Update 2:30 pm: Apple released iOS and iPad OS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.3.1 on Friday, but whether the updates fix the problems mentioned in this article has yet to be confirmed.
When it comes to OS updates, we here at Macworld encourage users to install them as soon as possible. Updates sometimes have nice new features, but it’s the bug fixes and security updates that are the most important.
But many believe there’s a good argument for waiting, and with iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS 13.3, Apple proved that argument. Those updates introduced a number of bugs that have caused problems, none of which are minor. They all have bugs that can seriously disrupt your ability to use your devices.
On Friday, Apple released small updates to iOS 16.4 and macOS 13.3, but it’s unclear whether they fix the problems we’ve been experiencing. The release notes don’t specifically mention any of the issues we’ve documented here, so we’ll need to use them for a bit to see what bugs have been squashed. These are the issues that we’ve been tracking since the release of iOS 16.4 and macOS 13.3 last month:
iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 known issues
- Weather app: The Weather app that many of us come to rely upon to set the tone for the day has problems displaying the forecast. Earlier this week, the Weather app had a complete data outage, and while service is restored (according to Apple’s System Status website), the app still acts wonky.
- Battery drain: There always seems to be a vocal number of users who experience shortened battery life when an update is released. But the number of anecdotal accounts, such as those on Apple’s Support Community, seems to be more frequent with iOS 16.4. YouTuber iAppleBytes has a video demonstration of a Geekbench battery test with iOS 16.4 that supports the shortened battery life claim.
- Home app: The Home app, used to control smart home devices, got an update to its architecture, but Apple stumbled during its rollout. It was initially offered in iOS 16.2 but it was pulled back and then released with iOS 16.4. Now, there are a number of complaints about the reworked app, reports iMore.
macOS Ventura 13.3 known issues
- Universal Control and Handoff: These features, which rely on iCloud connectivity, have stopped working for some users after installing 13.3. The workaround involves logging off of iCloud and then logging back on, but that can cause a whole bunch of headaches, especially if you use iCloud to sync your Photo library.
- Home directory: macOS 13.3 introduces a problem with user Home directories saved to external drives. A workaround to this problem involves turning off System Integrity Protection, but that’s not ideal. An email from Macworld reader Andy in the U.K. proposes that there are more problems than meet the eye with iCloud and SIP, and I tend to agree.
- Quick Look: Though I’ve not had this problem, many users on Apple’s Support Community can’t get Quick Look to work in macOS 13.3. As someone who uses Quick Look all the time, this bug would drive me crazy.
