iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 Review: Two Weeks Later

GottabeMobile ^ | 02/11/2015 | By Josh Smith

[Swordmaker]

Apple continues to deliver small, but important updates for the iPhone 6 Plus and after spending two weeks with the iOS 8.1.3 update it is time to share how it handles on the iPhone 6 Plus.

We are still waiting for other updates from Apple that will add important features and hearing rumors of an improved music service as Apple sets sights on bigger feature-filled updates.

Apple continues work on iOS 8.2 that will bring support for the Apple Watch and the company just announced an iOS 8.3 beta that delivers other key improvements for Apple Car Play and for users with a Google account. Rounding out the upcoming upgrades is the rumor of an iOS 8.4 release that will bring support for a new music streaming service that could but pressure on Spotify.

Here is what you need to know about the iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 update.

The iOS 8 release in September brought a number of exciting features to the iPhone 6 Plus, and iOS 8.1 added Apple Pay soon after. In the last two months a number of smaller bug fixes arrived as Apple attempts to solve frustrating problems for iPhone and iPad users.

As we look to the near future, the iPhone 6 Plus is going to stick on iOS 8.1.3 until at least March according to the latest iOS 8.2 release rumors. There is no way to downgrade from iOS 8.1.3 to iOS 8.1.2 anymore, so you will be stuck on this version until Apple delivers another update. After two weeks of use and no major problems this isn’t something most users will need to worry about.

One important thing to remember is that there is no iOS 8.1.3 jailbreak and it is unlikely that we will see a new jailbreak until after the iOS 8.2 release date.

Here is a two-week iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 review to help you decide if it is time to install this update on your iPhone 6 Plus.

iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 Review: Two Weeks Later

After installing an update like iOS 8.1.3 that focuses on fixing specific problems and delivering performance improvements I test five important areas of the iPhone 6 Plus performance to make sure changes did not break key features. These five areas can change the experience of using the iPhone 6 Plus considerably if something goes wrong, which is why we share an initial impression, a review a week later an another look after spending more time with the update. Here are those key areas in more detail.

Apps

iPhone 6 Plus apps work fine on iOS 8.1.3.

We all use different apps on the iPhone, but after testing many of the best iPhone 6 Plus apps you can download I did not run into significant problems with any of them. This includes streaming movies and videos from Hulu Plus, Netflix, HBO Go and YouTube. I also tested Alien Blue, Facebook, Tweetbot and Facebook Messenger without any problems. Google apps like Hangouts, Google Maps and Gmail also work very well on iOS 8.1.3 on the iPhone 6 Plus. If you experience any trouble, make sure you update your apps to the latest versions.

Battery Life

After using the iPhone 6 Plus on iOS 8.1.3 for two weeks it is clear that this update did not alter the long battery life that I count on. Even after using the iPhone 6 Plus as a personal hotspot for two devices and or GPS directions for two hours the battery was above 80%, which was quite impressive. On days with more normal use, the iPhone 6 Plus battery life doesn’t come close to empty at the end of a long day. If you have issues, check out how to fix bad iOS 8.1.3 battery life.

Connectivity

Ever since I lost the ability to connect to LTE networks on the iPhone 6 Plus after a small update I pay very close attention to connectivity after updates like this. On iOS 8.1.3 I can connect to multiple WiFi networks and share my connection as a hotspot without any problems. The AT&T LTE connection is strong and fast, and Bluetooth can connect to headphones and a Bluetooth keyboard problem free.

Bugs & Issues

There are some iOS 8.1.3 problems, but it is not an issue for our review unit.

The iPhone 6 that I also use still exhibits some landscape issues where it will get stuck in landscape mode, but this problem is no longer present on my iPhone 6 Plus and the iOS 8.1.3 update did not bring it back to life.

Unlike the iPhone 6, which for some of our staff drops the WiFi connection, the iPhone 6 Plus is fairly bug free on iOS 8.1.3. Some users do report problems, but there are no show-stopping issues on our iPhone 6 Plus.

If you run into any bugs or issues, you can check out our common iOS 8.1.3 problems and fixes for help.

Speed

The iPhone 6 Plus is a fast device, which isn’t surprising considering it is very new. The iOS 8.1.3 update does not change the speed and performance of the iPhone 6 Plus at all. There is no need to worry about this small update slowing down your new iPhone 6 Plus.

Is the iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 Update Worth Installing Now?

Should you install the iOS 8.1.3 update on the iPhone 6 Plus?

If you don’t need a jailbreak to enjoy using your iPhone 6 Plus, the iOS 8.1.3 update is one that many users can safely install without any worries.

For users who are on iOS 8.1.2 with multiple problems or annoyances, this is also a very good update to install without waiting any further. Although some problems can sneak into our phones long after installing the update the lack of any major bugs means the iPhone 6 Plus iOS 8.1.3 update is safe to install.

With the iOS 8.2 release on the horizon with support for the Apple Watch there is also the option to wait for the big update if you aren’t in need of any bug fixes that iOS 8.1.3 delivers.

[normbal]

Thanks. Sent them a message.

This gets REALLY annoying.

I had to keep fighting with iTunes this morning, listening to Blaze Radio app, iTunes kept breaking in with a Christmas song from a playlist somewhere.

I don’t have iTunes open, it just opens all by itself.

I can’t make this any clearer. iPhone 3 used to do this AFTER an OS upgrade, got an iPhone 4S and the problem stopped for a while, started again after another OS upgrade, iPhone 5S it stopped. This is ALL with the same radio over the past 5 years. New car, new radio, same iPhone 5S, 4 months later and this last update to the OS (8.1.3, i think), it’s back, nastier than ever. Didn’t used to take over the radio while I was listening to internet radio (The Blaze, iHeartradio or Tunein - happens with any of them).

I’ve checked and rechecked settings on my computer, on my phone, on the radio. There isn’t a single setting that says “start playing music once connection is made to the radio” or “interrupt other app/internet radio with randomly selected song from iTunes.” Or, my favorite, I’m just trying to find something that says “turn OFF iTunes until selected manually.” There ain’t no such setting.

But thanks, I sent them a message. This has GOT to be a programming error.

[Night Hides Not]

I am very happy with my 6plus. For an old guy like me, the large screen allows me to freep wherever I may be. The camera takes very high quality pictures and video

[Star Traveler]

My iPAd does all my FReeping and it goes everywhere with me. I guess I like a “really big screen” ... :-) ...

[Star Traveler]

One thing I would want to find out, if I were having that problem ... is if this is what others are experiencing, or if it’s just me. If it’s ONLY ME and no one else, then that would suggest to me that there’s an unknown setting that I haven’t found yet ... or else ... there is a corrupted file and I need to erase and reload things (i.e., reload the iOS again).

Where you can go to find other Apple Users who can help you with that is the Apple Forums that Apple hosts. You won’t have Apple Tech Support, as that’s not the spot for them, but you will have a lot of other tech-savvy users who may be able to help you.

You need to sign up for an account there (it’s free) and then find the appropriate forum area (I would pick “iPhone” since that’s the device you’re using; then pick “Using iPhone”) and then post your question. Make the “title line” of your post to be subject line and not a really long question (like some do), and then post your explanation of the question after the subject line.

You might get some good answers there.

This is the link ...
https://discussions.apple.com/welcome

[normbal]

Thanks, logged in (I forget sometimes which sites I’ve got accounts) and found several posts with suggested solutions.

I’ll try working on this later.