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iOS 13.2.3 Fixes Searching, Messages Attachments, Mail, and Background Downloading

Seventh time’s the charm? In its continuing cavalcade of updates, Apple has released iOS 13.2.3 and iPadOS 13.2.3 to address four specific bugs. You can install these updates, which weigh in at 105.4 MB on an iPhone X and 534.1 MB on a 10.5-inch iPad Pro, in Settings > General > Software Update, through the Finder in macOS 10.15 Catalina, or using iTunes in Windows and earlier versions of macOS. Neither update has any security fixes with CVE entries.

As has been the case recently, these updates are aimed at fixing bugs that could:

  • iOS 13.2.3 release notesCause searches to fail throughout the operating system, including in Files, Mail, and Notes
  • Prevent attachments like photos and links from displaying in the Details view of Messages
  • Stop apps from downloading content in the background
  • Prevent Mail from fetching new messages or including the original quoted messages when replying when using an Exchange account

As we’ve been recommending for weeks, if you haven’t yet upgraded to iOS 13, there’s little harm in holding off a little longer. But if you have jumped on the iOS 13 bandwagon, you should keep updating as Apple continues on its mad bug hunt. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

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Comments About iOS 13.2.3 Fixes Searching, Messages Attachments, Mail, and Background Downloading

Notable Replies

  1. I still say, Apple should have pulled all “13” versions of the many flavors of iOS, released 12.5 to cover the new hardware, gone back to the shop with the iOS 13 code and worked on it until late Summer 2020. Then release it as iOS 14!

    I’m going to skip iOS 13 completely.

  2. I’m upgrading now. I hope they finally fix the new bug introduced just since iOS 13 where the keyboard suddenly forgets it’s in Japanese and starts outputting nonsense English characters, when typing in manually or dictating. It happens multiple times a day and is really frustrating.

  3. Does anyone have any ideas why the quality of Apple software updates is so flawed these days? Is it poor programming, too complex programming, poor testing regime, suspect integration, premature releases to fit a timetable, inadequate program documentation? I sometimes have the feeling that we users are the test beds for new releases.

  4. Over the last few days I’ve been having issues with Mail being sluggish and nonresponsive on my iPhone. Never had a problem quite like it before. I’m installing this update ASAP in the hope that it will resolve my problems.

  5. I recently upgraded to iPadOS 13.2.2 because Apple Support thought it would fix a problem I was seeing in the Files app. The only problems I saw was some squirrelly behavior in the UI; that seems to have gotten fixed in iPadOS 13.2.3.

    I eventually fixed the Files problem – a storage leak – by offloading all local files in Files from the iPad, deleting the app, and re-installing the app. Yucko!

  6. All of those ideas have been speculated and seem to have existed for a number of years, but recently appear to have become larger factors, probably due to increased complexity. The only thing I would add is a recognized shortage of talent with new companies multiplying like rabbits all looking for engineers that were already in short supply, so hiring the cream of the crop is both difficult and expensive.

  7. In addition to that, as a software engineer, I think management not listening to the engineers is a major factor contributing to declining software quality. Engineers need to meet unrealistic expectations, delivering more and more in less and less time. In the end, something’s got to give, quality in this case.

  8. Yes, we covered that in:

  9. This is me, too. Let us know if the fix works for you, Dave?

  10. Apparently they updated iOS 12 for users of older phones too - at least I have a notice to update again.

  11. I’m not seeing in on any of the announcement lists I monitor. The last was to iOS 12.4.3 (16G130) back on Oct 28. Let us know if you got something different.

  12. Thank you I must have missed this excellent report. The conclusion suggesting that Apple is hurting its reputation with less than quality software is on the money. If Apple is seriously addressing its buggy software then it probably needs to let it be known.

  13. 12.4.3 is the update. I just got the notice last week- probably because I have to manually connect to the WiFi now. Once the screen goes black, the phone soon disconnects and does not reconnect automatically the next use - a problem I can live with.

  14. Is there a way to update iOS 12.4.1 to 12.4.3? All I see is 13.2.3.

  15. You’ll only get 12.4.3 if your device cannot go to iOS 13, I believe.

  16. Thank you for confirming that (disappointing) information, Adam. It is what I expected, but my hopes were raised by the mention of 12.4.3.

  17. 98% of what I do n my tablet is youtube, streaming netflix/prime and some reading via browser. During one of the dot releases, I did notice my battery usage went way, way up. This last one, the dot 3 SEEMS to have solved that issue.

    Very little confidence in their OS engineers these days…

  18. Thanks for asking about 12.4.3 availability, Will. I was also wondering if I could get that for my 8+, as I do not want to move to iOS 13 (at least not at this time).

  19. On an iPad. iOS 13.1.3
    In Mail, sometimes a kind of preview window will slide in from the right instead of going to full Safari when touching a link.
    It seems to be inconsistent. Any idea if there is a setting to toggle the rather useless preview slide in?
    Or is this a bug that is fixed in 13.2.3.

  20. That’s probably multitasking slideover. See Use multitasking - Apple Support for a lot more on iPad multitasking.

    You can turn off multitasking features on iPad OS at settings / General / Multitasking and Dock. Turn off “Allow multiple apps” if you don’t want or need those features.

  21. Thanks Doug. I toggled that and hopefully that’ll be that.
    Should have been obvious but perhaps my bwain is slooooooooowing…

  22. If you’ve upgraded to iOS 13 in general, we strongly recommend installing each update as it comes out. Apple is fixing serious bugs each time, and there’s no win in staying at an earlier release of iOS 13.

  23. okey dokes. I thought it was set to auto update, but the iPad is my (somewhat tech challenged and fearful) spouses, so perhaps not …

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