mcfloyd49

Q: imessage and Facetime sign in activation error iPad ios8.1.2

I notice another user has posted today 21st Jan 2015, the same problem I have had for a couple of days.

 

I have an iPad Air, an iPhone 5S and an iMac. Using my iPad on Saturday 18th suddenly couldn't see my imessages or use Facetime (I'd used FT half an hour before it all went); kept on getting Activation error on both Apps. BUT ONLY ON MY IPAD AIR?!

 

My iPhone and iMac work absolutely fine and I can continue to use both with imessage and Facetime. I have so far done the following, as advised by Apple Support and my local Apple Genius Bar appointment today:

 

  • Hard reset. Used home button and off button to reset. Didn't work
  • Reset Network settings. Didn't work
  • Reset All settings. Didn't work
  • Backed up and Restored iPad. Tried to log in to iMessage and Facetime from as new setup before restoring backup. Didn't work
  • Apple Genius bar performed a "deep restore". Didn't work
  • Apple Genius bar performed a "set up as brand new iPad" process. Didn't work
  • Logged out of Apple ID on iPhone then tried logging in to same Apple ID on iPad. Didn't work
  • Apple confirmed my Apple ID is correctly verified on their system.

 

Apple have now escalated my issue to their Engineering Team, so I hope they can fix, but the Apple guy in the store said he'd never come across this problem before.

 

I have been told IT IS NOT a hardware issue, it has to a a software issue, but it sounds more like me that it's an Apple verification issue on their servers?

 

If anyone has come across this, or can provide any other ideas I'd be most grateful. I still have use of imessage and Factime on my iPhone and iMac, so its more frustration that I have an expensive iPad Air that is missing paid-for functionality that I expect Apple to address and nothing more.

 

Thanks in advance

iPad Air, iOS 8.1.2

Posted on Jan 21, 2015 7:18 AM

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Q: imessage and Facetime sign in activation error iPad ios8.1.2

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  • by Mikedonna,

    Mikedonna Mikedonna Jan 27, 2015 4:52 PM in response to picasso1805
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 4:52 PM in response to picasso1805

    Picasso I think perhaps since you spoke directly with senior techs they fixed yours directly, so glad they could, but the rest of us are just going to have to bug them like crazy...still praying I wake up one day and it works.....but thanks so much for watching out for us..you have the tech's name????

  • by picasso1805,

    picasso1805 picasso1805 Jan 27, 2015 5:00 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 5:00 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    I have his name , mail and number not sure if I am allowed to share his information. His name was Chris based in Oregon. Everybody with iMessage issues should call Apple don't worry about the automated machine saying that you have to pay the fee......one more time !!  If its Apple's fault you don't have to pay anything they usually transfer you to a normal agent but that guy usually gives up pretty quick when you tell him that you absolutely did everything he will transfer you guys right away to the senior tech.

  • by bobseufert,

    bobseufert bobseufert Jan 27, 2015 5:13 PM in response to Mikedonna
    Level 6 (14,082 points)
    iPad
    Jan 27, 2015 5:13 PM in response to Mikedonna

    Try the IOS 8.1.3 update. If that doesn't work send Apple feedback at the link below.

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/

  • by Gabbyandbella29,

    Gabbyandbella29 Gabbyandbella29 Jan 27, 2015 5:56 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 5:56 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    I am also having this problem, the update didn't help me either but I am hoping maybe it didn't work because everyone is downloading the update and maybe apples system need time to catch up? Hopefully it will work tomorrow cause this issue is seriously driving me insane imessage works on my iPad mini 3 and my ipod touch but not my iPad air, it was working fine until January 9th.

  • by Dalsvzla,

    Dalsvzla Dalsvzla Jan 27, 2015 6:26 PM in response to Gabbyandbella29
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 6:26 PM in response to Gabbyandbella29

    OMG... This is frustrating!!!!

     

    System updated to 8.1.3 that speciffically said fix this issue.... no  changes.

  • by GBHB,

    GBHB GBHB Jan 27, 2015 7:38 PM in response to bobseufert
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 7:38 PM in response to bobseufert

    The 8.1.3 upgrade for the mini does not work! it was giving this error before the 8 upgrade, when I had 7. something. So it can't be our devices it has to be at Apple. very annoyed and. frustrated!

