Apple Releases iOS, iPadOS 13.4.1 with a Fix for This FaceTime Bug

Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1 with a fix for a FaceTime bug found iOS 13.4.

This update quickly follows the release of iOS 13.4, a significant update that added iCloud Folder Sharing, trackpad support for the iPad, and a revamped toolbar in the Mail app. 

Detected shortly after iOS 13.4, and macOS 10.15.4, the FaceTime bug interfered with FaceTime calls with older devices.

The bug prevented iPad, iPhone, and Mac owners from making or receiving phone calls from devices running older versions of iOS and macOS.

These devices include the iPad 3, the third-generation iPad, the iPhone 4s, the iPad mini first generation, and the fifth-generation iPod touch. It also affects Macs still running OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier.

It’s not clear whether the ability was removed purposefully or if it occurred accidentally as part of the iOS 13.4 overhaul. Regardless of the original intent, Apple responded quickly to fix the glitch once it was identified in iOS.

According to the release notes, iOS 13.4.1 addresses a bug with the Settings app where choosing Bluetooth from the quick actions menu on the Home screen would fail.

iOS 13.4.1 also addresses a flashlight bug reported on the new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This glitch caused the flashlight not to turn on even when the user tapped the flashlight button in Control Center or the lock screen.

Apple is slowly winding down the development of iOS 13.4 and is setting its sights on iOS 14. We will see at least one more update to iOS 13.4 as the company is beta testing iOS 13.4.5. This release may be used to fix an issue with Personal Hotspot for some users or a concerning VPN privacy bug that allows service to connect to the internet outside of the VPN connection.

iOS 14 is right around the corner, and it’s expected to bring a host of new features to iOS, including message tagging, a new fitness app, the ability to set a third-party app as the default app for a service, and more.

The company will announce iOS 14 during WWDC 2020, which is being held online this June.