So, the place are we when it comes to stability and efficiency? Has Apple lastly received all the main bugs nailed down, so it’s plain crusing from right here, or is that secure launch nonetheless eluding iPhone customers?
iOS 15.4 is an attention-grabbing launch as a result of not solely is it a bug repair launch, but it surely additionally provides a bunch of latest options reminiscent of Face ID unlocking whereas carrying a masks (with out the necessity for an
Apple Watch
). Apple has been rolling out new features mid iOS release cycle for a few years now, instead of waiting a year to release new features.
But how’s that working out for Apple? Or, maybe more importantly, how’s that working out for iPhone users?
Well…
Getting drip-fed new features is cool. It’s nice that Apple is able to roll out features like Face ID unlock with a mask when it’s ready as opposed to having to wait for a major release.
But…
In the testing that I’ve been carrying out, iOS 15.4 is a little buggy. While battery life seems good, I’m noticing both a lag when using the iOS interface and when unlocking while wearing a mask. I’ve also had a situation occur several times where the
iPhone
seems to unlock but then seems stuck on the lock screen.
I’ve also noticed a problem with
AirPods
and Siri announcements causing some apps (the Audible app s very prone to this) to crash. Not sure if this is an app issue or an iOS problem yet.
Annoying.
And this is an excellent word to describe how iOS has felt for the past few years.
Annoying.
It’s felt like iOS has been in a continual state of flux for years now — an endless stream of updates, new features, bug fixes, and new bugs.
A continual state of flux.
Islands of stability feel few and far between.
iOS 15.4 isn’t a bad release. It’s actually quite a good release as iOS 15 releases go. There have been some stinkers (I’m thinking about you, iOS 15.2).
However it’s additionally removed from high quality.
And there’s no signal of issues getting higher. It’s a cycle of issues getting a bit higher, a bit worse, forwards and backwards.
However as a result of Apple combines new options, bug fixes, and safety fixes right into a single replace, it’s not doable for iPhone customers to securely ignore releases.
Everybody goes alongside for the journey.
So, do you have to set up iOS 15.4?
Sure.
If nothing else, you’re getting three dozen security fixes, which is rather a lot. You additionally get new options (and new emojis — and who doesn’t need extra emojis?).
Additionally, aside from the laggy person interface, this replace is shifting in the appropriate course — within the course of stability. I believe we’ll have a fairly stable iOS 15 in just a few weeks.
In time for iOS 16 to return alongside and make issues annoying once more.