Apple has released iOS 9.3.2 for iPhone, iPad and iPod users. It’s a minor update delivering mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Here’s the official changelog for what’s new:
- Fixes an issue where some Bluetooth accessories could experience audio quality issues when paired to the iPhone SE
- Fixes an issue where looking up dictionary definitions could fail
- Addresses an issue that prevented typing email addresses when using the Japanese Kana keyboard in Mail and Messages
- Fixes an issue for VoiceOver users using the Alex voice, where the device switches to a different voice to announce punctuation or spaces
- Fixes an issue that prevented MDM servers from installing Custom B2B apps
The most significant upgrade here is for users of the recently released iPhone SE, which has experienced issues with connecting to Bluetooth accessories. Most notably, users have had trouble with in-car Bluetooth calls.
Should you bother?
If you’ve got an SE device then the upgrade will fix
Elsewhere, probably not. Not only does it not address ongoing issues with Game Center as rumored a couple of months back, it appears to be having issues with the new iPad Pro 9.7-inch.
Reports have come in suggesting that a small portion, but still hundreds, of iPad Pro 9.7-inch users have seen their devices bricked by the update. Otherwise known as ‘Error 56’, after updating devices affected by shows a screen indicating it needs to be restored via iTunes. However, when connecting to iTunes via a desktop computer, it simply produces a dialog box that says the device cannot be restored due to an error. See below for a user example provided to Apple Support via Twitter.
@AppleSupport Please fix your IPad Pro software update! Your incompetence just BRICKED MY IPAD PRO! pic.twitter.com/0CnZWIClHz
— Jerr C (@jetset_gecko) May 17, 2016
Apple has now acknowledged the existence of the bug with the following statement relayed by iMore:
“We’re looking into a small number of reports that some iPad units are receiving an error when updating the software. Those unable to restore their device through iTunes should contact Apple support.”
Another interesting caveat to iOS 9.3.2 is that the storage space needed to install has varied across devices. iPad Air 2 users will only need around 50MB to install, and iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users need around 80MB – both positively svelte. However, if you’re using an iPhone SE you’ll need a massive 1.4GB, and on an iPhone 6 this bizarrely increases to 1.6GB.
In conclusion, this isn’t an essential update. iPhone SE users are the main benefactors, and they’re likely to find upgrading will affect them negatively. For other users it’s a quick upgrade that shouldn’t cause any harm (though iPhone 6 users might not want to want to free up so much space to install the update). Elsewhere, users of the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro might want to leave this update (though it’s only affected a small number of devices) whereas other iPads and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro appears unaffected negatively by the update.
Furthermore, based on the iPad 9.7-inch issue Apple is likely to put out an emergency iOS 9.3.3 in a few days anyway.
iOS 9.3.2 is compatible with the iPhone 4s and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and later, iPad Pro and fifth-gen iPod touch and later. If you’ve not received a notification prompt yet and wish to download, go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install.