Apple warns users that some of the most important system functions and many third-party applications will have problems and errors on old iPhones and iPads on November 3, unless they are updated. Learn about those devices? Why will some jobs stop working?
The problem of 2000 is an idea that never dies
The older generations will remember the 2000 problem and those who do not know it, this is the story… The problem began in the sixties of the last century with the beginning of the spread of computers, technology and programming, and as we know it was not that efficient and powerful that we are witnessing today, where the developers were trying to reduce the consumption of computer memory to the maximum degree They used the number of the year in two digits instead of four, so the year 1984 became an example that appeared on the computer in the form 84, and at the beginning of the nineties experts began to notice a problem, how will the computer understand the year 2000? Of course, it will appear in the double digit (00) method, which is mathematically illogical and means many problems. For example, if a bank customer wanted to inquire about his accounts from 1998 to 2000, in computer language it means “00-98 = -98” and here the value will be negative, meaning disaster by all standards. Airlines, banks, hospitals, financial circles and oil companies modernized their equipment to cope with the new millennium.
Today, GPS is the culprit
Today another problem with the same concept is that technologies in the past were not programmed to last forever; Computer systems on the satellites of the US Army Positioning System, known as GPS, have a maximum of 1023 weeks, and after that period equivalent to 19 years, 7 months and two weeks, the number returns to zero, which may cause the GPS devices to malfunction in addition to the occurrence of Problems with devices and applications that support GPS.
The first week of the first GPS device began on January 6, 1980, and after 1023 weeks, the first "beeping" of the meter occurred, specifically on August 21, 1999, and indeed, problems occurred in some GPS devices, but actually at this time their spread was weak and did not receive much attention. Now, after another 1023 weeks, the second "beeping" occurred, on April 6, 2019, and a problem appeared and affected a number of devices already. but now; Apple warns users that the same problem will affect some iPhones and iPads before midnight GMT on November 3, 2019.
The impact of the problem on the iPhone and iPad devices
The problem will cause some iPhone and iPad models that were released in 2012 and earlier versions to lose GPS functionality on each of the applications that support it. Also, incorrect timekeeping problems can occur on devices, which in turn leads to problems with email fetching and syncing with iCloud.
As for third-party applications that depend on GPS and depend on the correct time settings, they will definitely crash or have unfortunate events after that date.
Devices that will have these problems after November 3
Only some iPhone and iPad models that support cellular internet and Wi-Fi together will be affected, namely:
IPhone 5.
◉ iPad XNUMXth generation Wi-Fi + Cellular
IPhone 4s
IPad mini XNUMXst generation Wi-Fi + Cellular
◉ iPad 2 that comes with Wi-Fi + Cellular CDMA models only
IPad XNUMXrd generation Wi-Fi + Cellular
This problem does not affect the iPod touch or any models of Wi-Fi iPad devices, since these devices do not include GPS.
What can I do to avoid this problem?
It is important to update your device to the latest version before November 3 to keep the GPS, time and date working properly, as mentioned by Apple on the support page.
For iPhone 5 and iPad XNUMXth generation devices, they will be updated to iOS 10.3.4. The rest of the devices will be updated to the version 9.3.6 From iOS to avoid these errors.
To update your device, take the following steps ...
go to the Settings -> General -> upgrade software, It will show you that an update is available.
It should also be noted that the older iPhones and iPads, such as the iPhone 4 and earlier, will not be able to receive any update to remedy these errors. In other words, they cannot rely on GPS technology, and the solution is not to operate the cellular internet on these phones, and to be satisfied with Wi-Fi, according to Apple, this problem does not occur.
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