The next iOS 16 update will fix two annoying iPhone 14 issues

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By Axel Metz
published

Say goodbye to those pesky flashing lines

Man yelling at his phone
(Image credit: Shutterstock / YoloStock)

Apple has acknowledged two frustrating iOS 16 issues and is expected to roll out fixes for both in an imminent software update. 

Back in December, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max users reported seeing green and yellow horizontal lines flashing across their screens when booting up their devices. Now, according to MacRumors, Apple has issued an internal memo clarifying that it is “aware” of the problem, and a patch is expected to arrive with iOS 16.3 in the coming weeks. 

Horizontal lines appearing on iPhone 14

Horizontal lines are appearing on iPhone 14 Pro models at boot-up (Image credit: MacRumors forum user Infernoqt and Reddit user u/1LastOutlaw)

The other problem relates to the Home app. The release of iOS 16.2 brought about the option to upgrade Apple’s smart home manager to a “more reliable and efficient” architecture, but that option was removed without explanation shortly after appearing.

Some users reported that their iPhones were stuck in an “updating” or “configuring” status once the upgrade – prior to removal – had been initiated, and while Apple still hasn’t clarified the reasoning behind its sudden retraction of the Home upgrade option, the company did acknowledge in a statement that it is “aware of an issue.” 

Since then, the Home architecture upgrade option has returned in the second iOS 16.3 beta, which suggests it’ll almost certainly become available again once iOS 16.3 proper goes live.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is planning to roll out iOS 16.3 alongside iPadOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.3 some time between February and March, to coincide with the release of the company’s new MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023) and MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023) laptops. We could, however, see a fix for the iPhone 14’s horizontal lines issue arrive in a further (and more imminent) update to iOS 16.2, given the severity of the problem. 

We’re pretty much in the dark when it comes to other updates iOS 16.3 might introduce, though a suite of under-the-hood performance improvements seem a formality. 

If you’re not sure about which version of iOS your iPhone is running, check out our guide on how to update your iPhone. Already rocking iOS 16? Read our report on the best iOS 16 feature you’re probably still not using. 

Axel Metz
Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.