Apple halts iPadOS 18 rollout after it bricks M4 devices
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While iPhone users are having fun customizing their home screens with iOS 18, iPad users will have to make do without the calculator app for a little longer. Apple has halted the ability to update to iPadOS 18 — released the same day as iOS 18 — because it’s apparently bricking multiple iPads.
The entire thing first came to light when users began to notice that it wasn’t just an isolated incident. For some reason the issue is only affecting the latest M4-powered iPads. Though working fine for many, a not insignificant number of M4 iPads simply refuse to turn on after updating to the latest operating system.
Apple is having to issue replacement units for affected users. The problem is widespread enough that the company couldn’t just stay silent about it and had to make a public statement.
The entire thing first came to light when users began to notice that it wasn’t just an isolated incident. For some reason the issue is only affecting the latest M4-powered iPads. Though working fine for many, a not insignificant number of M4 iPads simply refuse to turn on after updating to the latest operating system.
Apple is having to issue replacement units for affected users. The problem is widespread enough that the company couldn’t just stay silent about it and had to make a public statement.
We have temporarily removed the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pro models as we work to resolve an issue that is impacting a small number of devices.
— Apple, MacRumors, September 2024
This marks yet another operating system launch by Apple this month that hasn’t met expectations for many users. While iOS 18 launched without Apple Intelligence as we knew it would, the long awaited visionOS 2 also launched with missing features. Some of the additions that were supposed to make the Apple Vision Pro a more practical headset currently don’t even have a concrete release date.
This is the main reason to get an iPhone 16. | Video credit — Apple
The newest update for iPad was going to bring some really nice additions, including a calculator app (wow!). Some noteworthy features include:
All supported iPads not powered by the M4 chip can be updated to iPadOS 18 for free right now. I hope this doesn’t reflect how the iPad robot is going to turn out, I really want that thing to be a fun toy. But Apple really needs to start rethinking how it launches products in the future, because this year has not been promising.
- Ability to write notes with the Apple pencil
- Live audio transcription
- Home screen customization
- Redesigned Photos app
- Game Mode
- And Apple Intelligence (coming later)
If you're rocking an M4 iPad I'd highly suggest putting off updating to iPadOS 18. The calculator app is tempting, but you really don't want to risk bricking your tablet.
All supported iPads not powered by the M4 chip can be updated to iPadOS 18 for free right now. I hope this doesn’t reflect how the iPad robot is going to turn out, I really want that thing to be a fun toy. But Apple really needs to start rethinking how it launches products in the future, because this year has not been promising.
In fact, the iPhone 16 reveal was so underwhelming that Apple stock began dropping when it was announced. Ouch!
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Things that are NOT allowed: