Users of iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch can finally update their software with the new iOS 12.1.4 update as Apple released it on February 8. The update is expected to fix the Group FaceTime bug that sparks issues about the users' privacy.
The new iOS 12.1.4 was released by Apple and one of its functions is to remove the possibility of users to have some user eavesdropping when using the Group FaceTime feature, according to an article published by MacRumors. The company was criticized last week and Apple promised its users that they were working on a solution for the problem.
Users of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch can acquire the new iOS 12.1.4 software by going to the Settings app and download it. Just go to Settings, then General, then Software update.
Despite releasing the iOS 12.1.4 to fix the Group FaceTime, Apple did not go to specifics when they show their release notes for the update list of security updates. The action was still deemed as helpful, according to an article published in SlashGear.
It was found out by some users that Group FaceTime has a bug that allowed a user to spy on them without their consent or knowledge. Before the iOS 12.1.4 update, a user can initiate a FaceTime call with another user and then, they will add themselves to the call one more time in order to have a forced Group FaceTime connection.
Once this happened, the Group FaceTime bug can make a person to hear the audio until the end despite the fact that the call was never answered in the first place. Before the iOS 12.1.4 update, the bug also caused a call to look like a standard FaceTime incoming call interface.
Some users reported that once they pressed the side button to silence a call, it would even give permission to the person to access their video. After that discovery, Group FaceTime was put offline in order for Apple to prepare for the iOS 12.1.4 update.
It took Apple two weeks to fix this issue. Despite the fact that iOS 12.1.4 is already available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users, it is still unknown for the public if they can finally use Group FaceTime again.
People from Apple are still determining how long the Group FaceTime bug existed before the iOS 12.1.4 update. GroupFaceTime became available to users in October 2018. Some are speculating that Apple already knew the existence of the bug back then.
