Two Big iOS 12 Bugs Hit the iPhone (Update)

Update Oct. 4: The charging bug affecting the iPhone XS and XS Max will reportedly be fixed in the iOS 12.1 update this fall.

iPhone owners running iOS 12 are experiencing two seriously annoying issues, according to new reports.

Credit: Tom's Guide

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Firstly, the folks over at Piunika Web have discovered that iPhone owners are having problems with their devices after updating to iOS 12. According to the report, when people go into the Messages app on the iPhone, some are finding that the operating system merges contacts and chats together and in some cases, prompts other people to see text messages and phone calls not meant for them.

"Any iPhone users experience this new issue (since latest update) where iMessage keeps merging two totally unrelated message threads to totally different people or know how to fix it?" one Twitter user asked. Similar questions have been asked across Apple's support pages and elsewhere.

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The problem apparently relates to a new feature in iOS 12 that creates threaded messages when a person has multiple contact numbers. Instead of being forced to access text messages in different threads from the same person who might text you from different numbers, the new feature aims at putting them all together.

According to Piunika Web, the issue might have something to do with people who share their Apple IDs with others. And in some cases, when everyone set up unique Apple IDs, the issue resolved on its own. In other cases, however, it wasn't fixed.

Meanwhile, those who have an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max are having another problem.

According to a MacRumors report, some owners are reporting that the handsets won't charge when their screens are off and they're plugged in. Once users wake up the screen, the handsets begin charging. Other users, however, say that they need to unplug the smartphone, wake the screen, and plug it back in before their iPhones charge, according to the report.

Fortunately, Apple will reportedly address this issue in the iOS 12.1 update, which will be made available for iPhones and iPads this fall. CNET reported on the fix.

It's unclear for now what the problem might be, though some wonder if the iPhone's USB Restricted Mode could be the culprit. It doesn't allow for USB accessories to connect with Apple's handsets via the Lightning connector if they've been off for more than an hour.

We will update you as we learn more.

Don Reisinger is CEO and founder of D2 Tech Agency. A communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter, Don has also written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Computerworld, Digital Trends, TechCrunch and Slashgear. He has also written for Tom's Guide for many years, contributing hundreds of articles on everything from phones to games to streaming and smart home.