Perform a Clean Install of OS X Mavericks (Update)

OS X Mavericks is officially out and ready for the public. It’s the latest OS X version from Apple and it comes with a heap of new features, including improved support for multiple displays, desktop versions of the Maps and iBooks apps, an improved Safari browser and much more. It’s available now in the Mac App Store for free.

While most users will be fine with the easy upgrade process that OS X has, some users prefer to start from scratch with a clean OS install whenever they’re upgrading to a new version. A fresh and clean install means your computer’s hard drive is completely erased and OS X Mavericks is installed to factory settings. This means that no apps are installed and no files are stored — just the default apps and files that come with OS X Mavericks.

Personally, I always do a clean install. There are just too many problems that could happen when simply just upgrading, and I have so many files that they could get disorganized and cause unnecessary slowdowns on the upgrade. Essentially, when you do a simple upgrade, the new OS gets installed, and then the installer picks up all the old files and dumps it on top of the newly installed OS, which could easily cause problems.

With that said, here’s how you can install a fresh copy of OS X Mavericks and start with a clean slate. Be warned, though: Performing a clean install of OS X requires you to make a bootable install drive using a USB flash drive. You’ll be moving a lot of files around and dealing with Terminal. If this isn’t something you’re comfortable doing yourself, we’d suggest simply upgrading, or finding a friend who can perform a clean install for you.

Preparing for the Clean Install

First, you’ll want to make sure that OS X Mavericks is supported by your Mac. Some Macs as far back as 2007 support OS X Mavericks, but for a full list of supported Mac models, check out this list.

You’ll also want to backup everything before you begin the clean install. You can either use Time Machine to easily backup all of your files to an external hard drive, or you can manually pick and choose files that you want to keep, and transfer them to an external hard drive or USB flash drive.

Next, download OS X Mavericks from the Mac App Store. It’ll download and save to the Applications folder automatically. Furthermore, after it’s finished downloading, it may automatically begin the install process. If this happens, just quickly cancel it.

Making the Bootable USB Drive

In order to install a clean and fresh copy of OS X Mavericks, you have to create a bootable install drive using either a DVD, USB flash drive or an external hard drive. For this tutorial, we’ll be using a USB flash drive, since not everyone has an optical drive on their Mac, and you most likely have a USB flash drive anyway. Just make sure it’s at least 8GB in size.

UPDATE: Reader Jason pointed out a quicker method for creating a USB boot drive of OS X Mavericks. Follow it below, especially if our initial method doesn’t work for you.

1. Plug in your USB drive and open Disk Utility.
2. Select the USB drive in the sidebar and click on the Erase tab.
3. Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) in the Format box and name it Untitled.
4. Click Erase and wait for the format to finish.
5. When it’s done, close Disk Utility and open Terminal. Type in the following command and press Enter:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

This command will officially make the USB boot drive and it’ll take about 20 minutes. While it’s doing its thing, don’t mess with Terminal or eject the flash drive. Once done, it’ll say Copy complete. Done.

Next, scroll down to the Installing OS X Mavericks section in this guide to finish the install.

Our initial method (if the above method doesn’t work):

Follow these steps in order to successfully create your OS X Mavericks USB boot disk.

1. Plug in your USB flash drive and open up Disk Utility.
2. Click on the USB drive from the left-side menu.
3. Click on the Partition tab.
4. Select 1 Partition from the drop-down menu.
5. Click the Options button and select GUID as the partition type.
6. Click OK to close that window, and then hit Apply. This will format the USB flash drive and prepare it for OS X Mavericks.

Next, you’ll want to launch Terminal because you’ll be entering in a couple of commands in order to show hidden files in Finder (you’ll be moving around some hidden files later on). Enter these two commands as seen below and press Enter after each one. After you’ve entered these in, you can close out of Terminal.

1. defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
2. killall Finder

After you’ve made the USB boot drive, it should look like this.

Hidden files will now be viewable in Finder, and they’ll appear as slightly faded out. After you enter those two commands, you can close out of Terminal. However, this is only the beginning of making the bootable USB install drive.

1. Open up Macintosh HD from Finder and open the Applications folder. Locate the file labeled Install OS X Mavericks.app.
2. Right click on it and choose Show Package Contents. A new folder window will appear.
3. Choose Contents and open SharedSupport.
4. Double-click on InstallESD.dmg. This should open another folder window. If not click on OS X Install ESD in the Finder sidebar.
5. Once inside that, double-click on BaseSystem.dmg. (BaseSystem.dmg is a hidden file, which is why we put in those Terminal commands earlier). If double-clicking doesn’t, right-click on it and choose Open.
6. Open up Disk Utility again and choose BaseSystem.dmg from the sidebar. Click the Restore tab.
7. Next, with Source set to BaseSystem.dmg, set Destination to the USB drive by dragging the USB drive into the Destination box.
8. Click Restore to begin the process and confirm that contents of the drive will be completely erased. This process will take 5-10 minutes

Sadly, I wish that was all there was to it, but you’ll have to do just a couple more things to get your bootable USB install drive ready to go; you’re in the homestretch, though!

When the restore process is finished, open up Finder and navigate within the newly-created USB drive to System > Installation and delete the file labeled Packages. Keep this window open, though, as you’ll come back to it and be replacing the file you just deleted with a folder also named “Packages.”

Go back to the OS X Install ESD mounted image and drag & drop the Packages folder into the that same folder that you just deleted the file from. Be sure to copy it over and not cut & paste. It’s a large folder, so it’ll take a little bit of time. However, after that’s done copying over, the bootable USB install drive is done and ready to go! It’s just smooth sailing from here, hopefully.

Installing OS X Mavericks

Now that you have a bootable USB stick with OS X Mavericks on it, it’s time to install it. With the USB drive connected, reboot your Mac and hold down the Option/Alt key. This will bring up a menu where you’ll select an install drive. Choose the USB drive that you just made (usually called OS X Base System in this case and will be colored orange). Click on the arrow pointing upwards below the drive icon to get started.

Now, before you install Mavericks, you’ll want to erase and reformat your hard drive, so at the “Install OS X” screen, go up to the menu bar at the top and click on Utilities > Disk Utility.

1. Next, click on your main hard drive in the left-hand sidebar.
2. Click on the Erase tab and make sure Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is selected in the Format field.
3. Give the hard drive a name. If you want to stick with the Mac naming convention, go with Macintosh HD.
4. Click Erase in the lower-right corner to begin the wiping process.
5. After that’s done, close out of Disk Utility, where you’ll be brought back to the “Install OS X” screen.
6. Click Continue to begin the OS X Mavericks installation process and follow the steps provided.
7. Enjoy OS X Mavericks!

This is a pretty complicated method for creating a bootable install drive, but we’re guessing that once Mavericks has been out for a few months, there will be third-party tools released that will make the creation process easier, similar to that of OS X Mountain Lion tools that easily created a USB install drive for you. For now, though, this seems to be the only way that works.

How to Upgrade to OS X Mavericks

The OS X Mavericks release is here and best of all it’s a free upgrade that users can download today from the Mac App Store for a fast and easy installation. In this guide we will show you how to install OS X Mavericks even if you aren’t familiar with upgrading your own computer.

If you’ve installed an IOS update, the process is almost as easy, but it will take a little bit longer than installing the new iOS 7.0.3 update.

OS X Mavericks is available for users running older versions of OS X, all the way back to OS X Snow Leopard, and it runs on older Macs dating back to 2007.

This OS X Mavericks upgrade guide will show you how to upgrade to OS X 10.9 right over your existing files and installation. While it is a good idea to have a backup on Time Machine or through another service this should leave your files right where they were when you start. If you want to perform a clean install of OS X Mavericks check out our other guide.

How to Upgrade to OS X Mavericks

OS X Mavericks is a free upgrade, so users just need to find it in the Mac App Store. Clicking this link will open a preview of OS X Mavericks and users can then click View in Mac App Store to open the store and start downloading the update.

Download the OS X Mavericks update.

The OS X Mavericks download is 5GB in size and may take at least an hour to download to your computer. Make sure you download this update on a home connection, not while tethered to a personal hotspot.

Budget about an hour for the download an another 30 to 60 minutes to complete the OS X Mavericks upgrade.

When the OS X Mavericks download is complete, click on LaunchPad and then click on Install OS X Mavericks.

Get started installing OS X Mavericks.

This will launch the OS X Mavericks upgrade program which will walk users through the rest of the steps. Click Continue to start the OS X Maverick installation.

Agree with the terms to upgrade to OS X Mavericks.

When prompted click Agree, if you agree with Apple’s terms. On the next screen most users will see one hard drive and can click Continue. If you see two, make sure you choose the main Macintosh HD.

Select your hard drive and enter a password to get started.

Enter your password to get started. This is the administrator password on the computer, not the one you use to buy apps in the Mac App Store. The computer will restart and begin the installation process. Make sure the computer has enough power or is plugged in. You will not be able to use it while the OS X Mavericks upgrade is in progress.

Wait for two passes of the OS X Mavericks installation progress bar.

The OS X Mavericks installation will go through two parts, showing an installation progress bar and a separate installation completing bar. Eventually the computer will restart and boot into OS X Mavericks. Users will need to enter their Apple ID and can now set up iCloud Keychain if they wish.

Finish the OS X Mavericks upgrade process and sign up for iCloud Keychain.

Users can also continue on and set up iCloud Keychain at a later time using the iCloud menu in System Preferences. This completes the OS X Mavericks upgrade process.

iPad Air (iPad 5) Release Date Breakdown

Earlier today, Apple announced a brand new fifth-generation full sized iPad that won’t be called iPad 5 but will instead, be called iPad Air. The device, which comes with a number of improvements over the iPad 4, including a new compact design, improved A7 processor and a new camera. Apple, as expected, announced an iPad 5 release date and here, we breakdown everything that buyers need to know.

For weeks, consumers heard rumors about brand new iPads, devices that were supposedly going to show up in October. Apple all but confirmed their arrival last week when it revealed an October 22nd launch date for new products. The company didn’t reveal the products it would be announcing but given that it had been a year since it updated the iPad line, the iPad was due for a refresh.

Rumors pointed to an iPad 5 and an iPad mini 2, upgrades over last year’s tablets. The iPad 5, in particular, was supposed to be a massive upgrade over the iPad 4 thanks to a new design and several significant upgrades to its hardware. And, as it turns out, rumors about the iPad 5, now called the iPad Air, were dead on.

Apple today unleashed two brand new iPads, the new iPad mini with Retina Display and the iPad Air, the fifth-generation iPad that will be coming to replace the iPad 4 with a handful of new and powerful hardware features including a slim, lightweight design with thinner bezels, the new A7 64-bit chip that is also found in the iPhone 5s, and a new iSight camera for better photos and video. The device will be coming with Apple’s iOS 7 software on board and it will be doing so very soon.

The iPad Air, unlike the iPad mini 2, saw its release date announced today ahead of the holiday shopping season. The company, as expected, also revealed the pricing on the new iPad Air. Here, ahead of its release date, we breakdown everything there is to know about the upcoming iPad Air release.

iPad Air Release Date

Apple announced the iPad Air release date today, pegging it for November 1st, a Friday, and the date that we expected the new iPads to arrive. The iPad mini 2 has been given a vague November release date, likely due to supply issues that Apple is trying to work out ahead of the holidays. On November 1st, the iPad Air will be in stores and online, similar to the launch for the iPhone 5s.

We imagine that Apple will open up orders at midnight, on November 1st, which will allow those who can wait a few days to order the device through the Apple Store, at the very least. Those who can’t wake up that early, remember it’s going to be 3AM EST, will be able to head down to Apple Stores where doors will likely open 8AM, an hour ahead of their usual opening.

