If you have an iPhone 5, an epoch is coming to a close that WILL disable your phone! You see, when the GPS system was first initialized, there was a technical detail that most folks weren’t remotely aware of. GPS systems count weeks in a 10-bit parameter.. meaning it can only keep track of up to 1,024 weeks before, like your old classic car, rolls over to 0. So, on January 6th of the year 1980, (when yours truly was still in diapers and enjoying his new toys from Christmas) and epoch started…. and ended on August 21st, 1999 (when yours truly was in a fresh relationship with a woman WAY out of his league), starting Epoch 2.
Well, this year, that 1,024 weeks rolled over to Epoch 3 on April 6 (yours truly now has two teenage boys from that same amazing woman… who remains far out of my league), promoting updates for a few GPS devices. But things are a little more serious for the iPhone 5.
iPhone 5 Needs GPS Update
Apple has informed iPhone 5 owners that they will need to update to an incremental update or risk having their phones no longer wake after November 3rd, 2019. I know for a fact a lot of folks will have missed that alert or just dismissed it, so we thought it prudent to get the word out!
The core of the issues we’re told is that functions such as the App Store, iCloud, Web Browsing and Email require per scion date and time tracking… which will fail because of this rollover… why 30 weeks later? Dunno!
Regardless, you are going to have to do this update to keep your iPhone 5 ticking along, all you need to do is head to Settings –> General –> Software Update. See Apples full support article here.
Other Devices Updated
Most of Apples older devices would have to be updated, and in fact, Apple has released supplemental updates, iOS 10.3.4 and iOS 9.3.6. There was no explanation for why the iPhone 5 was singled out for such a critical update.
Just in case you wake up November 3rd and phone won’t connect to the network, you can try a manual software update using iTunes, or the Finder in Catalina.
All else fails, bring it by, and we’ll take care of it for you!
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