Apple is working on a fix for iOS 9.3 link crashing bug
After a significant number of iOS users complained on Apple's support forums that their iOS 9 device sometimes freezes after tapping on a link, the company announced it is working on a fix.
“We are aware of this issue, and we will release a fix in a software update soon,” the company told Mashable.
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As of this writing, the thread on Apple's support forums pointing out the issue has more than 620 replies, indicating the problem is widespread.
According to most complaints, tapping on a link in a browser, such as Safari or Chrome, or an app like Twitter, sometimes causes the phone to lock up. Disabling JavaScript in Safari or opening the link in a new tab (by holding it) is a temporary fix for some users, but not all.
The issue isn't strictly-related to iOS 9.3 and instead has more to do with the universal links added to iOS 9. Universal links allow links in certain apps to open up in other apps -- provided those apps are installed. For example, a link to a tweet in a Google search result in Safari can open the tweet directly in Twitter for iOS.
This bug seems to be tied to the Booking.com app, which has its own universal link support. YouTube user Sergey Roshchin published a video (in Russian, below) in which he demonstrates his iPad experiencing the issue only after the app is installed. However, some user reports indicate that other apps might cause the issue as well.
UPDATE: March 30, 2016, 8:22 a.m. CEST A Booking.com spokeseperson gave Mashable the following statement: We've uncovered some issues with the universal linking framework, which appear to be an issue specific to Apple iOS 9.3. We understand they are in the process of correcting, and we're offering any help we can to help them expedite a resolution.
This is not the only issue users of iOS 9.3 have experienced. Some complained their devices became bricked after downloading the update, prompting Apple to pull the update for older devices until the problem is resolved.
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Topics Apple
Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
