Apple Confirms iOS 12.1.2 Addresses Qualcomm Patents, Introduces New Force Closing App Animation in China

Apple on Monday released iOS 12.1.2 exclusively for iPhones. The software update fixes bugs related to eSIM activation on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, and addresses an issue that could affect cellular connectivity in Turkey on those devices, according to Apple's release notes.

china app closing
In China, as planned, iOS 12.1.2 also implements minor changes to address two Qualcomm patents that led to a Chinese court issuing a preliminary injunction on the iPhone 6s through iPhone X last week, according to Apple's release notes in Chinese. These changes were not mentioned in any other countries.

A translation of the iOS 12.1.2 release notes in China:

iOS 12.1.2 includes iPhone bug fixes. This update:

- Fixes bugs with eSIM activation for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
- Addresses an issue that could affect cellular connectivity in Turkey for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
- Introduces a new animation when force closing apps
- Updates share sheet for setting contact and wallpaper images

MacRumors uncovered a video on Weibo of the new animation for force closing apps on an iPhone running iOS 12.1.2 in China. Rather than moving up and off the screen when swiped closed, which looks familiar to Qualcomm's patent in China, apps now appear to shrink into themselves when swiped closed.

Video Credit: 灰原帆 / Weibo

As noted on Twitter by our editor-in-chief Eric Slivka, it appears that Apple may have rushed the release of iOS 12.1.2 to address the Qualcomm patents and possibly other time-sensitive bug fixes. The update that was previously intended to be iOS 12.1.2 will likely be transitioning to become iOS 12.1.3.


In a statement issued on Tuesday, Qualcomm's chief lawyer Don Rosenberg said that Apple continues to "flout the legal system" by violating the preliminary injunction, which should have resulted in affected iPhones being unavailable for purchase in China, and by releasing misleading statements about the ruling.

Apple called Qualcomm's efforts "another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world," and said that "Apple and many other companies, consumers, and government will suffer truly irreparable harm" if an iPhone sales ban were to be upheld in China.

Related Forum: iOS 12

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Top Rated Comments

Stickrbox Avatar
85 months ago
why is that new animation only for china?
Did you even read the article?
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bornee35 Avatar
85 months ago
I don't get it why does shutting app animation stop selling iPhones in china?
Qualcomm, a company that does not produce mobile operating systems, managed to copyright the way an app appears to close in china. Literally a patent troll.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
85 months ago
Qualcomm's animation patent is almost as dumb as patenting round corners. Oh wait…
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
85 months ago
why is that new animation only for china?
Did you even read the article?
Read the article... as someone else said
Why didn't you read the article?
Wow, there's a lot of aggression out there today! He said why is it only in China, i.e. why doesn't Apple just role this new animation out globally rather than fragment things? It's not as if it's worse than the current one, and some people seem to prefer it.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xytal Avatar
85 months ago
Actually kind of like that animation more, honestly. It actually fits with the app shrinking back into itself when you go home (either via button or swipe).
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darksithpro Avatar
85 months ago
So, Qualcomm... who doesn't make phones, or operating systems managed to patent the way you would close apps on a phone in a foreign country? Really? I could see legit stuff like CDMA technologies and modem stuff, but the patent stuff like this is just ridiculous.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)