Apple Is Too Quiet & Moving At A Snail's Pace With a Remedy For iOS 14.x WiFi Connection Dropping Issue
DEFCON 5 iOS 14.x WiFi Network Drop-off Issue
I've literally read hundreds of posts across the web regarding iPhone customer's devices dropping off their WiFi networks since installing iOS 14.x. My networking experience includes building WMANs (wireless municipal area networks—citywide wireless networks) using high-speed free-space optics (infrared laser) point-to-point connections backed up with high-speed radio and properly load-balanced external/internal WiFi meshes. In addition, I ran a Mac-centric technology consulting firm for 10 years where troubleshooting was a fair amount of my focus. I was a former worldwide Product Manager for tape backup company with my focus on a product line for the Mac. I used to work for Apple in large K-12 sales. And finally, I'm an iOS developer. While this article sounds like a resume at this point, I assure you my only reason for mentioning my technical and Apple platform experience is to lend credence to my observations and points. To that end, I can attest there's a serious DEFCON 5 level bug or undisclosed change introduced in iOS 14.x. I've written 14.x because I've tested iOS 14.0 through iOS 14.2 beta 3 and THIS ISSUE IS STILL NOT FIXED! When iOS 14.0 was released I held off for a few of weeks before installing it on my XS Max. I now wished I'd held off longer because the WiFi nightmare Apple created totally negates the benefits of the new features introduced. My XS Max continually drops off my perfectly tuned WiFi mesh network. I have a separate 5 MHz network for my XS Max and the my wife's 8+, I have a separate 5 MHz network for our MacBook Pros, and a 2.4 MHz WiFi network for much slower IoT (internet of things) devices. For all those out there recommending we dive into our routers and access points (APs) and make changes, read on. In my home are the following iPhones: XS Max, 8+, 6+, and 2 5S phones. I've placed all of these iPhones in the same locations in which my Xs Max now drops off the network (and never did before) and guess what? They all maintain their connections (on the same 5 MHz iPhone-dedicated network as the Xs). The difference? They're all not running iOS 14.x. And lastly, for all those out there recommending the resetting of iPhone network settings: It does not resolve the issue.
Broken iPhone WiFi Radio Driver
In my many years of experience, my best guess is the iOS 14.x development team has either broken the iPhone's internal WiFi radio driver, or Apple decided to make a change and, as usual, failed to tell the world. This happens all the time to developers and Apple continues to wonder why we wait until the the golden master has been released before we devote significant time to code changes and testing—we're tired of Apple's last minutes changes that costs us a lot of wasted time! In any event, whatever mishap has occurred within iOS 14.x in Cupertino, my Xs Max has lost it's ability to stay connected to my 5 MHz WiFi network when it's moved more than 10 feet from my router or access points. If you're sitting right on top of the router or AP, the phone will maintain a connection.
Apple Has Put It's Customers In A Box—Again!
Shortly after experiencing iOS 14.x's WiFi dropping issue, I attempted to downgrade to iOS 13.7. While I was able to download the IPSW archive, Apple, in it's consistent shortsightedness, stopped signing (allowing you to install) iOS 13 the day they released iOS 14 (this is the typical policy)! This has to be one of the most most idiotic policies Apple has implemented. They leave no contingency plan in place for us customers who make their livelihood with the use of their solutions (and pay a lot of money for them)! Hey Apple, how about a new policy in which you add the ability to downgrade to the prior iOS version for a minimum of 30 days? And, make it as easy to downgrade as it is to upgrade. This way, if another major iOS user-debilitating bug is found in a future major iOS release, your customers are able to downgrade and continue to be productive. In my opinion doing anything else is simply being disrespectful to your loyal customers base.
End of Rant
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Core OS
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