No iPad Air Pre-Orders

Apple did not announce iPad Air pre-orders on stage and at this point, they are looking unlikely. Apple did not offer pre-orders for the iPhone 5s either so it’s looking like the company will follow suit with the new iPads. What this means is that there won’t be a way to order the iPad Air early, something that will put greater importance on ordering online as soon as the device goes on sale.

Demand for the iPad Air could be fierce so those who are planning to buy it as a gift may want to think about waking up early to place an order through Apple’s online store. The device’s are currently in the Apple Store, at least online, though buyers are unable to purchase them. They will remain unavailable until November 1st when they finally do go on sale.

Expect Lines

Looking into our crystal ball, we fully expect there to be lines outside of Apple’s retail locations. Last year’s iPad mini and iPad 4 launch was quieter than usual but we attributed that to the iPad 3 and the lack of a Retina Display on board the iPad mini. Apple also offered pre-orders for both devices. Now, we have a very intriguing iPad Air and no pre-orders.

What this means is that buyers who don’t want to brave lines will want to order online the second the device goes on sale. And those that can’t, or simply don’t want to, will likely want to start planning on getting up early to head down to a local retail location for a spot in line. We may not see the type of lines that we saw for the iPhone 5s, but we expect there to be lines nonetheless.

Apple wants attention to be on its Apple Stores and on the devices and by creating this type of release date demand, the company can drum up all sorts of attention for its new devices ahead of the holiday season. Start preparing now.

Retail Stores

Right now, Apple says that the only place to buy the iPad Air is through the Apple Store. We haven’t seen retails like Best Buy or RadioShack announce anything yet, though, we saw something similar happen with the iPhone 5s.

We expect more details to emerge as we get closer to the iPad Air release date and we wouldn’t be surprised to see major retailers offer the device on release date or in the days after the initial push.

Apple typically doesn’t confirm that kind of retail availability itself so it will be on consumers to look out for individual announcements from the usual suspects like Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart.

iPad Air Carriers

Finally, the iPad Air will be coming to an assortment of carriers when it arrives on November 1st. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon are on tap for the iPad Air and unsurprisingly, T-Mobile will be joining them.

All four carriers will share pricing and storage which means that the iPad Air pricing breakdown will look like this when November 1st arrives:

• iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi Only – $499.99
• iPad Air 32GB Wi-Fi Only – $599.99
• iPad Air 64GB Wi-Fi Only – $699.99
• iPad Air 128GB Wi-Fi Only – $799.99
• iPad Air 16GB LTE – $629.99
• iPad Air 32GB LTE – $729.99
• iPad Air 64GB LTE – $829.99
• iPad Air 128GB LTE – $929.99

All of these variants will run on 4G LTE, the fastest cellular network available to them. AT&T and Verizon currently boast the largest 4G LTE networks in the United States, followed by Sprint and T-Mobile.

It’s not clear if carriers will host the iPad Air in their stores. If that’s the case, we expect carriers to confirm that information shortly before the device goes on sale on November 1st. Thus far, we haven’t seen any carriers confirm their plans for November 1st.

How to Get Logitech Peripherals to Play Nice with OS X Mavericks

OS X Mavericks was just released, and tons of Mac users are flocking to the Mac App Store to download the latest version of OS X, especially since it’s free now. However, as with any new piece of software, it’s not compatible with everything. For example, Logitech’s software for its peripherals don’t yet have full support for OS X Mavericks, but fortunately, you can get it to work.

Logitech’s Mac software comes in the form of what it calls Control Center, a utility that’s used to configure your Logitech mice and keyboard. Seeing as how Logitech is one of the most popular peripheral manufacturers around, we’re guessing a lot of Mavericks users are using Logitech equipment, but they’ll soon come to find out that Control Center doesn’t install on Mavericks. Here’s how to fix that.

