Apple GPS Bug Risk

If you still have older versions of an Apple iPhone or iPad you may be opening yourself up to a significant Apple GPS Bug Risk.

Apple have officially sent out warnings calling for immediate action required for older devices that may pose an Apple GPS Bug Risk. If you have an iPhone 5 or earlier, or an iPad 4 or earlier, you’ll need to follow Apple’s advice and update the iOS software on these as soon as possible. Depending on the age of your iPhone or iPad, this will be iOS 9.3.6 or iOS 10.3.4.

Apple recommend that users have until November 3rd to update their devices. If you’re still running older versions of iOS after that date, you open yourself up to the Apple GPS bug risk with GPS location issues as well as potential problems with keeping accurate date and time, which in turn will prevent your iPhone or iPad from syncing with online services like email and iCloud.

Why Do I Need to Update my iPhone or iPad?

Technically, this isn’t an issue with Apple’s security features or software. The problem is to do with GPS systems and how they’re programmed. Similar to the Y2K event from 1999-2000, the worry is that the way date and time is programmed in modern GPS systems may effect the way they work as we head into 2020. GPS systems require very precise time and date information, so Apple are updating iOS to prevent problems in the future.

As a side note for anyone reading this without owning and older iPhone or iPad, it is still a good idea to check the current status on any slightly older GPS-enabled tech you might have and see if you can update those as well. That also includes specialised devices, like dedicated navigation units an in-car ones.