2fa reduce botnets."
- "Newest 'botnet' questions" - a forum discussing what botnets are.
- "On the feasibility of large-scale infections of ios devices" - a pdf on a symposium that basically starts with "it harder to do on ios."
(note: I skipped ahead a result or two to keep it on-topic, 'botnet' is the name of an ios app and the georgia tech news link seems to be a generic cybersecurity article, it does say ios is harder to do a botnet with but in the context of the article it's more like "shit can happen", i dont read it as "android is worse." )
- "Mass Hacking of iOS Devices Possible, Researchers Say" - an exploit turned up in 2014 that involves hooking up iPhones to windows devices, this is basically a "It can be done!" article not a "a bunch of zombies appeared on the net!" article.
"android botnet"
- "Geost Android Botnet discovered by Basic Mistakes" - 800k infected android devices 2016
- "Virus Bulletin 2019: Geost Android Botnet Goes After Millions of Euros" - Similar to last article but in 2019, still 800k etc.
- "Android Botnet Detection by Classification Techniques" - Hawking a book about Android botnets, nothing exciting here.
- "Taking Down an Android Botnet | Digital Guardian" - Young botnet called 'wirex' that made news for itself with ddos attacks. Infection point was the Google Play Store.
- "Botnet targets set-top boxes using Android OS" - 2019, basically what the headline says.
I personally don't see "about the same', here.
Re:Everytime, Apple... (Score:5, Interesting)
I can't comprehend why someone would shell a premium for what you already could find elsewhere years before.
It only costs a premium if you absolutely insist on having the flagship model. Apple has been selling "budget" models for quite awhile now, and even keeps their older models in production for prepaid carriers to sell. Plus, carriers frequently offer promotions which end up making the phones inexpensive or free, which ultimately just makes the decision come down to whether you prefer Android or iOS.
While I'm not here to be an Apple apologist, it's not all sunshine and roses on Android. Google is terrible on privacy, and Android still delivers a woefully inconsistent user experience depending on what kind of hardware you buy. Buy the wrong phone and it will run like crap and never receive any updates. You may even get preloaded malware if your device selection was particularly unlucky. This isn't to say there aren't any good Android phones, but some people just don't want to be arsed to separate the wheat from the chaff, and that's a reason why some people just choose Apple.
Re: (Score:1)
Why would it be an "inconsistent user experience?" You pick out the make/model that suits you. Then you have your user experience.
I suppose it's safe picking a brand where you have no choice, if that's how you operate.
Re: (Score:1)
With Android, shit or crap isn't much of a choice.
Re: (Score:2)
Even if you buy the budget models it costs a premium. Special cables, can't easily replace the battery yourself, no upgradable storage etc. Apps on iOS are more expensive too, iOS users are consistently shown to be paying more for them than Android users. You are forced to use Apple's App Store, you can't go somewhere cheaper like Amazon's app store or choose free open source software from F-Droid.
Google is also better on privacy than Apple. Apple only just let you change the default browser and email clien
Re: (Score:1)
You can't replace iOS with your own trustworthy open source operating system either.
Yeah, it is technically possible to buy an Android phone that runs AOSP or get one with an unlocked bootloader and flash it yourself. Thing is, de-Googling Android requires jumping through some hoops [androidpolice.com], and it breaks a lot of stuff.
Conversely, the process of being free of Google on iOS involves just not using Google.
You've gotta remember, smartphones have gone mainstream. Not everyone has a PC at home to plug it into and start flashing ROMs, assuming they even have the inclination to find something of that
Re: Everytime, Apple... (Score:5, Informative)
Every single time Apple releases a new product, I come across a list of "new" features and I can't comprehend why someone would shell a premium for what you already could find elsewhere years before. Widgets? "The ability to change which default apps the phone uses to browse the web or send an email"? Well goddamn just take all my money.
WTF are you on about?
As long as your HW is compatible (which, in Apple world, is always at least 5 years, usually more), OS Updates are free, as in beer.
And once your HW falls off the Supported list, at least it will continue to work with that highest compatible OS, extending its usefulness even further.
So again; WTF are you on about?
OS updates... (Score:3)
I only want fixes and not new features that will break old features, make OS slower, etc. Apple is forcing users to upgrade to get new features for fixes and new issues. :(
Re: (Score:2)
So Android 11 is an illusion?
Besides. Android goes to 11. That's so 1980s. Apple goes to 14!
If thatâ(TM)s a major bug... (Score:2, Funny)
...what would you call Windows 10?
Re: (Score:1)
Sure... (Score:2)
Re: Sure... (Score:2)
Blame it on adrenochrome.
Why is this a "Major Bug"? (Score:1)
I don't reboot my phone more than say, maybe10 times a year?
Especially with it being caught so soon, you'll probably just have to endure one reboot (from the next system update) where you then have to set it again.
Re: Why is this a "Major Bug"? (Score:2)
I don't reboot my phone more than say, maybe10 times a year?
Especially with it being caught so soon, you'll probably just have to endure one reboot (from the next system update) where you then have to set it again.
That's exactly what I was thinking. And exactly why it wasn't caught in testing or even betas!
Re: Why is this a "Major Bug"? (Score:1)
Something to bitch about... (Score:2)
Was discovering that the ability to assign a 3rd party call blocker was removed and Verizon given exclusive rights to offer that that their customers only. The rest of us need to rely on whatever the carrier offers but not it is not handled on the phone.
"living programs called widgets" (Score:2)
n/t
Quality code (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)
Apple spent many millions trying to roll their own OS with preemptive multitasking. Then they gave up and adopted NeXTs port of unix.
They really aren't very good. If you aren't immersed in the koolaide you've probably experienced itunes and quicktime on that other platform, and you've seen how terrible their code is when they aren't nestled in the hive.
Re: (Score:2)
That's some 24 years ago.
Re: (Score:1)
As expected (Score:5, Funny)
I never understood the mentality where it is not only important that the phone/computer system that you have thrives, but it also seems important that other systems should fail.
they set the default browser to Google's Chrome. (Score:1)
Double standards... (Score:1)
If someone else does it, its not a bug, is a feature.
But if apple does it, the white knights will jump right away to claim that is a legitimate bug and innocent apple will never do something like this.
By the way, typed this on my iPad Pro, so take it easy.