The Most Common iPhone 5 Glitches and Their Fixes
Now that some iPhone 5 owners have had their hands on the gadget for a little over a week the ravings have subsided and we're starting to hear more about the phone's flaws and glitches. Beyond the Maps app problems, which Apple continues to say will get better, and other iOS 6 related issues, the phone itself isn't perfect either. Luckily, from what we found on the Apple forums and elsewhere, it looks like most of these problems have a reasonable fix.
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Verizon Data Suck
Issue: iPhone 5 users on the Verizon network have complained that their phone uses data when connected to WiFi, which could lead to huge overage bills. "I somehow managed to burn up 1.8gb of data over 5 days on my iphone 5," one Apple user wrote on a discussion board. "This had never happened in my past 4 years of owning an iPhone ... I can't believe I'm about to hit my full months data limit in 6 days when I connected to wifi 75% of the day."
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Fix: Verizon has acknowledged that there is in fact a bug, reassuring users that they will not be charged for the extra usage. "Under certain circumstances, iPhone 5 may use Verizon cellular data while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Apple has a fix that is being delivered to Verizon customers right on their iPhone 5. Verizon Wireless customers will not be charged for any unwarranted cellular data usage," a spokesperson told 9to5Mac. In order to get the fix, however, users have to download the update, which is not yet available.
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Faulty Chargers
Issue: Users were all up on the Apple forums, complaining that the new phone wasn't charging that well (a problem that seems to creep up a lot in iPhone land). "My iPhone 5 will not charge has anyone else got this problem? When I plug the lightning cable in its as if the phone registers this but it will not charge. I am also unable to transfer any data across to the phone," wrote one unhappy phone owner.
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Fix: Nothing official from Apple, yet. But, it sounds like there are two separate problems here with the same not-quite-ideal solution. Some are complaining of faulty lightning cords while others are mentioning broken adapters for said cords. Beyond the somewhat janky solution below, the best solution users have found leads to buying a new charger altogether.
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Defective Hardware: Rattles and Leaks
Issue:
We've seen two defects in the phone parts department. Some have complained of a rattling noise when shaken and others have reported leaking light through the top of the screen, as pictured right.
Fix: Apple forums complainers have attributed the rattling to a loose battery. "Just back from my Genius Bar appoint at the Apple Store at the Falls, Miami. Loose battery. Adhesive reapplied to the battery. No more rattle. Took less than 5 minutes and sent me on my way," wrote one iPhone 5 owner on the Apple forums. Though, others have mentioned the camera lens or the vibrating mechanism. As for the light problem, it sounds like the only solution is to deal with it, or get a replacement from the Apple store.
