The iOS bug that was discovered earlier in the week and causes an iPhone to crash after receiving a specific string of symbols and characters, today expanded to both the Twitter and Snapchat iOS apps (via The Guardian). The bug not only crashes an iPhone, but causes the Messages app to repeatedly crash after being opened to anything other than the conversation in which the string of characters was located in.

messagescrashingbug
Although the issue was known to be routed in banner notifications when it was discovered, thus opening a wide range of apps that could be hit by the malicious text, today's news confirms that third-party apps can successfully transfer the bug. In Twitter, any direct message or public mention that includes the string of characters will cause a recipient's phone, with notifications turned on for Twitter, to crash immediately. A similar situation occurs when sending text chat via the Snapchat app, permanently crashing an iPhone when the user goes to read the message.

As noted in the original story, and just last night confirmed by Apple, a temporary fix for the bug remains in place in which a user can use Siri to reply to the malicious message thread in order to prevent Messages from crashing every time it is opened. The company promises that they "will make a fix available in a software update," but a time frame for any such fix wasn't given. Given that third-party apps are now becoming affected without as clear of an easy fix, Apple will probably try to put that update out as soon as possible before more permanent damage befalls any users.

Top Rated Comments

Mad Man Avatar
109 months ago
I actually see that as a feature. Whenever I want to get my daughters attention (while she is on Facebook or any other mobile site/app not listening to her surroundings) I just send her that text. This gives me a few seconds until the phone has rebooted to talk to her :-)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
doelcm82 Avatar
109 months ago
But, but..I buy Apple for the premium user experience. I was told by the millions of blind followers that the extra money I was paying for my Apple product was for that Premium User experience. You know, unlike the lag, bug, malware ridden issues from that "OTHER" OS.
Oh, I know what I'll do, I'll patiently wait for a fix like I do for all the other issues that have effected millions of iOS users, then forget this even happened. That way I can go back to believing in paying extra for inferior hardware because I'm enjoying a PREMIUM USER EXPERIENCE. Excuse me now while I order my drink. Bartender, I'll take a cherry Kool Aid with my beer.
I'm sorry this bug has ruined your week and made you feel like a pathetic loser.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
odditie Avatar
109 months ago
This has to be the most childish bug ever. Basically it is the online equivalent of a shot to the family jewels.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mactendo Avatar
109 months ago
They won't fix it. Jony Ive will make it thinner.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Futurix Avatar
109 months ago
This is a bit disturbing - this means that the issue is with Apple's Unicode parsing and may pop-up anywhere on iOS... hopefully they will not just fix that particular character sequence but review the whole parser :eek:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
teslo Avatar
109 months ago
People are not attacking iOS or Apple, they're bringing to light how it's millions of blind followers like to spread FUD about other OSs while being in complete denial of the fact that iOS is no different than any other OS when it comes to bugs and issues. These blind followers have extremely short memories so the point must be made when the issue is fresh.

you simply spend too much time reading flame-war comments from other teens on the internet. real life offers no such time and effort on such frivolous things that truly matter to no one other than those commenting.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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