Apple pushes yet another version of iOS 9.3 to fix activation bug

OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2016. iOS 9.3 arrived with a glitch that prevented owners of older iPhones and iPads from activating their devices. Last week, Apple released a second version of iOS 9.3 (build number 13E236) to fix the issue on the iPad 2, according to AppleInsider. And on Monday, Apple rolled out a third version of iOS 9.3 (build number 13E5237) to address the same issue on the iPhone 5S and earlier iPhones and the iPad Air and earlier iPads.

Even though updates of established products such as Apple's mobile software go through a testing period, they can still carry bugs that surface once the final release is downloaded by millions of people. Such glitches not only frustrate users but call into question a company's ability to scrutinize and vet the software. In 2014, Apple ran into several bumps with iOS 8, which earned a reputation as unstable and forced the company to roll out one fix after another.

Apple has posted two support documents explaining what to do if you can't activate your device when trying to install version 9.3. One document covers the iPhone 5S and earlier phones and the iPad Air and earlier iPads, while the other document covers the iPad 2.

And Apple still isn't finished fixing bugs. Another glitch affecting not just iOS 9.3 but also iOS 9.2.1 is causing the Safari browser, Mail and other apps to freeze or crash when you tap on a link. Users have been complaining of this issue both on the Apple Support Twitter account and in the Apple Support Communities.