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Apple details iPhone alarm clock bug in support document

Apple has published a support document on its website in an effort to help users who have been affected by an iPhone issue that caused alarms to go off an hour late in Europe this week.

The new support document, published on Wednesday, comes days after Apple made headlines with an iPhone bug that caused repeating alarm clocks to go off late across Europe. The issue occurred because of a change from daylight saving time, and could repeat itself in the U.S. on Sunday when America concludes daylight saving.

Apple's documentation notes that users can resolve the issue by setting the repeat interval on an alarm to "Never." If users reset their alarm every day, the daylight saving bug will not affect them.

The support note says that after daylight saving ends in the U.S. on Nov. 7, users will be able to set their alarms to repeat again. The iOS issue affects the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3G, as well as the fourth-, third- and second-generation iPod touch models.

In October, the same bug caused alarm clocks in New Zealand to go off an hour early. Apple said it was aware of the issue and had already developed a software fix, but it has not yet been released.

This week, Apple released the golden master of iOS 4.2, the next software update for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, to developers. Golden master status suggests that the software is finalized and a release to the public is imminent. It's possible that Apple could release the software update before this Sunday, allowing users who update their iPhone to iOS 4.2 to avoid the daylight saving bug.



27 Comments

jdlink 50 comments · 16 Years

Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The support note says that after daylight saving begins in the U.S. on Nov. 7, users will be able to set their alarms to repeat again.

I think you mean to say "...after daylight saving ends in the U.S...."

danieljt 2 comments · 14 Years

My iPhone has been set to a repeating alarm for some time, and it woke me up an hour early on Monday and Tuesday of this week (the 1st and the 2nd of November). It was the same repeating alarm I use every day, set to 6:30am on weekdays. Monday and Tuesday it woke my wife and I up at 5:30am.

The iPhone indicated the correct time (5:30am), but the alarm was set for 6:30am and the alarm still went off at 5:30am. I tested it at work by creating a new alarm set for an hour ahead but it did not go off.

I did several things to make it stop, and one of those fixed it because it's fine now. I deleted the alarm entry and created a new one, and then I also "Restored" the iPhone and re-synced.

Daniel

saarek 1586 comments · 16 Years

Would be nice if they just fixed it rather than giving people tips!

jm6032 147 comments · 15 Years

Quote:
Originally Posted by saarek

Would be nice if they just fixed it rather than giving people tips!

I agree. I think this falls really really deep into a "rich user experience" category. In my opinion, for as long as Apple has known about this problem, to let another daylight savings event go by without a fix is absurd.

buck 293 comments · 18 Years

Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple's documentation notes that users can resolve the issue by setting the repeat interval on an alarm to "Never." If users reset their alarm every day, the daylight saving bug will not affect them.

Or just set your alarm to an hour earlier/later?