iOS 15.1: The bugs are back

I thought iOS 15.1 would bring more of the same.

More stability. More performance. More battery life.

After going from bad to great, iOS 15 is once again headed in the bad direction.

iOS 15.1 has been out a week, and I’ve been testing it, and it breaks my heart to say it, but the bugs are back.

And I’ve had feedback from a number of readers saying the same thing.

Here’s what I’ve experienced:

• Periods of unresponsive user interface 
• Lags in the user interface
• Very variable battery life (some days good, some awful)
• A weird popping on Bluetooth headsets (both AirPods Pro and others)

Another thing I’ve noticed is that the Unlock With Apple Watch feature (you remember, the feature that was broken in iOS 15) now seems to unlock my iPhone when I’m not wearing a mask or really looking at the iPhone. I’ve had several occasions (once when my iPhone was in my pocket) where my Apple Watch buzzed because it had unlocked my iPhone when I wasn’t expecting it.

Weird. 

Initially, I thought they were phantom buzzes, but I’ve caught the message on the Apple Watch a few times now. It’s hard to tell if this is a potential security risk, but it’s made me more aware of when my Apple Watch buzzes.

Roll on iOS 15.1.1, because all-in-all, this is a lousy new iPhone experience.