iOS 16.1 Brings Serious Wi-Fi Problems to iPhone Users
October 25, 2022 at 1:51 p.m.
Yesterday, Apple released a slew of updates. Most releases have a few issues, but iOS 16.1 seems to have created more problems than usual for Apple customers. Most notably, iPhone owners face difficulties connecting to Wi-Fi after upgrading to iOS 16.1.
Several reports of Wi-Fi issues with iOS 16.1 have emerged. Apple’s release notes admitted some known defects around connecting Matter devices to the iPhone using Wi-Fi. Other users complain of much broader, far-reaching Wi-Fi issues. Several iPhone owners took to Twitter to admonish Apple for releasing iOS 16.1 with more defects than the last version.
Apple acknowledged Wi-Fi issues, asking for Twitter users’ feedback, so they know if it’s in the new or old version. There are so many different brands and types of Wi-Fi routers that Apple can’t possibly test them all in QA or beta. In my experience working in tech, most companies don’t care about user feedback funneled in over social media. The move is more about PR and optics than a sincere will to address the issue. Apple will likely sort this out in the QA lab.
It’s all the more reason to postpone iOS software updates until you know they’re stable. You may end up using costly cellular data if your iPhone can’t connect to Wi-Fi. Also, AirPlay, AirDrop, and many other dependent services no longer function without a Wi-Fi connection. It’s is a very severe defect. Users should think twice before installing iOS 16.1.
There are reports of Dynamic Island showing up on iPhone models that don’t support the technology. Dynamic Island is Apple’s way of camouflaging the camera cut-out with animations surrounding it. Unfortunately, this means many users have a notch and Dynamic Island appearing on the display, taking away even more valuable visual space.
Other cosmetic defects plague the iOS 16.1 release. Even though they’re minor, Apple places such a high value on look and feel; these small bugs can make an iPhone feel cheap. One complaint is that the Weather widget appears with a few gray lines on the lock screen.
There are several minor cosmetic bugs with Dynamic Island.
A few people found specific Accessibility settings, such as the Back Tap feature, no longer work after installing iOS 16.1. They were able to remedy the issue by switching Back Tap off and then on again.
Some users are reporting better battery life after installing the update. This is a first. Typically, post-update optimizations deteriorate battery life after every update. It usually stabilizes in a few days. It’s good to see Apple finally addressing this issue, although battery life improvements are slight.
Given the severity of defects in iOS 16.1, we at Appledystopia recommend postponing the upgrade until iOS 16.1.1 is released. While iOS 16.1 fixes a serious security issue, it may also hamper your iPhone’s ability to connect to Wi-Fi. This severe defect could rack up data charges and detract from Apple ecosystem functionality.