When downloading the Logitech Control Center software and installing it, you’ll get an error that says the software isn’t compatible with your OS X version, and it’ll fail to install. However, there’s a neat little loophole that allows you to install the Logitech software on Mavericks.

Installing Logitech Control Center on OS X Mavericks

Instead of double-clicking on the installer that you downloaded from Logitech’s website, just right-click on it and select Show Package Contents. This will open up a window with several files inside. Find the file that’s labeled LogitechControlCenter.mpkg and double click it to install the software. It should install without a problem.

After it’s installed, open up the Settings app and an icon for Logitech’s Control Center should show up down at the bottom. Click on that to open it up and configure your Logitech devices. It’s done!

We’re not sure why this works, and Logitech’s website doesn’t that it’s compatible with OS X Mavericks (only OS X 10.6.x through 10.8.x), but either way, this workaround works like a charm, and you can continue to use your Logitech peripherals without a problem. We’re also not sure when Logitech will begin officially supporting OS X Mavericks, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too long until we see full support.

How to Setup iCloud KeyChain on iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks

With the iOS 7.0.3 update and OS X Mavericks release Apple introduced iCloud Keychain. This is a new feature that can help users keep passwords and credit card information in sync across their devices and it includes a password generator that can help users create more secure passwords.

iCloud Keychain is included as part of the free updates to iOS 7 and OS X 10.9, which users should find in Settings of the iPhone or iPad and the Mac App Store on a compatible Mac.

Apple originally pulled the iCloud Keychain support from iOS 7, but now that OS X Mavericks is available users can use the free service which competes with LastPass and 1Password.

What is iCloud Keychain

iCloud Keychain is a password syncing and storage service that works on Safari in iOS and OS X Mavericks. It includes the ability to create a strong password that is then stored and synced to all of your iOS and Mac devices.

The iCloud Keychain service can also store your credit card information, though users will need to enter the credit card security code manually. Still this is a nice addition. Users who don’t want to sync this information are not forced to use it, but many average users will appreciate the convenience.

iCloud Keychain only works in Safari on Mac, so FireFox and Chrome users will likely find more use with a service like 1Password or LastPass.

How to Setup iCloud Keychain

When you install the OS X Mavericks upgrade it will prompt you to setup iCloud Keychain and walk you through creating a security key and linking devices to the iCloud Keychain.

Setup iCloud Keychain on OS X Mavericks.

This can also be done later by going to iCloud settings on the Mac and turning Keychain on. Once you turn it on you will need to enter your password and security code on other devices to add them to iCloud Keychain. Or, you can tell Apple to ask your approval on another device.

Approve a device to use iCloud Keychain.

We used our main Macbook Pro to authorize iCloud Keychain on a MacBook Air and on the iPhone running iOS 7.0.3. Mavericks will push a notification when a device requests access.

iCloud Keychain approval request on an iPhone.

When you finish the iOS 7.0.3 update on an iPhone or iPad go to Settings -> iCloud -> Keychain -> On to turn the setting on. You can then enter the security code and a key sent to your phone or use the other device to approve iCloud Keychain.

Setup iCloud Keychain on IOS 7.0.3.

The iCloud Keychain settings and saved passwords are actually in the Safari settings. Go to Settings > Safari -> Passwords & Autofill to see your saved passwords and credit cards. From here you can also delete passwords and add credit cards to iCloud Keychain.

iCloud Keychain can generate secure passwords and remember them fro you.

The password generator is only available on Safari for OS X Mavericks at this time, and it will not work on all sites as some prevent passwords from being saved. The generated passwords will sync between devices and can be found on the desktop at Safari -> Preferences -> Passwords where users can edit or remove passwords and access settings.

iPad mini 2 Release Date

For weeks, rumors suggested that Apple had two new iPads up its sleeve for the holidays, a redesigned iPad 5 and a new iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display. Today, Apple made good on those rumors, announcing a new fifth-generation, 9.7-inch iPad Air and a brand new iPad mini 2 that will indeed be coming with a Retina Display. Ahead of the iPad mini 2 release date, we take a look at all of the pertinent details that consumers need to know about.

