Apple’s iOS 11.3.1 update fixed an annoying iPhone 8 issue and provided iPhone and iPad users with important security patches. However, the company’s latest update also brought a number of issues, some of which we hope will be fixed before the iOS 11.4 update arrives.
The iOS 11.3.1 update is a maintenance update that means it focuses on fixing issues that plague iOS 11 users. Most iOS 11 users should download the iOS 11.3.1 update today or in the near future for security patches on board.
iOS 11.3.1 treats most of our devices well. We didn’t experience any abnormal battery drains and like iOS 11.3 the update is fast on newer phones like the iPhone X and iPhone 8. The Wi-Fi connection, which our devices had difficulty with in iOS 11.3, also returned to normal.
However, as we move further and further away from the update’s release date, we’re starting to experience some of the same issues we encountered in iOS 11.3. We are not the only iOS 11.3.1 users to have problems.
These issues leave us and many others hoping for an iOS 11.3.2 update before iOS 11.4 release this summer. Many expect Apple to release iOS 11.4 on and around the start of WWDC 2018 on June 4.
Apple is currently in the second iOS 11.4 beta (we expect a third version to arrive soon), which means we probably have a few weeks before the company is ready to release its fourth and perhaps final milestone iOS 11 update.
Here are some of the issues we hope will be in an iOS 11.3.2 update. And if it’s not iOS 11.3.2, then iOS 11.4.
Stuck in Landscape Mode
We started seeing an increase in landscape mode issues right after installing iOS 11.3 and the issue persists in iOS 11.3.1 on select phones.
iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 still get stuck in landscape mode occasionally. It’s an annoying issue we’ve had with several different versions of iOS 11, not just iOS 11.3 and iOS 11.3.1.
After putting the phone in landscape mode and turning it back to portrait position, the screen stays stuck in landscape mode. We’ve seen it occur when using various first and third parties, including Safari, Chrome, and YouTube.
We had to pull up on the right side of the iPhone X’s screen rather than the bottom to place the screen in the right direction.
Latency on Legacy Devices
We and others continue to notice a ton of lag on older devices like the iPhone 5s and iPad mini 2, and the occasional lag on newer models like the iPad Air and iPhone 6.
Most of the lag we encountered on the iPhone 5s and iPad mini 2 centers around keyboard lag, stuttering, and lag when opening Control Center and Notification Center. We also noticed a lot of stuttering when opening folders and apps and dragging app icons from one folder or home screen to another.
Since these are the same issues we noticed in iOS 11.3, we hope a new version of iOS 11 will fix the issue before the iOS 11.4 update arrives.
Fixing lag issues on older devices without factory reset can be extremely difficult. If you don’t want to do a factory reset and can’t wait for iOS 11.3.2 or iOS 11.4, take a look at our guide to fix bad iOS 11 performance.
3D Touch Issue
The 3D Touch issues we encountered in iOS 11.3 are still present in iOS 11.3.1.
After unlocking an iPhone, the 3D Touch feature becomes unresponsive or not working on the first try. When using 3D Touch in the phone app to access favorites, sometimes it may not work at all.
We not just them Dealing with the issue is one that has emerged since Apple released iOS 11.3 beta 3 in February.
We’re hoping for a fix in a surprise iOS 11.3.2 update, but given how long the issue has been present in iOS 11.3, we’re not holding our breath.
Audio Issues
So these are the three issues ported from iOS 11.3. Here are a few recent issues we’ve seen on our devices running iOS 11.3.1.
We, and othersnotices skipping in audio when playing music and listening to podcasts. The sound will sometimes crackle or start skipping. The words or the person speaking on the other side then become intelligible.
Some users have experienced the issue while making regular phone calls and using the FaceTime Audio feature. We haven’t noticed this yet.
This is an extremely annoying issue and it seems that some iPhone usersConsider buying a phone from Apple’s fiercest competitor.
Floating Icons
One of the most annoying issues we encountered in iOS 11.3 was a UI issue where app icons started to shift after opening and minimizing an app. We thought the iOS 11.3.1 update made the bug go away, but it’s back.
While not that common in iOS 11.3.1, app icons often float in the upper-left corner of the screen where no one is, after you minimize an app. The screenshot here shows an app floating in the corner, but we saw multiple icons floating there at once.
Although we had to reset the phone, we were able to turn the screen off and on again so that the icon returns to the correct spot on the home screen.
iMessage Problem
After installing iOS 11.3.1, we noticed a small but annoying issue where iMessages did not appear as read on iPhone after reading on Mac.
We are currently running 10.13.4, the latest version of macOS High Sierra, on a 2016 MacBook Pro.
“Black Dot” Error
A new “Black Dot” unicode bug has been discovered lurking in iOS 11.3, iOS 11.3.1 and iOS 11.4 beta, and we hope Apple doesn’t keep us waiting until iOS 11.4 comes out for a fix.
We won’t be sharing the entire string here, but it does include the ⚫ and 👈 emoji characters. If you receive the string in a message, it can crash apps like Messages and WhatsApp. It can also crash the operating system.
If you receive this string in an iMessage, you must delete the entire conversation to avoid problems with the app or the operating system.
If you want to avoid the problem and haven’t installed iOS 11.3 or iOS 11.4 beta yet, you should consider sticking with your current iOS version.
These are the most frustrating issues we encounter while running iOS 11.3.1 on our phones and tablets. These aren’t the only iOS 11.3.1 issues out there, though.
iOS 11.3.1 users are also reporting issues with first- and third-party apps, severe battery drain, various issues with Bluetooth-enabled devices, and much more.
At this point, just weeks before iOS 11.4 release, we would be surprised if Apple releases another version of iOS 11.3. Moving forward to WWDC 2018, the company’s focus will likely be on iOS 11.4 and iOS 12.
Those of you encountering issues with iOS 11.3.1 are encouraged to check out our list of fixes for the most common iOS 11 issues plaguing iPhone and iPad users.
You’ll also want to stay awake for an iOS 11.3.
