We wrote about a new iOS bug on Thursday, which crashes the device's Messages app if it receives a certain string of characters via text message.
Apple hasn't fixed the problem, but it has a workaround for those affected, which includes its voice assistant, Siri.
Apple posted the workaround on its Support page Thursday.
First noticed by AppleInsider, it involves three steps: First, you need to ask Siri to "read unread messages." Then, you have to use Siri to reply to the malicious message, after which you'll be able to open Messages again. Finally, you can swipe left to delete the entire thread, or tap and hold the malicious message, tap more and delete just that message.
The bug occurs when an iOS device receives a message containing certain unicode, Arabic characters. The iOS doesn't know how to handle the unicode sequence, resulting in a string of errors which ultimately crash the Messages app.
Apple's workaround is hardly an elegant solution, especially for users who don't normally use Siri, but it gets the job done. Hopefully Apple will have a real fix for this issue soon.