iOS 9.3 users are reporting another bug in Apple’s most recent release of their mobile operating system. Users are experiencing apps freezing or crashing when they attempt to open a web link in Safari, Mail, and Messages, as well as third-party web browsers such as Chrome.
It is not clear what iOS mechanic is promoting the software breakdown, though problems seem to have cropped up on Saturday as multiple users took to Apple’s Support Communities forums for help.AppleInsider on Sunday received a number of similar reports from device owners running both iOS 9.3 and, to a lesser extent, iOS 9.2.
Reports indicate that both older and newer devices are being affected by the issue. Apple’s support forums contain multiple threads concerning the issue, one thread has over 7,000 views.
While a permanent fix hasn’t bee discovered, some users report limited success by turning off JavaScript. (“Settings” -> “Safari” -> “Advanced.”) Other users report performing a long-press on a link in Chrome bypasses the bug, but it appears to be a hit or miss resolution.
Apple is reportedly aware of the issue, and has engineers working on a fix. Apple, however, has not released an official statement concerning the issue.
9to5Mac reports the issue appears to be related to the third-party apps a user has installed on their system. The publication reports they have taken an unaffected iPhone 6 and iPad Pro, and installed the Booking.com app, and then observed Safari consistently crashing when long-pressing a link. They do NOT recommend trying this for yourself, as the bug persists, even after uninstalling the app and rebooting the device.