  • by nycjls15,

    nycjls15 nycjls15 Jan 27, 2015 7:40 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (11 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 27, 2015 7:40 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    Today's iOS 8.1.3 update specifically mentioned fixing activation issues with FaceTime and iMessage -- try going to Settings > General > Software Update to see if that helps. Good luck!

  • by annie1971,

    annie1971 annie1971 Jan 27, 2015 7:42 PM in response to Tsizzle88
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 7:42 PM in response to Tsizzle88

    Exactly the same as mine....and the update did not fix it!

  • by kyster333,

    kyster333 kyster333 Jan 27, 2015 7:57 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 7:57 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    My FaceTime now works but not iMessage. iPad Air.

  • by Tsizzle88,

    Tsizzle88 Tsizzle88 Jan 27, 2015 8:26 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:26 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    Ok. So I have an iPad Air Wifi with this issue and it's finally resolved for me. I know people are going to have doubts and even I was doubtful but the issue could be hardware related. If you have an iPad that's still under warranty... back up to iTunes and bring your iPad to the Apple Store and go thru the tedious steps and eventually they'll come to the conclusion that it's the hardware and swap and give you a new iPad. After I did the swap to the new iPad Air, I was able to sign in.  I just finished a restore of my iTunes backup to the new iPad Air and still iMessage and Facetime is working. Yay!

     

    When I went to the Apple Store, we went thru all their usual steps again, checked that I had iOS 8.1.3, reset network settings, reset all settings, reset and erase all contents, etc.  It would still fail authorize iMessage/Facetime.  We then walked over to a new iPad Air 2 in the store and I tried to sign into iMessage and it worked on the iPad Air 2.  Thus, this proves that it's not my Apple ID account.... it pointed to specifically some issue with my iPad Air! It wasn't the network or Wifi, because all devices were using the "Apple Demo" wifi in the Apple Store. The tech explained to me that during the activation/authorization process with iMessage/Facetime with my Apple ID, there's a public key/private key security exchange which is handled by some of the hardware in the iPad device. It is possible that there's some issue with activation accepting security key exchange done by that hardware in the iPad. Either it doesn't recognize it or somehow it's not allowing it.  Could be hardware, could be firmware, could just be the Apple servers just didn't allow the security exchange done by the hardware from my original iPad Air.

     

    Anyways, I was given a swap to a new iPad.  It had iOS 7.1.2, first thing I did was update it to 8.1.3.  Then I set it up as a new iPad and sign in to iMessage and it authorized correctly!  I got home and immediately restored my backup from iTunes (encrypted) and after the restore, iMessage and Facetime is still working!

     

    Even if your iPad is out of warranty, go to the Apple Store and try signing in to iMessage on a demo iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3, etc.  If you can sign in... then it's proof that it's definitely not an issue with your Apple ID account.

  • by picasso1805,

    picasso1805 picasso1805 Jan 27, 2015 8:21 PM in response to mcfloyd49
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:21 PM in response to mcfloyd49

    I don't think it is a hardware issue, if it is they have to recall all Ipad airs. Senior tech I talked to did a diagnostic check over internet and it was fine in my case it just started working before update and after still ok.

  • by annie1971,

    annie1971 annie1971 Jan 27, 2015 8:28 PM in response to Tsizzle88
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:28 PM in response to Tsizzle88

    If it was an Ipad problem, why did all of us experience this at about the same time?

  • by Tsizzle88,

    Tsizzle88 Tsizzle88 Jan 27, 2015 8:34 PM in response to picasso1805
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:34 PM in response to picasso1805

    I'm not saying it's definitely hardware... just saying it could be?  I'm actually doubtful it's actual faulty hardware itself. However I do believe it's something to do with the authorization process from your device to Apple and somehow Apple is not allowing authorization from that device to its servers.  Not sure what it is the root cause but if both an iPad Air and an iPad Air 2 are on the same iOS 8.1.3  and one device can authorize to iMessage while the other can't.... what else could it be??  I'm really curious now...

  • by Tsizzle88,

    Tsizzle88 Tsizzle88 Jan 27, 2015 8:33 PM in response to annie1971
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:33 PM in response to annie1971

    I'm guessing perhaps Apple change their authorization process somehow and it broke it for select iPad users?

  • by annie1971,

    annie1971 annie1971 Jan 27, 2015 8:38 PM in response to Tsizzle88
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:38 PM in response to Tsizzle88

    How would they fix that? Does that mean we all have to replace our devices with new ones?

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