Apple has released a new iOS 11.2.6 update that includes a fix for the bug that is causing iPhones and apps like Facebook and WhatsApp to crash when a single character in Telugu, an Indian language, is sent to the device or typed in text editor.
When the Telugu character is sent in an iMessage, for example, it can freeze up the entire Messages app on all of a person's Mac and iOS devices.
The Messages app will then refuse to function properly until the offending character is removed by deleting the conversation with the person who sent it. In some situations, if the character is viewed through an iOS notification, it can cause the entire device to crash.
The company said older versions were not affected by the bug and added that Apple had already fixed the issue in the current beta versions of the operating systems.
Devices running on iOS 11 are affected and crash when any application receives the character, tech news website The Verge reported.
Apps become unresponsive, including Apple's iMessage and third-party applications like WhatsApp, Gmail and Facebook messenger, the news report said. However, some apps like Telegram and Skype seem to be unaffected, the report said, adding that an Italian blog Mobile World spotted the bug.
Apple has been plagued with multiple iOS bug issues in recent times and the ongoing issues with the operating system are likely to hinder their popularity among its users for sure.
The iOS bug episode is the latest for developers at Apple. Recently, a major bug was found in Apple’s MacOS High Sierra version, which allowed anyone to unlock the system.
(With inputs from IANS and Reuters)
(This story was updated on 20 February 2018, when Apple released an iOS 11 update.)
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