Apple’s latest iOS update fixes Telugu character bug that crashed iPhones

Last week some users reported that a single Telugu character was crashing their iPhones, Mac and Apple Watches.

Apple releases fix for Telugu bug that crashes iPhones (REUTERS)

Apple has started rolling out a new iOS update, version 11.2.6, which fixes the bug that caused iPhones and apps such as iMessages, Facebook and WhatsApp to crash due to a Telugu character. The bug also affects Safari and the built-in Messages app on macOS and the Apple Watch.

How Telugu iOS bug worked

When the Telugu character is sent in an iMessage, it can freeze up the entire Messages app on all of a person's Mac and iOS devices.

The Messages app will then refuse to function properly until the offending character is removed by deleting the conversation with the person who sent it.

In some situations, if the character is viewed through an iOS notification, it can cause the entire device to crash.

iOS bug turns into prank

Shortly after the bug was discovered, some users started to send out tweets featuring the Telugu characters in an attempt to crash others' iPhones.

Some even inserted the buggy character into their Twitter names. Mashable notes that the tweets caused Twitter apps to crash for several iPhone users.

What I want to know is why does displaying a character on screen cause an iOS device to crash? This is the third time in three months this has handed. Something is very wrong here imho.

— Ben Lee 🖖🏴𠁧𠁢𠁷𠁬𠁳𠁿 (@aircooledcafe) February 16, 2018

iOS 11.2.6 is must-install

iOS 11.2.6 includes bug fixes for your iPhone or iPad. This update:
Fixes an issue where using certain character sequences could cause apps to crash
Fixes an issue where some third-party apps could fail to connect to external accessories

— Tech (@TheAntiqueTech) February 20, 2018

Can we have that #Telegu iPhone Crashing Character to trend on twitter please ? 😂

— Hackology (@Hackology) February 18, 2018

The bug fix and iOS 11.3

"Apple released updates for watchOS, tvOS, and macOS to stop the crash from happening on those platforms, too," The Verge reported on Tuesday.

Apart from the Telugu character bug fix, the latest iOS update also features a fix for an issue where some third-party applications could fail to connect to external accessories.

While iOS 11.2.6 is a minor yet important update, Apple is gearing up for a major software roll-out next month. The upcoming iOS 11.3 update will give users power to control their batteries, Augmented Reality (AR) upgrade and Animoji.

"This spring, iOS 11.3 will deliver exciting new ways to experience Augmented Reality on iPhone and iPad, new Animoji on iPhone X and the ability to view health records in the Health app," Apple had said earlier.

(With inputs from HT Correspondent)