Q: Safari crashes on iPad after ios 5 update

Well, with Adobe giving up the ghost on Flash and more acceptance of HTML5 I think that will be a dead horse.

I find the crashing on my Ipad one, which is loaded, is very inconsistent.  I have had very few crashes (maybe two)  for the last two days and I can't find a pattern as I'm using Safari just about the same with visits to the same sites.  In fact I've used it and a couple other apps for the last 2.5 hours and haven't crashed even once.  I still haven't tried Icab again--noticed it just got an upgrade but I had understood that all the 3rd party browsers are based on Safari so....  Maybe somone else can comment on that as I'm just repeating what I read.

Diane

krausdoug wrote:

 

George, After a trip to the Genius Bar they told me the same thing. I did it and it did NOTHING to fix the crashes in Safari.

If it were me, I would go back the Genius Bar, demonstrate that the problem is not resolved, and request a new iPad.  In fact, I would have never left to begin with.

I too had heard that alternative browsers use Safari, but having seen how much better Atomic Web renders Facebook pages, I'm not sure whether they just share a core API or more than that. Atomic does occasionally fall over, but not with the frequency or predictability of Safari. Apple really need to sort this one out. Haven't tried Opera or any other browsers yet.

It's a memory management software bug (probably in Webkit). The frequency at which it occurs depends on the sequence of Web operations that are performed, the web sites used, and the state of the iPad when they are initiated (and, possibly, the actual amount of physical memory the particular iPad model has -- 256 MB or 512 MB). As has been reported here some web sites provoke problems more often. The overall environment dependence makes this problem more difficult to reproduce at will, say at the Genius bar.

Troubleshooting techniques like resetting the iPad or restoring it will sometimes reduce the problem since these actions put the iPad into a clean state but this don't solve the underlying problem.

It's unlikely that the Genius bar will be able to help much since a software fix from Apple is needed for that. Replacing a working iPad with another isn't going to fix a IOS bug.

On the other hand, some people who are reporting constant crashes on all sorts of Apps might have a hardware problem that needs to be looked at.

JimHdk wrote:

 

It's a memory management software bug (probably in Webkit). The frequency at which it occurs depends on the sequence of Web operations that are performed, the web sites used, and the state of the iPad when they are initiated (and, possibly, the actual amount of physical memory the particular iPad model has -- 256 MB or 512 MB). As has been reported here some web sites provoke problems more often. The overall environment dependence makes this problem more difficult to reproduce at will, say at the Genius bar.

 

Troubleshooting techniques like resetting the iPad or restoring it will sometimes reduce the problem since these actions put the iPad into a clean state but this don't solve the underlying problem.

 

It's unlikely that the Genius bar will be able to help much since a software fix from Apple is needed for that. Replacing a working iPad with another isn't going to fix a IOS bug.

 

On the other hand, some people who are reporting constant crashes on all sorts of Apps might have a hardware problem that needs to be looked at.

An occasional crash might be acceptable depending on just how "occasional" it is.  However, from what I've seen on the forums, the great majority of those reporting problems state that the crash frequency is monumental, to the point of making the iPad virtually useless.  That's why I keep pushing the hardware solution.  Interesting that, for the most part, none of these individuals have challenged the local Apple Store "Genius" regarding their useless iPad.

I plan to "Challenge" the Genius Bar tomorrow and hope to get a replacement. I'll post my results.

krausdoug wrote:

 

I plan to "Challenge" the Genius Bar tomorrow and hope to get a replacement. I'll post my results.

Check out the results while you're still at the store and don't back down!  Don't allege the cause of the problem as that only results in a back and forth discussion like in this forum.  Instead, get across the fact that there IS a problem and you want it resolved.

How will it work with an Ipad 1 more than 1.5 year old unless you have Apple Care---and even then?  Will a firmware upgrade that has issues be sufficient cause for a replacement?   As I understand it, replacements for 1 are usually rerfurbs anyhow.    And (I admit to never reading the contracts for upgrades) is there something in contract that basically says you install at your "peril"?  Just getting another won't cure it and I don't think the majority of people are within rights to get refunds.  It seems more productive (if this is possible) to push Apple to restore the 4.3 firmware that worked for everyonel. I will say I still don't find my Ipad unusable by any stretch.  Perhaps, as above' someone using it to access a particular site and not being able to but, for instance, thiugh I'm hardly a heavy user of Facebook, I find the Facebook app developed by FB to be crash free. Some options aren't available through it but it depends upon your wants/needs.

There are major discussions on photography forums about a camera having issues others don't have and some feel they are owed their money back.  Others feel that if the company is working on the issue there isn't anything else to be done unless you are in your return period. 

Picnicmetoo wrote:

 

How will it work with an Ipad 1 more than 1.5 year old unless you have Apple Care---and even then?

I have no clue.  I don't have the problem and I do have AppleCare.

Picnicmetoo wrote:

 

As I understand it, replacements for 1 are usually rerfurbs anyhow.

Would you rather have a functioning refurb or your non-functioning original?

Why push Apple for a 4.3 downgrade if there is another solution?

Picnicmetoo wrote:

 

There are major discussions on photography forums about a camera having issues others don't have and some feel they are owed their money back.  Others feel that if the company is working on the issue there isn't anything else to be done unless you are in your return period.

And that has what to do with Apple and the iPad?

That's what I'd like to know!

I plan to push them for a replacement. If they balk, then I will roll it back to iOS4.3.5 myself. It is a little bit of a pain, but I did it with my iPhone 3G (rolled back from iOS4 to iOS3) and it worked again.

FWIW, I had similar issues with my iMAC that the Genius Bar couldn't resolve after several trips. They finally gave me a new iMac that was far better than the one I had. It was not covered under AppleCare at the time, but I put AppleCare on the replacement!

Similar issue that's all.  just relating how other electronic devices have similar issues and how they are expected to be resolved.  Firmware is also at fault and an upgrade is hoped to fix it.

krausdog, how do you do that?  That would seem to be the easy temporary answer for many.  I already have almost all the IOS 5 options off except for Icloud backup and I use and prefer Dropbox anyhow for most things. 

Why would a replacement work as opposed to the one you have if it is a firmware issue?  With the same IOS5 and the same apps wouldn't the issue be the same?  I expect any replacement you get will have IOS 5.0.1 installed.