iOS 9.3: links in safari not clickable anymore

[terpie]

I'm curious: For those of you seeing this issue, if you go to Settings->Privacy->Diagnostics & Usage->Diagnostics & Usage Data, and review the list of crash dumps, do you also see a bunch of dumps titled "stacks+MobileSafari", "stacks+MobileMail", etc.? I believe these are the crash dumps that are generated when an app freezes due to tapping on a hyperlink.

Yes, I have those as well and all starting from 26th March... (iPad Air iOS 9.2.1)

 

[RufusRyker]

Yes, I have those as well and all starting from 26th March... (iPad Air iOS 9.2.1)

I think this problem must be related to iCloud.

Let's look at the facts.
The problem is effecting multiple models of iPhones and iPads.
The problem started around the time 9.3 was released, but clearly is effecting devices that were never actually updated to 9.3.

In my case, my iPad Air 2 was updated to 9.3, but has experienced no problems. But my iPhone 6S Plus was NOT updated to 9.3 and is experiencing the problem.

Is anyone experiencing this problem that is not signed on to iCloud?

 

[echo1877]

I think this problem must be related to iCloud.

Let's look at the facts.
The problem is effecting multiple models of iPhones and iPads.
The problem started around the time 9.3 was released, but clearly is effecting devices that were never actually updated to 9.3.

In my case, my iPad Air 2 was updated to 9.3, but has experienced no problems. But my iPhone 6S Plus was NOT updated to 9.3 and is experiencing the problem.

Is anyone experiencing this problem that is not signed on to iCloud?

Hmm, has anyone tried disabling Handoff? Perhaps that's related?

 

[qap]

I think this problem must be related to iCloud.

Let's look at the facts.
The problem is effecting multiple models of iPhones and iPads.
The problem started around the time 9.3 was released, but clearly is effecting devices that were never actually updated to 9.3.

In my case, my iPad Air 2 was updated to 9.3, but has experienced no problems. But my iPhone 6S Plus was NOT updated to 9.3 and is experiencing the problem.

Is anyone experiencing this problem that is not signed on to iCloud?

First things I've done is disable safari on iCloud settings but it didn't change anything.
But if is related to iCloud why the same iCloud account on different devices has/hasn't the bug? It should be on all the devices with same account but it's not... Surely with apple cloud services. I've also tried to sign in/out from my Game Center tab in settings but (some hours ago) I get An error message! Weird! Maybe apple is working on something on their servers.....?

 

[thomasluke231]

All my and my family device have been update to iOS9.3 on Wednesday.
(iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6 plus, iPad Air, iPad 2)
At the beginning, no device has any bug or problem.

I discovered the Google/ yahoo links on My iPad Air has been broken on Thursday. And "open in safari" from 3rd party app were also broken
Then, I used handoff to open link(search on my iPhone 6s then open on iPad Air).

But today, even my iPhone 6s had this bug. Most of the link (but not all) have been broken.
Use Macrumors front page as example, clicking the tab "front page", "Mac blog", " iOS blog" are fine, but "buyer guide", "forum" are unclickable.

For now, all my family iPhone/ iPad have no problem. (iPad 2, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6 Plus)
My iPhone 6s and iPad Air have both Wikipedia and booking.com installed.

 

[RufusRyker]

First things I've done is disable safari on iCloud settings but it didn't change anything.
But if is related to iCloud why same iCloud account on different devices has/hasn't the bug? It should be on all the devices with same account but it's not... Surely with apple cloud services. I've also tried to sign in/out from my Game Center tab in settings but (some hours ago) I get An error message! Weird! Maybe apple is working on something on its servers.....?

View attachment 623458

The problem will not necessarily effect all the devices on one iCloud account. My iPad Air 2 does not have the problem -- so far.

However, if we look at what common element has touched all of the iOS devices that have this problem, it may be iCloud services, which are constantly sending and receiving packets of information from outside the device.

This might explain why devices that are erased and restored using iCloud backup, start working properly but soon develop the problem again.

 

[yalag]

Sorry I can't read through 16 pages of info, all the links are broken in my device. How do I fix this?

 

[qap]

Sorry I can't read through 16 pages of info, all the links are broken in my device. How do I fix this?

By waiting

 

[yalag]

By waiting

No that's not acceptable, all my iOS devices can't even OPEN URL. You are telling me this is the hardware I have paid money for???

 

[C DM]

No that's not acceptable, all my iOS devices can't even OPEN URL. You are telling me this is the hardware I have paid money for???

There is an issue that no one knows where it comes from or how to fix it. Various workarounds sometimes work for some people and other times don't work, and even sometimes work and then stop. Not much more can be done aside from waiting to hear from Apple and/or someone else that perhaps figures it all out somehow.

 

[SJAYNED8]

Since I use iOS 9.3 (I was a public beta tester), in some betas links were not clickable in safari anymore. Beta 4 wasn't working, beta 5 was fine and now since beta 6 the problem got back.

Problem mostly exist when I try to google something from the search bar in safari. When I then try to click on a search result, safari dont respond and start to freeze. Then the app is closing and when I try it again, it freezes again.

I hoped on a solution with the official release of 9.3, however its still present. Its super annoying and I can't find a solution.

