Earlier this week
Update: iOS 10.3.2 problems just got worse
Apple iOS 10.3.2 update is important, but can also potentially cause problems
AppleWhile there have been several isolated issues reported, a wider pattern is emerging: iOS 10.3.2 users are complaining across both social media and the official Apple Support Communities website about very poor battery life after upgrading and, in particular, severe battery drain (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, etc).
I have also been contacted directly about these issues. One email which stood out comes from Kamlesh Parmar, a technical support lead at a major enterprise services specialist. Parmar explained that not only has he seen extreme battery drain (10-20% within minutes of unplugging from a full charge and switching off with up to 40% battery remaining), but that this affects his iPhone 6 despite it only recently receiving a new Apple battery.
“I've spoken to friends and they all report the same issue. I did a factory reset and then restored my iPhone, however I still have the issue,” he explained.
From my own research I’ve also spotted that this bug only seems to affect iPhones. Not a single complaint that I have read so far has mentioned these problems occurring on an iPad or iPod touch. Is it a renaissance of the 30% Bug which Apple claimed it has quashed in iOS 10.2.1?
Of course what’s impossible to know at this point is the scale of the problem.
Parmar mentions “all his friends” and I’ve seen one Twitter user run a poll where 78% of the 32 respondents claims to have been affected by this bug, but there’s no way of knowing whether or not it is actually widespread. After all I have cited 20 sources, but if I had cited one million it would still be less than 1% of the over one billion active iOS devices in the world. So stay calm.
Apple iOS 10.3.2 is for all iOS 10-compatible devices
AppleBesides there is also some good news: if you aren’t affected by this bug, it seems you might actually find your battery life improves with iOS 10.3.2.
I’ve noticed several users makes these claims (for example) and they are backed up by a new test video from prolific iOS benchmarker iAppleBytes. It pitted iOS 10.3.2 against iOS 10.3.1 on an iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S and discovered three of the four models recorded minor, but consistent battery life improvements.
As such my upgrade advice still stands: iOS 10.3.2 is an important update because it patches numerous security flaws, many of which are now public knowledge following its release and this makes them far more dangerous.
That said I also have sympathy for those wary of updating. Battery life remains one of the most important factors for many iPhone users, so if you do choose to hold off upgrading be extra vigilant. Especially now we know the dangers of using Safari and iBooks in all previous versions of iOS.
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