14 DAY TRIAL // Apple did not provide a changelog for iOS 5.0.1 Build 9A406, the software update targeting iPhone 4S devices released a few hours ago. However, the purpose of the update is detailed in a Support document on the company’s web site.
Technote TS4148 posted December 15th reveals that the latest iOS software update aims to address a problem where “iPhone 4S displays 'No Service' or 'No SIM Card Installed'”.
“In certain situations, iPhone 4S may have difficulty recognizing a micro-SIM card, resulting in the following behaviors,” Apple says.
· "Invalid SIM" or "No SIM Card installed" alert appears intermittently. · Status bar displays "No Service" or "Searching" in a location with good network coverage.
This issue was reported by multiple users on the Apple Support Communities forum, where a thread titled “Sim Card Failure No Sim with iPhone 4S Anyone Else?” keeps racking up complaints.
“If you encounter any of the above symptoms on your iPhone 4S, follow the steps below,” reads Apple’s Support note.
The steps in question basically outline the proper procedure for updating the firmware on your iPhone 4S handset, which includes backing up your content, and restoring the device to iOS 5.0.1 Build 9A406 using iTunes.
“After the process is complete, restore your user content and settings from your backup,” the instructions read. “To confirm that you've successfully restored, verify that the version is now iOS 5.0.1 (9A406) in Settings > General > About,” Apple states, thus confirming the actual purpose of the latest iOS software update.
At the time we reported on the SIM card failure problem, it appeared that, for some users, the issue was hardware-bound. It remains to be seen whether or not that’s the case as users install the new iOS and report their experience (which you can do using the comments below).
In related news, iOS hackers have confirmed that build 9A406 lacks ramdisk encryption, which can potentially lead to legal Siri ports on iPhone 4 and other A4-based devices.