Should you install iOS 13.2 on your iPhone?
iOS 13 was released little over a month ago, but here we are with iOS 13.2 just being released, the fifth update in under 40 days. And it's a big one, bringing a lot of new features and bug fixes to the platform.
But should you install it, or is it best to wait for more fixes to land?
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There's a lot of new stuff in iOS 13.2. It's basically a catchup release for all the features that Apple had to delay from iOS 13.
The biggest feature is the Deep Fusion camera feature for iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Deep Fusion makes use of the A13 Bionic Neural Engine to shoot multiple images at various exposures when you take a picture, quickly run a pixel-by-pixel analysis on those images, and then take the best of those images and stitch them together to create an end photograph with "dramatically better texture, details, and reduced noise, especially for mid to low light scenes."
If you've invested in a new iPhone, and you take photography seriously, this update will no doubt be tempting.
Also in iOS 13.2 is support for the AirPods Pro, support for HomeKit secure video and routers, new Siri privacy settings, and over 70 new and updated emojis (Apple wants us to be excited about Deep Fusion, but what people seem most excited about is the new otter emoji).
On top of that, there are quite a number of bug fixes, including one that prevented iCloud Backup from successfully completing a backup.
So, there are a lot of compelling reasons to upgrade as soon as possible.
But what about bugs? As it squashes old bugs, do the new features bring new bugs to the table?
So far, reports of show-stopping bugs seem thin on the ground. There are sporadic reports of people having problems with network and Bluetooth connectivity, but these bugs are commonplace and are usually fixed by resetting the network settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings).
As for performance, it seems good, picking up from where iOS 13.1 left off. And testing on the iPad seems to suggest that this is a solid, fast platform with no obvious show-stopping blunders on Apple's part.
As for battery, reports are divided, with some claiming that iOS 13.2 is brilliant and battery life is through the roof, and others complaining that it's the worst release yet. I'd have to say that my experience isn't all that positive, but I always recommend ignoring battery life for a few days and seeing what it's like after it has settled down a bit.
Overall, iOS 13.2 gets a thumbs up from me. The x.2 release for me has always represented the sweet spot. It's where most of the launch bugs have been squashed, and the platform is finally ready to do some real work. Sure, new bugs will rear their heads, and I would expect a fair few more updates over the coming months, but if you're been holding back from updating -- the update figures for iOS 13 have been very strong -- then this is a good time to upgrade.
See also:
- iOS 13: New features you might have missed
- iOS 13 battery life bad? Top tips to fix battery drain issues
- Study shows that majority of second-hand hard drives contain previous owner's data
- Must-have productivity apps and accessories for the iPad Pro
- Best iOS apps (September 2019 edition)
- Does the iPhone 11 have a hidden feature waiting to be activated?
- When is Android 10 coming to my phone?
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max: What are the differences?