New iPhone Problems As Apple Breaks Your Apps

iPhone users running the latest version of IOS on older handsets are facing up to an awkward and embarrassing mistake in Apple’s mobile operating system. Many mobile banking apps’ interactions with TouchID for user verification are broken.

Details on the missing interface were reported by 9to5Mac’s Benjamin Mayo:

…there is an iPhone iOS 13 bug affecting older iPhones with Touch ID, where the in-app authentication dialog simply doesn’t appear… Apps that ask for Touch ID at login include banking apps like Chase, Wells Fargo, Barclays, and Santander. This will also affect password keychain apps like 1Password or even apps that offer login security as a feature in the settings, like the Apollo Reddit client.

The problem is, essentially, the Touch ID alert dialog may not be shown. It looks like there’s nothing you can do as there is nothing displayed on the screen.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during the Time 100 Summit event on April 23, 2019, in New York. (Photo by… [+]

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It appears that the dialog box is being created, but is not being shown. If you assume it is there and use TouchID the biometrics may still be recognised. Another reported workaround is to shake the device, which presumably sees the accelerometers triggering a refresh of the screen.

Given the massive impact this will have on day-to-day life, I expect Apple to address this issue as quickly as possible in an upcoming iOS 13 update. But it begs the question of why this bug has managed to get through the system. iOS 13 in public beta has been available for many months now, used by a notably number of Apple’s geekerati.

Were none of them running a banking application on their handset?

Given that this flaw shows up on older iPhones, I have to assume that Apple’s ‘gotta have the new model’ army are all running the later handsets and would miss this, but that’s no excuse for Cupertino not having staff using older iPhones in normal life to pick up issues like this.

Apple CEO Tim Cook holds the new Apple iPhone 11 Pro during a special event on September 10, 2019 in… [+]

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Apple has already had to roll out two quick fixes to major issues in iOS 13 – from lost reminders and erratic cellular signals to massive security holes in the keyboard and the home screen, before reaching the final indignity of breaking the popular game ‘Fortnite’ – because of poor quality control and an apparent lack of testing. Now it can add another embarrassing error to the growing list of mistakes made.  Forbes’ Gordon Kelly:

iOS 13.2 has already shown up in analytics so expect official beta testing to begin shortly. I strongly suspect we will see further ‘minor point’ upgrades like iOS 13.1.2 and iOS 13.1.3 delivering more dedicated bug fixes before it arrives.

I previously warned iOS 13 users to expect at least six bug fix releases before the end of 2019. Based on Apple’s current woes and quick-fire Whac-A-Mole updates, I suspect that number was conservative.

While iOS 13 offers a number of useful updates (and critically acclaimed cosmetic changes such as ‘Dark Mode’) older iPhone owners who are running the last version of iOS 12 should consider staying on that version until iOS 13 reaches a safe and stable release. For those already on iOS 13, either through updates or purchasing the new handsets, it’s going to be a rough ride.

[“source=forbes”]