I already tried to delete data from safari and also did a hard reset.

Also problem seems to exist in Chrome and whatsapp as well (when someone sends me a link).

Who knows a solution?

 

[yalag]

There is an issue that no one knows where it comes from or how to fix it. Various workarounds sometimes work for some people and other times don't work, and even sometimes work and then stop. Not much more can be done aside from waiting to hear from Apple and/or someone else that perhaps figures it all out somehow.

Actually I emailed Tim and got a response back. He said it's an early April's fools joke.

 

[SJAYNED8]

hey I have had the same problem and its very frustrating, I had even downloaded other search engines like chrome firefox and yahoo still same problem because I could research on my phone due to this problem I used my laptop to find out a temo\p fix until apple brings out a bug fix ios 9.3.1
try this
Several temporary fixes have been suggested by users, one of which is to switch of JavaScript support in iOS (Settings > Safari > Advanced and then flip the toggle for JavaScript to off).

 

[SJAYNED8]

hey I have had the same problem and its very frustrating, I had even downloaded other search engines like chrome firefox and yahoo still same problem because I could research on my phone due to this problem I used my laptop to find out a temo\p fix until apple brings out a bug fix ios 9.3.1
try this
Several temporary fixes have been suggested by users, one of which is to switch of JavaScript support in iOS (Settings > Safari > Advanced and then flip the toggle for JavaScript to off).

 

[cnotyepb]

Same issue. Started in 9.2.1. Only impacted safari and chrome when google and yahoo are the search engines. When Bing is the search engine, no issues in either. Upgraded to 9.3 hoping to resolve. Still the same issue.

I have not seen it happen in the mail app yet but haven't had any links to open since this started Friday.

 

[eyeseeyou]

I hope the Apple employees earned their holiday pay and release a fix tomorrow

 

[cnotyepb]

Just did a few tests based on what I read.

Device - iPhone 6 with 9.3

Note - I have used Booking.com for four years and never an issue. I have left it untouched and agree with others, it is not a cause.

Test 1 - Java script OFF and Google as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 2 - Java Script ON and Google as search engine. Safari NOT working and crashing.
Test 3 - Java Script OFF and Yahoo as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 4 - Java Script ON and Yahoo as search engine. Safari NOT working and crashing.
Test 5 - Java script OFF and Bing as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 6 - Java Script ON and Bing as search engine. Safari IS working but slower then test 5.

This was all done after clearing cache, data, etc. Not sure why Bing doesn't replicate the error in the above test.

I had deleted Chrome when this started as it was buggy, so I have uploaded this app browser back to the phone.

Opera has been a hit and miss. Some issues. I haven't tested the same way as above yet.

 

[meldea]

I hope Apple sorts this out within a few days. I haven't been looking for a reason to jump ship, but this is gonna drive me nuts.

 

[fullauto]

Just did a few tests based on what I read.

Device - iPhone 6 with 9.3

Note - I have used Booking.com for four years and never an issue. I have left it untouched and agree with others, it is not a cause.

Test 1 - Java script OFF and Google as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 2 - Java Script ON and Google as search engine. Safari NOT working and crashing.
Test 3 - Java Script OFF and Yahoo as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 4 - Java Script ON and Yahoo as search engine. Safari NOT working and crashing.
Test 5 - Java script OFF and Bing as search engine. Safari working fine and speedy.
Test 6 - Java Script ON and Bing as search engine. Safari IS working but slower then test 5.

This was all done after clearing cache, data, etc. Not sure why Bing doesn't replicate the error in the above test.

I had deleted Chrome when this started as it was buggy, so I have uploaded this app browser back to the phone.

Opera has been a hit and miss. Some issues. I haven't tested the same way as above yet.

JavaScript off didn't work for me. Bing as default does work. But.. It's Bing.

App Store revenue will certainly be up this long weekend.
[doublepost=1459134363][/doublepost]Oddly 3D touch / peek and pop work from the favorites sheet in Safari.

 

[Loafyleaf]

If you go to the SECOND page of Bing results, then click on a link & visit the page, and then click the back button ONCE to go back to the results page, does it hang? It does for me. If I click the back button TWICE then it takes me back to the first page of results speedily.

Also, Bing as search engine doesn't fix the press-and-hold-link freeze/crash bug.

 

[fullauto]

Double post

 

[shacky]

Not only are the Safari links not working, when I try to click a link from an email, the phone just freezes. I have to hit the home button to get back out of the mail app. I'm not quick to criticize but this is worst update I've dealt with yet.

I find that Chrome still works well.

BTW, this problem is on my iPhone 6. I am not running Betas on my iPhone. I do not have this problem on my iPad Air 2. I am installing betas on it.

 

[lolkthxbai]

I hope the Apple employees earned their holiday pay and release a fix tomorrow

I can only imagine what the retail staff will go through tomorrow morning...

 

[jgrobitaille]

I'm not and expert in those kind of problems. One thing I noticed and don't know if it means something but each time you click on a link in Safari , the name of the link showing in the address bar always has a lock in front of it even when it's not suppose to be a secure website. You don't see this Lock when you click on the same link with another browser like Opera.

 

[AeroZ]

Interesting post in Apple forums: https://discussions.apple.com/message/29986606#29986606