For much of 2013, rumors suggested that Apple was planning to deliver two brand new iPads to replace the iPad mini and iPad 4 that it announced back in October of last year. Over the past few weeks, those rumors firmed up as Apple announced a highly anticipated launch event set for October 22nd in San Francisco.

Today, that launch event arrived and Apple took the curtain down from around a number of new products including the OS X Mavericks release, new Mac Pro, the new MacBook Pro, and two brand new iPads. The new iPads were arguably the stars of the show and Apple saved them for last. The first, a full-sized iPad Air, formerly known as the iPad 5, a device that will arrive on November 1st starting at $499. It features a number of upgrades including an A7 chip, better camera and a sleek new design aimed at making it far more portable than the iPad 4.

The iPad mini 2 is going to slot in where the old iPad mini used to be though it will be doing so with an arsenal of improvements including a brand new, high-resolution Retina Display, a feature that iPad buyers had been hoping for. The iPad mini 2 will also be coming with an A7 chip, an improved iSight camera and a design that is similar to the original model.

Apple’s new iPad mini is slated for an arrival in November and here, ahead of its release, we breakdown everything there is to know about the iPad mini 2 release date.

iPad mini 2 Release Date

Rumors heading into the iPad mini 2 launch event pointed to major supply issues that could have a great impact on the iPad mini 2 release date. While Apple didn’t confirm these rumors, it did not announce a specific iPad mini 2 release date, instead, choosing to say that the device will be released later during the month of November.

It’s uncharacteristic for Apple to debut a device without a specific release date so it’s clear that there is something at work here, probably issues getting supply to match demand. Whatever the case, it means that iPad mini 2 buyers are going to have to wait a few weeks before the iPad mini 2 hits shelves.

We expect that the release date will be revealed well in advance, giving buyers ample time to prepare for the iPad mini 2 release date. How soon is anyone’s guess, but Apple only gives concrete days when it can stick to a date. So it could be a few days before we see anything announced.

When the device does go on sale, it will likely emerge in Apple Stores at 8AM PST on its release date. Apple Stores tend to open early to cater to those who want to get the device on day one.

iPad mini 2 Pre-Orders

At this point, it’s hard to say if Apple will offer pre-orders for the iPad mini 2. The company did not announce a pre-sale date at the iPad event and thus far, the only clue that we have is that the iPad Air won’t go up for pre-order, instead following in the footsteps of the iPhone 5s launch. So, at this point, we don’t expect Apple to offer any early ordering period.

If it does, expect pre-orders to start about a week before its November release date, and expect those pre-orders to begin at 12AM PST. If it doesn’t offer pre-orders, expect the device to go on sale at 12AM PST on its release date in November, offering buyers a chance to buy online. Those who don’t choose to order online will have to brave Apple Stores on its release day.

There Will Be Lines

While the intriguing iPad Air should deflect some attention away from the iPad mini 2, this is still a device that should garner a whole lot of attention now that it has some powerful upgrades including a Retina Display. Even with the release date likely landing on a day different than the iPad Air’s November 1st release date, we still expect there to be lines.

One, because stock should still be scarce, even with the extra time that Apple has given itself. And second, because some people simply won’t or don’t want to wake up early to place an order on its release date. So, while there may not be intense lines at retailers or carrier stores, if they wind up offering the new iPad mini, Apple Stores, particularly flagship ones, should see crowds.

Retailers

Thus far, we haven’t seen any word from retailers about the iPad mini 2 release date and we don’t expect to hear anything for several weeks given Apple’s release date window of later in November. If Apple does allow retailers to carry the iPad mini 2, there are two scenarios. One, the device is available through places like Best Buy and RadioShack on day one. The other, it arrives a few days after its release date.

