Apple releases iOS 8.1.3 reducing storage required to update, squashing Spotlight bugs, more

Posted:
in iPhone edited February 2015
Apple on Tuesday issued an update for its iOS mobile operating system, addressing complaints about how much storage was required to install new software, and also fixing a number of bugs related to FaceTime, iMessages, Spotlight, and iPad multitasking gestures.




iOS 8.1.3 is now available for download through the Software Update section of the native Settings app on iPhone or iPad. Users can also update through iTunes on a Mac or PC.

According to Apple, the minor release includes bug fixes, increased stability, and performance improvements. The spotlighted list of changes are:
  • Reduces the amount of storage required to perform a software update
  • Fixes an issue that prevented some users from entering their Apple ID password for Messages and FaceTime
  • Addresses an issue that caused Spotlight to stop displaying app results
  • Fixes an issue which prevented multitasking gestures from working on iPad
  • Adds new configuration options for education standardized testing
The storage issue was a particularly persistent complaint among Apple's mobile device users, many of whom who were met with messages saying they didn't have enough free space on their iPhone or iPad to update.

The previous release of iOS, version 8.1.2, arrived in early December, also a minor bug and security fix. That update addressed an issue that could cause users to lose ringtones purchased from iTunes.

The next major release of Apple's mobile operating system is expected to be iOS 8.2, which is currently in beta for developers. The iOS 8.2 pre-release builds include Apple's WatchKit tools, required for developing applications to run on the forthcoming Apple Watch.
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 60

    Cue the "Is it safe to update to?" 

     

    But really.

  • Reply 2 of 60
    reduces the amount of storage required to perform a software update

    Pity the article doesn't go into a bit more depth, if you will, on this, nor any mention of 8.2. Also no mention on the 120 Sports added to the Apple TV?
  • Reply 3 of 60
    So how much space is now required??

    I would like to update my wife's 4s from iOS 6 wirelessly with only 246MB free (she's got a ton of baby videos.)
  • Reply 4 of 60
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post



    Also no mention on the 120 Sports added to the Apple TV?

     

    I don't understand why adding each new channel requires an ATV software update...

  • Reply 5 of 60
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    nobodyy wrote: »
    Cue the "Is it safe to update to?" 

    But really.

    99% of the time it's ok. I'm updating my 6+ now. If that seems ok, then I'll update my iPad too.
  • Reply 6 of 60
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    john.b wrote: »
    I don't understand why adding each new channel requires an ATV software update...

    Because it needs to be appended to all of the menus, among other things.
  • Reply 7 of 60
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Geekmee View Post



    I would like to update my wife's 4s from iOS 6 wirelessly with only 246MB free (she's got a ton of baby videos.)

     

    The 4s is pretty laggy with iOS 8.x, to the point of being unusable.  And there is no going back at this point if you don't like it.

  • Reply 8 of 60
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by John.B View Post

     

     

    The 4s is pretty laggy with iOS 8.x, to the point of being unusable.  And there is no going back at this point if you don't like it.


    Turning off Predictive typing helps improve typing on the 4S with iOS 8.  But yes, iOS 7.1.2 should have been the last version on the 4S.

  • Reply 9 of 60
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by melgross View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by John.B View Post



    I don't understand why adding each new channel requires an ATV software update...




    Because it needs to be appended to all of the menus, among other things.

     

    I literally can't remember the last time I hard-coded an item in a menu, though I do still see newer developers do that sort thing on occasion.

  • Reply 10 of 60
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Geekmee View Post



    So how much space is now required??



    I would like to update my wife's 4s from iOS 6 wirelessly with only 246MB free (she's got a ton of baby videos.)

    Transfer all those baby videos off the iPhone, run the update, and then sync them back to the iPhone as movies, if she really wants them on the phone.

  • Reply 11 of 60
    > Reduces the amount of storage required to perform a software update

    I hope Apple doesn't use this as an excuse for continuing with the 16mb iPhone/iPad.
  • Reply 12 of 60
    hillstones wrote: »
    Turning off Predictive typing helps improve typing on the 4S with iOS 8.  But yes, iOS 7.1.2 should have been the last version on the 4S.

    Ok Thanks... I think I will just wait for my tax refund to upgrade her phone to the 6.
  • Reply 13 of 60
    Downloading full update via iTunes now for my 5S. Already updated my Mini 2 via iTunes, and so far so good...
  • Reply 14 of 60
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by melgross View Post





    Because it needs to be appended to all of the menus, among other things.

     

    But I suspect the point was that something like that shouldn't be hardcoded into the system software. It shouldn't require a .x release (or even a .Y.x release) to add new channels. It should be more akin to a data table that can be updated via a non-system software update rather than make the new channels wait for an OS update to deploy.

     

    That said, there may be performance reasons for doing it the way they do. And it certainly a good carrot to get people to update their OS software.

     

    As opposed to the stick Apple uses on iPhones/iPads of forced, hidden download of huge, unwanted system updates. I guess in a couple of days I'll need to remember to go in and delete that which I never asked for in the first place to recover the 2-3+ GB of storage space it takes up.

  • Reply 15 of 60
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by John.B View Post

     

     

    I don't understand why adding each new channel requires an ATV software update...


    Huh? Dozens of channels have been added to the ATV in between iOS updates.

  • Reply 16 of 60



    Any mention of a Safari update?

    My iPad 2 has a constant- A problem occurred with this web page so it was reloaded'  issue, which I never had before iOS8 (although Safari might crash once in a while).

    I presume what it really is; its running out of RAM on large websites, even though we all know Apple products have plenty of RAM! /s

  • Reply 17 of 60
    Updated my iPhone 5s and iPad 3 (original iPad woth retina display) with no issues.
  • Reply 18 of 60
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    hillstones wrote: »
    Transfer all those baby videos off the iPhone, run the update, and then sync them back to the iPhone as movies, if she really wants them on the phone.

    Wow that's a great user experience...
  • Reply 19 of 60

    http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jan/msg00001.html

     

    33 security bugs in 20 separate issues. Repeat after me, Apple is not immune...

  • Reply 20 of 60
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    john.b wrote: »
    I literally can't remember the last time I hard-coded an item in a menu, though I do still see newer developers do that sort thing on occasion.

    It doesn't have to be hard coded. But Apple might be adding addendums to the database that need an update to function. Plus, they could be fixing bugs, working on some underlying code, etc.
Sign In or Register to comment.