Apple GPS Bug Risk

If you still use an older Apple iPhone or iPad, you could face the Apple GPS bug risk.

Apple has issued an official warning and recommends immediate action for affected devices. If you have an iPhone 5 or earlier, or an iPad (4th generation) or earlier, follow Apple’s guidance and update iOS as soon as possible. Depending on your model, you may need iOS 9.3.6 or iOS 10.3.4.

Apple advised users to update by 3 November. If you keep an older iOS version after that date, you may see GPS location problems. You may also have issues with date and time accuracy. In turn, that can stop your iPhone or iPad from syncing with online services such as email and iCloud.

Why do I need to update my iPhone or iPad?

This is not a security feature issue. Instead, it relates to GPS timekeeping and how devices handle date and time data. Similar to the Y2K problem, GPS systems rely on precise time information. If a device handles that time data incorrectly, it can affect GPS performance. Apple released iOS updates to prevent these issues.

As a final note, it’s worth checking other older GPS-enabled devices you own. For example, you might have a dedicated sat nav or an in-car navigation unit. If you can update them, it’s sensible to do so.