Apple announced iOS 10 back in June. It publicly released the update yesterday, making it available to owners of all supported devices. Not long after the launch went live, users began to complain of problems with the software. Shortly after the release, Twitter was awash with claims that attempting to install iOS 10 was leaving products bricked and unusable.
Affected phones and tablets can be recovered using iTunes on a PC or Mac. It’s not an especially user-friendly procedure though. Users may experience further issues or lose their data. As increasing numbers of people fell victim to the bug, Apple contacted various news outlets and confirmed it had experienced a “brief issue” with the iOS 10 rollout. It said the problem has since been remedied, advising affected users to open iTunes to restore their device.
“We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability,” Apple’s statement read. “The problem was quickly resolved and we apologize to those customers. Anyone who was affected should connect to iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare for help.”
Customers who encountered the problem reported seeing a black screen after the OTA update to iOS 10 began. After a few minutes, the ominous “Connect to iTunes” warning would appear, indicating the device failed to install the update and could no longer startup.
9to5Mac suggested the issue may have been caused by the iOS 10 versions delivered to users. The devices initially download iOS 10.0.0 from Apple’s servers and then attempt to update to iOS 10.0.1, potentially triggering the failure.
iOS 10 is a substantial upgrade to Apple’s mobile platform. It includes an improved version of Siri, a redesigned lock screen and overhauled notifications. Apple’s 3D Touch pressure-sensitive display is now present in more places throughout the core interface, letting key controls distinguish between taps and presses.
Apple’s stock apps have also received attention. Apple Music and Apple News have both undergone complete rebuilds, including new interfaces that are supposed to be simpler and easier to use. Apple Music in particular had been criticised by customers for its poorly designed menus and playback controls.
Similarly, Apple Maps has been revised with an “intelligent” interface and support for automatic directions. Messages has been extensively reworked. It now features animated and personalised emoji, akin to those found in Facebook Messenger and other online services. The major improvements are joined by a series of smaller ones throughout the OS, including the ability to remove unused stock apps from the home screen.
iOS 10 should be available to download now. According to Apple, all supported devices can now install it without experiencing any problems. The list of officially compatible devices includes the iPhone 5 and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, the 4th generation iPad, the iPad Mini 2 and the iPod Touch 6th generation. Apple advised any customers who are still encountering problems to use iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare support.
