Q: Google links don't work after iOS 9.3

What I find very interesting is that my dad's iPhone 6 Plus which is also on iOS 9.3 does NOT have any of these issues, and we updated to iOS 9.3 the same time. My iPhone 6S Plus (which should be the better phone) is affected by this bug!! If that's not ironic I don't know what is? How do you explain that??? :/

IT has absolutely nothing to do with iOS 9.3, it's a third party app triggering it on all versions of iOS 9.x, including iOS 9.0.2.

Yes, a third party app, Booking.com was the cause. It's not related to the iOS version.

What app is triggering it? I already deleted booking.com and that did nothing. What's the fix then if it's a third party app?! What a crappy OS if that is indeed true, an app can cause this much trouble! WoW. So much for Apple's "security" making us feel 'secure'. Can't help but wonder if all that's been happening with Apple and the FBI has anything to do with this bug. It is rather curious.

Deleting/Uninstalling the app doesn't remove the poisoned data because the part of iOS with the data is too busy crashing. For technical information, I recommend the comments on the Ars Technica article, http://arstechnica.com/apple/2016/03/poorly-behaved-app-causing-crashes-and-link -problems-for-some-ios-9-x-users/?commen…

The easiest non-technical way to fix it is to do a restore. The comments in that thread have more technical, but less reliable fixes That don't involve erasing your iOS device.

Thanks, going to read through that.. Honestly I have been wanting to switch over to android the last couple of years; was obligated to stick with iPhone due to over $1,500.00 in apps that I own.. Didn't want to loose that app value especially some of the more expensive GPS apps. This is coming from someone who has literally owned every single iPhone ever released. As God is my witness, my next upgrade is going to be Android. Long overdue, I'll happily take my losses in app investments throughout the years. iOS is far too boring & limited compared to android. At this point this is truly a no brainer.

since 'upgrading' to 9,.3 my 5s is not functioning correctly I have lost all confidence in Apple

FACT: Your theory on booking.com being the culprit is wrong. My dads iPhone 6 Plus also has booking.com app and has always had it. Since we both updated to iOS 9.3 at the same time and my iPhone 6S Plus suffers from this new bug and my dads iPhone 6 Plus does not; evidently something else is at fault here.

Now I'm wishing I never upgraded to the 6S Plus, and gave my old 6 Plus to my dad.. Could've had a working iPhone LoL. Proof that newer isn't always better.

This is incorrect, it's been confirmed by multiple parties what the issue is.

It is triggered when iOS downloads the apple-app-site-association file. For about a week, the version of that file on the booking.com servers had bad data. So if anyone installed the app during that week or the iOS periodic server checks downloaded the file in that week, the issue appeared. If the file was downloaded outside of that week, the issue doesn't occur.

That is why you saw it on one device and not the other.

My dads iPhone 6 Plus has had booking.com app installed on it since the release of the iPhone 6S Plus. Neither one of us have ever deleted this app; granted I use it more often than my dad as I book reservations in Niagara Falls frequently. I also believe that any app updates are updated faster on my device than his..

So to further clarify; are you suggesting that the app in his iPhone did not have this buggy (app update) version installed; and mine did.?.

Does using the actual app have anything to do with it.?.

Honestly, I am not completely convinced that booking.com app is the only culprit here from my own investigation; although I hope that I am wrong. You don't hear me say that very often, but it is very true in this case. Just want a working fix asap (like everyone else).

Although the Booking.com app was updated last on March 17th, the association file isn't part of the update. iOS actually downloads it from http://booking.com/apple-app-site-association periodically. The actual update schedule is not documented by Apple.

On a related note, booking.com updated their app today, in case an update to the app can force an association file check sooner than normal.

Actually, the new update removes ALL associated domains from the app, does the update fix the issue on the iPhone 6s?

Ok, a lot of troubleshooting here is IMHO very contradictory but regardless I remain optimistic that a fix is to be released soon. BTW, I'm a Networking Specialist so digging on the issue at hand isn't merely guessing; I'm doing my best to contribute to various threads in hopes of narrowing down the issues at hand.

All I can do now is delete the booking.com apps from both iPhones and re-install the updated versions (here's hoping that the loop will be broken). Would absolutely HATE to have to re-install everything on 128GB phones. Takes forever.

Apple get your stuff together!!

Before you delete it, please see if the update to the app released just now fixes it.

The update to the app has done nothing, sadly. I power-cycled the phone after installing the app again, and registered for booking.com under a brand new account hoping this would push through the alleged loop. No go.

Will hold off for another 48 hours to see if any other possible fixes manifest..

Side note, the only real differences between my dads iPhone and mine is that mine is the "S" version and mine uses the Apple Watch to sync up.

If I have to restore to factory settings eventually in hopes of resolving this bug; and that doesn't fix it... Apple is forever dead to me. I will sell all of it and move on.

Don't have time for these extremely inconvenient bugs. We pay them enough to do a MUCH better job!

R.I.P all things Apple.?.

I'll update should I restore it, but from what I read thus far that doesn't work out well and is just more time wasted. Cheers.

I suspect its the same for every person that did the update. no google links. no links through email. many apps crash and freeze onscreen  i have messages in ebay but cant reply on the reply button. loads of issues. i believe apple is aware.

There was a statement to the effect that it was older iphones but not correct. I have iphone 6 plus