We expect retailers to announce their plans in the weeks ahead. With a release date several weeks away, those hoping for an announcement in the near future should temper their expectations.

iPad Mini 2 Carriers

Finally, those looking to snag the iPad mini 2 with LTE speeds will be able to do so through the Apple Store, at the very least. We still haven’t seen its official carriers, a list that includes AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, confirm anything for arrival but it’s still possible that we could see them gear up for the November release date.

At the very least, Apple Stores will have the LTE iPad mini 2 on hand and here is how pricing is going to breakdown for those looking to buy the iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi only or the LTE model come November.

• iPad mini 2 16GB – $399.99
• iPad mini 2 32GB – $499.99
• iPad mini 2 64GB – $599.99
• iPad mini 2 128GB – $699.99
• iPad mini 2 LTE 16GB – $529.99
• iPad mini 2 LTE 32GB – $629.99
• iPad mini 2 LTE 64GB – $729.99
• iPad mini 2 LTE 128GB – $829.99

All eight of these options will be available for the four major carriers. AT&T and Verizon currently have the largest 4G LTE networks, trailed by Sprint and T-Mobile, both of which plan to get their LTE roll out complete by the time 2014 comes to an end.

iOS 7.0.3 on iPhone 5: Impressions and Performance

While most of Apple’s spotlight was shone upon the new iPad mini 2, iPad Air, MacBook Pro and OS X Mavericks, the company also rolled out a big time iOS 7 update today in the form of iOS 7.0.3, an incremental update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. The update is the biggest update to iOS 7 since its release last month and for the past few hours, we’ve been digging into the iOS 7.0.3 update on the iPhone 5.

Today’s launch event was supposed to be a big deal for Apple users across the globe and it was. The company announced two brand new iPads, confirmed a free OS X Mavericks upgrade for Mac users, offered up Mac Pro release date and pricing details and finally showed off its new MacBook Pro. There had been rumors of an iOS 7.0.3 or iOS 7.1 update but the event ended without any talk about iOS 7 updates, causing many iPhone and iPad owners disappointment.

Apple had promised an iOS 7 update by the end of the month, an update aimed at tackling several major issues plaguing its mobile users. In particular, a widespread iMessage issue that forced many iPhone owners to switch to text messages. And with the event over, it looked like Apple would wait until later in the month to roll out its new software. Apple isn’t known to make promises it can’t keep.

A short time after the event, Apple quietly rolled out iOS 7.0.3, a brand new update to the iOS 7 operating system and one that we consider to be the biggest since the arrival of iOS 7 itself. The update, which is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, promises fixes for a number of issues including the iMessage problem that has been going on for several weeks now.

We’ve spent some quality time with Apple’s latest and greatest and here, we want to share our thoughts and impressions about the iOS 7.0.3 update for the iPhone 5.

Installation Issues

When iOS 7 first rolled out, I, like many iPhone 5 owners, encountered some nasty installation issues that prevented me from installing iOS 7 right away. I ran into some iOS 7.0.3 installation issues right off the bat, but instead of a lengthy headache, they only produced a temporary one.

When I fired up my iPhone 5 to install the iOS 7.0.3 update, it didn’t show up, even though several of my colleagues and friends were able to download the update Over-the-Air, no problem. For reasons that are still unexplained, my iPhone 5 and iPad 3 never saw an OTA prompt. iOS 7.0.2 was listed as the most current version of iOS 7.

I tried a couple of things, shutting the device down, toggling Wi-Fi, and more. Still didn’t work. So, I was forced to use iTunes, an application that doesn’t even reside on my app tray. Sure enough, iTunes showed me an iOS 7.0.3 update available to download. The installation process was a little longer than the iOS 7.0.2 update and overall, from start to finish, it only took about 10 minutes to finish. Combined with the OTA problems, it took about 30 minutes.

Overall Performance

Once iOS 7.0.3 was installed, I was able to dig into the largest update yet to the iOS 7 operating system. And fortunately, I am glad to report that the overall performance is looking remarkably good. The overall operating system seems much faster than iOS 7.0.2 and iOS 7 and that could be because Apple has improved the transitions and animations. It feels more fluid.

