The issue lies in a bug in Springboard, the Apple mobile user interface for iOS. TechCrunch reporters tested the claim and found that typing “”: and then any other character into the search bar in the Settings app will crash Springboard. It also happens if you type them into the App Library search bar that pops up when you swipe all the way to the left on the home screen.
What four characters can crash your iPhone?
Answer: Two quotation marks and colons.
Shutterstock/oasisamuel
Security researchers have discovered a bug that causes iPhones and iPads to crash way too easily. All you need to do is type four characters, “”::, and your device is done for.
The issue lies in a bug in Springboard, the Apple mobile user interface for iOS. TechCrunch reporters tested the claim and found that typing “”: and then any other character into the search bar in the Settings app will crash Springboard. It also happens if you type them into the App Library search bar that pops up when you swipe all the way to the left on the home screen.
In some cases, the device reloads after Springboard crashed, while in others the screen just flashes black for a moment. Fortunately, iOS security researchers are confident that the bug isn’t a security issue.
The issue lies in a bug in Springboard, the Apple mobile user interface for iOS. TechCrunch reporters tested the claim and found that typing “”: and then any other character into the search bar in the Settings app will crash Springboard. It also happens if you type them into the App Library search bar that pops up when you swipe all the way to the left on the home screen.
