iOS 13.3 Beta Fixes Multitasking Bug, Breaks Something Else

Apple has apparently deployed a fix for a bug that caused some iPhones to “aggressively” reset apps running in the background. That fix is contained in the first beta version of iOS 13.3 — but there may be a reason for some users to avoid it. Here’s what you need to know about the beta and how to get it.

Multitasking Bug Fix

The multitasking issue, which we covered last week, was likely tied to a RAM management issue that was inadvertently introduced in iOS 13.2. In other words, it wasn’t intended behavior.

That bug caused apps running in the background to “reset” or “refresh,” meaning that users would lose whatever data or progress that was happening in the app.

For some users, the bug occurred almost immediately after switching out of an app. It also happened more frequently when the user opened RAM-intensive applications like the updated Camera app on the iPhone 11 Pro.

But iOS 13.3 beta 1, which was seeded to developers today, apparently fixes this issue. Reports of the resolution are circulating around various social media channels and Apple-related forums.

What Else Is New in iOS 13.3?

In addition to the multitasking bug fix, iOS 13.3 beta 1 seems relatively light on new features or user-facing changes.

1. One of the biggest new additions is Communication Limits in Screen Time which lets users set limits on communication via Phone, Messages or FaceTime. It seems aimed mostly at parental controls, since it lets parents control who their children can talk to and when they can do so.
2. There’s also a new option to hide Animoji and Memoji stickers from being displayed in the Emoji keyboard.
3. The Digital Crown on the Apple Watch app icon is also now gray instead of black.

On the other hand, it does appear that iOS 13.3 beta 1 introduces at least one significant bug.

According to Guilherme Rambo, the beta may cause an iPhone to not recognize Beats Solo Pro headphones. That’s reportedly because the device’s PID is not in the first beta build.

It isn’t clear whether or not the bug affects other Beats models or Bluetooth headphones.

How to Get iOS 13.3

Unfortunately, iOS 13.3 beta 1 is currently only available to registered Apple developers. That means you’ll need a developer account to get it.

On the other hand, it’s likely that Apple will issue a public software testing version in the coming days, which means that any user who signs up for the program will be able to download it. You can do so here.

Once the proper configuration profile is installed on a device, the beta can be downloaded as an over-the-air update.

As always, we don’t usually recommend running beta software on your daily driver. But if you do, at least perform a full backup before proceeding.