ios 7.0.2

Apple has acknowledged a bug in iOS 7 that is causing some people to have problems with their iMessage app. Users have been reporting that they are unable to send messages, or are being forced to send messages twice. Others are receiving an alert after a message has been sent using the app.

“We are aware of an issue that affects a fraction of a percent of our iMessage users, and we will have a fix available in an upcoming software update,” Apple said in a statement. “In the meantime, we encourage any users having problems to reference our troubleshooting documents or contact AppleCare to help resolve their issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes impacted users.”

iOS 7 users can grab the recently released 7.0.2 update using iTunes or over-the-air (OTA). The firmware update from Apple includes a security fix that plugs holes which allow someone to bypass the lock screen passcode. The vulnerability was first disclosed by Jose Rodriguez on YouTube. Although it may be difficult to reproduce, the bug made it possible to bypass the passcode with a sequence of inputs.

The steps involve accessing the Control Center from the lock screen, then opening the alarm clock application. After this, holding down the sleep/wake button until the iPhone displays slide to power off leads to the next step. Touching the Cancel button and quickly double pressing the home button launches the app switcher without a passcode. Obviously, this provides access to any running or recently opened apps with no passcode entry required.