iOS 16.1 Plagues iPhone Users With Crashes and Freezes
November 7, 2022 at 11:31 a.m.
iOS 16.1 officially launched two weeks ago, with millions of users installing the latest iPhone software update. Unfortunately, freezes and crashes have impacted some iPhone owners upgrading to iOS 16.1, including yours truly.
I was working on my Mac and left my iPhone unattended in another room. I knew the battery was running low, so when I saw a black screen, I figured it had just run out of juice. After plugging my iPhone into an official Apple charger, I saw nothing. I waited for an hour, and the phone wouldn’t turn on. I figured my one-month-old iPhone 14 Pro Max was already broken and went online to return it.
The strange thing is that my iPhone was getting unusually warm when plugged in. Something was happening. By all appearances, the device was off. There was nothing on the screen. Holding down the side button did nothing. However, the actual iPhone hardware was fine. The problem ended up being a severe showstopper defect in iOS 16.1. Apple’s newest software update for the iPhone can cause crashes and freezes, necessitating a soft reset.
Before I initiated service with Apple, I realized that my iPhone may have crashed and frozen on a blank, dark screen. After I did a soft reset on my iPhone 14 Pro Max, I was relieved to see the Apple logo. I wouldn’t have to go without an iPhone for weeks. After all, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are in short supply. Apple claims they have a 5-9 day turnaround time. Given the lack of iPhone 14 Pro Max devices in the supply chain, a complete replacement would take much longer than that.
Other users around the world have reported this issue. Gizmochina wrote that users see a green screen when their iPhone freezes. In my experience, I saw a black screen. It looked like my iPhone 14 Pro Max was bricked. It was impossible to tell that it was on. At least with a green screen, there’s some indication that the device is active. Of course, you don’t want a green screen to persist for too long because it can burn in. The iPhone 14 Max Pro’s OLED display is susceptible to screen burn-in, so if you see this problem, fix it immediately.
A soft reset will remedy a frozen, crashed iPhone. Here’s how to perform a soft reset on your iPhone:
Soft Reset for iPhone:
- press and release volume up button
- press and release volume down button
- hold side button until you see the Apple logo, then release it
Issues like this should halt the update’s release. Although it’s unclear how many users are affected, it seems relatively common with iOS 16.1. It’s the first time I’ve had an iPhone freeze and crash on me.
Needless to say, if you still haven’t upgraded to iOS 16.1, postpone until the next patch debuts and wait until the early adopters have tried it out. I’m a technology writer, so I had to upgrade my iPhone. If it’s unnecessary, put it off until Apple fixes this showstopper bug.
This latest defect is a sign of a new Apple — one that cares more about profit than quality. This year’s products are lackluster and offer little change. The iPhone 14 is basically the same phone as the iPhone 13, down to the processor.
People are so entrenched in the Apple ecosystem that switching is challenging. What’s the benefit of switching? Android has its problems too. The flagship Android experience is fast, responsive, and high quality. In fact, I had fewer problems with Android devices than with Apple smartphones. But when you try to text the iOS masses with an Android device, you become a sort of digital pariah. No one wants that. So we stay with Apple and put up with the lack of innovation and defects. Always on displays and 120 Hz screens were on Android devices more than three years ago!
After switching to my new iPhone 14 Pro Max, upgrading to iOS 16.1, and watchOS 9.1, my Apple experience is broken. I try to use Apple Pay on my Apple Watch and get an Apple defect — card not accepted. After much fiddling, I need to reset my Apple Watch to make Apple Pay work again. What a headache! Credit cards are easier.
When Apple creates defective releases, people alter and revert their behaviors. Because my Apple Watch can no longer make payments, I reverted to a credit card. The Always On Display is likely at the heart of the crash. I may turn this “new” feature off because it seems to result in crashes and freezes.
2022 was not a good year for Apple, and you can see it in the stock. Device upgrades are hardly that. This is the first time I’ve seen Apple release a new, non-budget iPhone with the same processor as last year’s model. The big oval cutout in my iPhone 14 Pro Max has me favoring my old iPhone 13 Pro Max. Unfortunately, since I write about tech, I need the latest and greatest Apple device. Going from the iPhone 13 Pro Max to the 14 Pro Max seems like a downgrade. Let’s hope Apple has something better in store for 2023!