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For those of you who have downloaded iOS 7 early, before the official release on September 18th be careful: It is possible to brick your iPhone by downloading iOS 7 even though the GM is the final version.
Hypothetical Scenario
Bob is an avid Apple fan and is mesmerized by the colorful and flat iOS 7 especially after hearing about the iPhone 5s & iPhone 5c. He wants to test the program ASAP and can’t wait until wait until Wednesday in which Apple scheduled the public release of iOS 7. He also wants to avoid paying for the expensive developer license. If you’re not a developer, a $100 fee for early access to a possibly glitchy, bug-filled, operating system, despite it being the last version may not be worth the fee. But, Bob still wants iOS 7 no matter what. Checking his favorite torrent sites, he downloads the required IPSW file required for iOS 7. While Bob can barely contain his excitement, he becomes upset hen he tries to install it and the file bricks his phone. What does that mean? Bricking your iPhone or other Apple device renders it unusable making the process of restoration nearly impossible. On a scale from 1-to-Catastrophic, bricking your gadget is probably a solid 8.5.
Lesson
Every beta version for different softwares has its own share of risks, but it’s even riskier on a device that you use all the time. By downloading a non-Apple-sanctioned build of iOS 7, you run the risk of hackers and developers leaving traps inside the build that can take your secure data and potentially brick your phone. For iOS 7 GM, some flaws that readers have e-mailed me about include severe battery drain as well as flaws in rotating and adjusting pictures. Now, I could blame society’s need for instant gratification, but instead I’ll just warn you guys about the dangers of downloading illegal, bootleg copies of iOS 7. If you’re OK with bugs and glitches, that’s cool, download iOS 7 especially if you can’t wait until mid-week.
Bugs & Glitches To Be Aware Of
Although the final download of iOS 7 is just two days away, there are still some issues to take note of especially if you uploaded an IPSW to your Apple device last week. Some users have noticed that the battery life is the most consistent problem within the system. Navigating the features and enhancements, the power gets at an alarming rate but that can be alleviated with consistent charging or with the purchase of a Mophie battery pack. Also, Google images seems to be a target of pesky glitches. When rotating the phone back and forth, a gray bar pops up affecting the photos movement. Not sure how to handle this problem but there are ways to restore your phone, ipad or ipod to prevent more serious damage from occurring.
Lesson
iOS 7 is great; it looks gorgeous, the user interface is completely redesigned, and there are number of brand new features that puts iOS 6 to shame. But, remember, this is still the beta version of the last build, I can’t emphasize that enough. Beta, by definition, is unfinished. So, even if you go the legal route to download iOS 7, you need to remember that, since iOS 7 is still so new, it will be riddled with bugs and won’t be as stable or as efficient as the full release on Wednesday.
To contact the author, email ryan@heavy.com.
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