Problem with safari's cache in ios 5

Here's a theory, made without empirical testing but with an observation and an assumption.

I am going to assume that the introduction of tabbed browsing on the iPad brought the software code base of Safari on iOS closer to that on OS X. One of the features you see on OS X Safari is the grid of sites you visit regularly. That feature displays a small version of the web-page of those sites at a point of time.

If I remember correctly the old method for interaction with multiple sites on iOS prior to tabbed browsing was to click on a button which gave you a grid of your currently open sites.

In each case, I am assuming that the grids use a cache to render a likeness of those sites.

What if during the introduction of tabbed browsing into the iOS ecosystem for Safari, the code elements for the grids was not merged successfully. This could result in iOS safari remembering what a page was like for the purpose of keeping 'a grid', but having no ability but not the bits necessary to refresh those cached snapshots.

The resulting behaviour would be similar to what we are experiencing. The iOS Safari experience is displaying the original page as if it was being rendered in a grid when you hit the back button; but isn't refreshing the cache.

Food for thought.

I am having issues with my site working with iOS 5 as well. I tried to detail the problem in this post http://trac/storm/ticket/17113http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7988967/problems-with-page-cache-in-ios-5-saf ari-when-navigating-back. From what I can tell, all other browsers are firing the pagehide event, then the unload event, but not Safari on iOS 5, it only fires pagehide.

Message was edited by: mr2400

My guess is that the Unload event is not firing because the page does not actually unload, hence our problem. The system retains the web pages until it feels like discarding them.

I beleve this issue is related, but it's existence doesn't really explain what's going on. I'm working on a webpage designed to be accessed from a shortcut added to the home screen. I've gotten Safari to clear its cache from time to time, but I can delete and recreate the home scren link, and it never seems to load new code. No matter how many times I clear Safari's internal cache, the external home screen-based link always uses the code that existed the first time it wsa created. I can delete the shortcut, and re-create it with a different name, but the old code is still prevalent.

Ugh.

PastorOfMuppets: Your observations align with mine. The jury is still out if 5.01 helps at all but I can attest its still there. It makes using the native device for debugging just about useless and you cringe when you deploy a new code base because you don't know what its going to do to your users.

Same problem. iPad 2, iOS 5.0.1. Very annoying.

Same problem here. iPad 2, iOS 5.0.1. This is a nasty bug, needs to be fixed

same problem here !

Apple please support urgently !!!!!!

As an alternative just installed Opera mini and works great !

Apple please Supooooooooooooooort !

Same issue here. I hope there is a solution soon. Clearing cache, cookies, and history doesn't work to fix the issue.

Frankly, I would be happy if safari would stop crashing (another thread). Really think apple pushed this release out way to soon.

I have done some non official testing and believe Safari with iOS5.01 may be fixed for caching if not run as a homescreen bookmark. When I bookmark a page onto the homescreen is when I have noticed the caching behavior.

We might need a few others to see if this is actually case or it just my limited testing.

I noticed that with 5.01 if I execute a web url (or homescreen webapp) it caches. If I run it putting in the url into safari or using the safari refesh it seems to be OK.

This is not an acceptable solution but just trying to hone in on what potentially might be scope of this in the hopes Apple will be understand the issue.

Impractical to be constanting emptying one's cache. This is probably a minor fix but Apple has to take notice and resolve it because it is an ongoing frustration.

Here's to hope Apple gets their act together to fix this. There are numerous threads on this issue. Several proposed short term fixes and they sometimes work for a day or so....then the same old problem pops up. I was an Apple fan based on the iPad with iOS 4. Got the iPhone due to satisfaction. Having to hit refresh every time you use the back button is a malfunction on the most basic functions of a browser. Safari and apps continually crash. Apple is opening the field for other players. I agree with another poster...if this was Microsoft they would be crucified...why no outcry?