Apple reportedly working with GasBuddy after update leaves iPhones unresponsive [u]

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2018
Apple on Monday informed employees it has identified an issue with gas price tracking app GasBuddy that causes iPhones running the title to become unresponsive.




According to a copy of the memo sent to Apple retail stores, the company is working with GasBuddy developer GasBuddy Organization to rectify an issue that causes some iPhones to enter a crash loop, reports MacRumors.

Reports of inoperable devices followed the release of GasBuddy's latest iOS app update, which hit the App Store last week. Affected iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS and XS Max devices display a black screen with spinning "loading" circle.

Genius Bar employees are instructed to perform a hard reset of iPhones that exhibit the behavior and ask customers delete GasBuddy until an update resolves the issue. If problems persist or the handset does not respond to the reset procedure, employees will follow Apple's standard service process, the report said.

GasBuddy in a statement said it received a single report regarding unresponsive iPhone hardware over the weekend. The developer noted its latest update, which delivered support for iOS 12, was approved by Apple on Oct. 19.

"We are aware that some people are encountering issues with our iOS app," GasBuddy said in a tweet. "We're rapidly preparing an update we believe solves the issue and are making our app temporarily unavailable for download to limit the number of potentially affected users."

GasBuddy is a popular app that relies on crowd-sourced information to help users locate cheap gas prices, find deals and rate local gas stations. The title currently sits in the No. 21 spot on the App Store's top Travel apps.

Update: GasBuddy has subsequently issued an update to its app that resolves the looping crash issue.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,724member
    Very disturbing that an app could do this kind of damage, albeit only temporary damage. This is why Apple sandboxes, and obviously there was a major fail here somewhere. I don’t use the app but I hope it is resolved soon.
    linkmanSpamSandwichmuthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobraasdasd
     5Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 14
    pacificfilmpacificfilm Posts: 134member
    I’ve used it regularly since it came out with zero problems. FIlled up, LA, Hwd, Fairfax area stations
    averaging 3.80 to 4.00/gal, extra three minutes drive saved .59c/gal. Not so good if it’s a long drive but never had to go far.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 14
    socalbriansocalbrian Posts: 25member
    I removed the app after they changed the privacy policy and planned to do a lot more tracking of their users. No thanks.

    https://www.cleveland19.com/2018/09/28/gasbuddy-app-about-start-tracking-your-every-move/
    edited October 2018
    robotstormpujones1Rayz2016docno42muthuk_vanalingamexceptionhandlerwatto_cobra
     3Likes 0Dislikes 4Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 14
    cgWerkscgwerks Posts: 2,952member
    I have the app, but haven't used it in quite some time... so, it's good one has to launch it to experience this problem, I guess.
    I get my gas at Costco whenever possible, so don't really need it.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 14
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    App Store should provide a blacklisting option next to each app so that we can ignore, hide, ban the app from re-appearing if we choose to.
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 14
    dmdevdmdev Posts: 33member
    I know a lot about iOS programming, but I couldn't cause this problem if I tried. What is GasBuddy even doing?

    No surprise, I guess, that Apple is working with them...
    muthuk_vanalingam
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 14
    robotstormrobotstorm Posts: 33member
    It seems like Gasbuddy was updated almost every week!

    Thanks for the link about their tracking, Socialbrian.

    "we will also automatically collect information about your driving habits, including, but not limited to, driving distance, speed, acceleration and braking habits,” the privacy policy states.

    Wonder what they're doing with all that info? 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 14
    JFC_PAjfc_pa Posts: 965member
    dmdev said:
    I know a lot about iOS programming, but I couldn't cause this problem if I tried. What is GasBuddy even doing?

    No surprise, I guess, that Apple is working with them...
    It’s all the location monitoring?
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 14
    dneesleydneesley Posts: 13member
    So much for sandboxing...
    muthuk_vanalingamasdasd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 14
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    It seems like Gasbuddy was updated almost every week!

    Thanks for the link about their tracking, Socialbrian.

    "we will also automatically collect information about your driving habits, including, but not limited to, driving distance, speed, acceleration and braking habits,” the privacy policy states.

    Wonder what they're doing with all that info? 
    They're selling it to insurance companies who'll tie the data to you then run it through a pricing algorithm when you apply for a motoring policy. The chances are this app is also running all the time in the background and using up more than it's fair share of processor time and battery life.

    Definitely one to avoid.

    Still, no matter how crappy the app, it shouldn't be able to grind the phone to a halt. I suspect the reason Apple is working closely with them is because this points to a problem with iOS.
    edited October 2018
    muthuk_vanalingamwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 14
    Apple Exposedapple exposed Posts: 15unconfirmed, member
    Apple's chance to buy the company while they're doing talks and add the functionality to Maps.
    Would increase the value and functionality for sure.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 14
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,761member
    Waze has gas price searching that I found more accurate than Gas Buddy.  I haven't launched GB in years and was surprised to see it on my phone.  Deleted!
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 14
    michelb76michelb76 Posts: 737member
    ivanh said:
    App Store should provide a blacklisting option next to each app so that we can ignore, hide, ban the app from re-appearing if we choose to.
    LOL...yeah, what about having people fix their stuff? We could easily ban iOS itself with that kind of thinking..
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 14
    cgWerkscgwerks Posts: 2,952member
    Rayz2016 said:
    They're selling it to insurance companies who'll tie the data to you then run it through a pricing algorithm when you apply for a motoring policy. The chances are this app is also running all the time in the background and using up more than it's fair share of processor time and battery life.

    Definitely one to avoid.
    docno42 said:
    Waze has gas price searching that I found more accurate than Gas Buddy.  I haven't launched GB in years and was surprised to see it on my phone.  Deleted!
    Same here... just deleted it too.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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