14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has indirectly confirmed plans to roll out the next iOS update for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users this week, via a Support document which acknowledges the repeating-alarms bug affecting iPhone owners worldwide.
A technical note TS3542 on Apple’s web site entitled “iOS 4.1: Repeating alarms may trigger incorrectly before or after DST change” is, in all senses, Apple’s admission that iOS is suffering from a bug in the alarm clock application.
Only those who’ve set their alarms to repeat are affected, and while there is a workaround, the bug will only be resolved by iOS 4.2, the next software update from Apple.
Although the Mac maker does not specifically mention the software update itself, nor does it specifically state a release date for a future iOS update, the wording in Apple’s Support document indicates that iOS 4.2 is due out by November 7.
Softpedia has reproduced the contents of tech note TS3542 below, highlighting the indirect confirmation from Apple in red.
Symptoms
In some regions, shortly before or after the daylight saving time (DST) change, repeating alarms created in the Clock app may work incorrectly. Products Affected
iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (3rd generation), iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (2nd generation)
Resolution
To resolve this behavior for existing alarms, set the repeat interval to Never. You will need to reset these alarms for each day you need them.
After November 7th, 2010, you can set your alarms to repeat again.
What that last line means is that, after November 7th, the bug will be gone. iOS 4.2 being the confirmed November update from Apple, that sentence pretty-much speaks for itself.
Softpedia predicted on numerous occasions that iOS 4.2 would be released this week, based on various reports that tracked internal seeding of iOS 4.2 beta builds.
Update: Apparently, Apple was only referring to the DST change when the company noted that this timeframe was troublesome, rather than to the actual recurring-alarm bug that should see its fix in iOS 4.2.
The update is, nonetheless, on track for a November release. Although this report was appropriately based on more than one factor indicating iOS 4.2 would be publicly released last week, we apologize for any confusion caused.