Apple’s iOS 12.1.3 update was rolled out to fix some minor bugs, but some users are reporting a new problem after updating their phone. Specifically, iPhone users on Sprint’s network are reporting a cellular data connectivity issue after updating to iOS 12.1.3.
iOS 12.1.3 update triggers cellular data connectivity issue
Just hours after the release of iOS 12.1.3, many Sprint and some AT&T users in the U.S. took to social media platforms to complain about the cellular data connectivity issue. There have been a few reports of iPhone users in Canada experiencing the same issue. Users say they are getting either poor or no cellular connectivity at all after the update.
“Ever since I’ve updated to iOS 12.1.3, both mine and my wife’s iPhone XS Max has [sic] no cellular signal (no service) at all,” one user complained on Twitter.
Apple’s support team appears to be in contact with affected users on Twitter:
Thanks for reaching out to us. We’ll be glad to help out. To confirm, are you running iOS 12.1.3? Also, tell us more about what you’re experiencing with your cellular data in DM here: https://t.co/GDrqU22YpT
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) January 23, 2019
Sprint also seems to be aware of the issue. In a tweet on Wednesday, the carrier stated that the cellular data connectivity issue is primarily affecting iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR users. However, users with older models as far back as the iPhone 6 have reported the same issue.
Some Sprint customers with iPhone X, iPhone XS and iPhone XR are experiencing service issues. Our teams are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
— Sprint Care (@sprintcare) January 23, 2019
It is not very clear if Sprint’s tweet is referring to the cellular data connectivity issue which appeared after updating to iOS 12.1.3 or if it’s about a more general issue with its network. On Wednesday, many Sprint users across the U.S. reported issues related to LTE service, voicemail and internet.
Same issue with different iOS versions
As of now, it is not clear what is causing the cellular data connectivity issue. What’s interesting to note is that many reported a similar problem last month after updating to iOS 12.1.2, which actually contained a fix for the cellular-related issue in iOS 12.1.1. However, iOS 12.1.3 did not come with any such fix for the network problem users faced with the last version.
There seems to be some serious problem with the latest iOS versions: iOS 12.1.2, iOS 12.1.2 and iOS 12.1.3. Many users reported similar issues after updating to these versions. Apple even admitted to a similar flaw with iOS 12.1.1, and that’s why it issued a fix for it in iOS 12.1.2.
“Addresses an issue that could affect cellular connectivity in Turkey for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max,” read the iOS 12.1.2 changelog. Although the issue was specifically affecting users in Turkey, it still was related to cellular connectivity.
There is no surefire workaround for the problem either. Some do say a simple reboot fixed the issue for them, while a few others suggest a full-fledged reset of the network settings options by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. A few users also claim that turning their cellular data off and back on solved the problem for them. You can do this by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular data.
Unfortunately for many users, none of these options worked. Thus, it might be a good idea to hold off on updating to iOS 12.1.3 if you are on the Sprint network and wait for a fix, either from Sprint or Apple.
iOS 12.1.3 fixes other bugs for iPhone, iPad
Other than the cellular data connectivity issue, the iOS 12.1.3 update for the iPhone and iPad does not bring any new changes. Rather, the update was rolled out to fix some known bugs and vulnerabilities. According to the official changelog, the update fixes the problem with scrolling through photos in the Messages Details view.
The update also addresses the issue which was causing striped artifacts to appear on photos after they were sent from the Share Sheet. iOS 12.1.3 also fixes the bug that was disconnecting “certain CarPlay systems” from the 2018 iPhone models.
The iOS 12.1.3 update fixes the audio issue with some external audio input devices on the 2018 iPad Pro. It also includes some fixes for the HomePod, including the random restart issue and a bug that made Siri work improperly on the device.
In addition to iOS 12.1.3, Apple also rolled out security updates for macOS Mojave users. The update patches the desktop and laptop platform for arbitrary-code-execution attacks.