I’m not going to get too excited just yet though. iOS software typically take some time to settle down and show its true colors, for better or worse, so it could be that my experience gets worse in the next few days. I am hopeful that it won’t.

Battery Life

At this point, battery life seems to be fine. I’m not experiencing any abnormalities when using the phone over Wi-Fi or LTE and for the time being, it looks like the status quo. Again, this is something that could certainly change as the days go on but at this point, I am not experiencing anything unusual. I should point out that I haven’t seen any major battery drain issues with iOS 7 so I can’t say if the update fixed the issues that owners were evidently experiencing with the previus updates.

Bugs

iOS 7.0.3 is a massive bug fixer, shoring up everything from the lock screen flaw to improvements to Siri’s voice quality to a fix for the quality of VoiceOver input. It’s iOS 7′s first big bug fix. However, even bug fixes can bring bugs with them and there is a chance that iOS 7.0.3 issues could arise over the next few weeks. At the moment though, I haven’t found anything catastrophic on board.

Software is rarely flawless so I’m sure I’ll stumble into something down the road but at this point, there is nothing that has hindered by experience or prevented me from performing my usual routine. Instead, things have seemingly improved.

Connectivity

I haven’t experienced any Wi-Fi or 4G LTE issues with iOS 7 or iOS 7.0.2 so I can’t speak to whether or not this update fixes some of the issues that owners have been having with Wi-Fi. What I can say though is that connectivity on my iPhone 5 remains strong, whether it’s a Wi-Fi network or if it’s AT&T’s 4G LTE network. Both are working fine after the update.

iMessage Problem Solved

While the iMessage issue didn’t plague all iPhone owners, it was far more widespread than I originally though. At first, I thought it was just my connection playing tricks on me, but then I learned that it was a serious issues affecting a ton of iPhone owners after the iOS 7 and iOS 7.0.2 updates. My experience with the issue, I was unable to send iMessages to friends but was able to receive them, started after iOS 7.0.2.

For the past few days, I was using the temporary fix wherein I had to reset my Network Settings every single time the issue happened. I had to do this no fewer than five times. First world problems but problems nonetheless. After installing iOS 7.0.3, I haven’t experienced the issue and I’ve sent out many, many iMessages to friends, co-workers and family today.

FaceTime Audio Improves

One of my other grips with iOS 7 has been the performance of FaceTime Audio. Performance has been extremely up and down, to the point where I had all but given up on the service until Apple rolled out some fixes. There weren’t any fixes listed in the changelog for iOS 7.0.3, however, when I fired it up earlier, there was a noticeable difference in quality.

I am, unfortunately, still running into a hand off issue. When I switch from Wi-Fi to LTE, there are hangups and when I manually turn Wi-Fi off when on a FaceTime Audio call, I lose the person on the other end, every single time, without fail. The sound quality is much better but there are still some issues that Apple really needs to work out before I can count on the service.

iCloud Keychain

This is a feature that I have been waiting for since Apple announced iOS 7 in June and finally, iOS 7.0.3 has delivered it to my iPhone 5. I’ve only been able to use it for a short while but I can confirm that it works as advertised. It’s also going to force me to change from Chrome to Safari, but I am OK with that. For me, the addition of iCloud Keychain alone would have been enough to upgrade to iOS 7.0.3. The fact that it has a bunch of fixes as well is just the cherry on top.

Apps Working Fine

Often times, applications stop performing after an iOS update. While I don’t have a million apps on my iPhone 5, I can say that I haven’t run into any major issues with the big name applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Spotify. All four of those are performing admirably. If an app is broken, developers typically move quickly to fix but thus far, we aren’t hearing about any disasters. Things seem to be quiet.

Should You Install iOS 7.0.3?

At this point, it’s tough not to recommend iOS 7.0.3 to iPhone 5 users. Overall, the software is snappy and while it may just be in my head, it feels faster than Apple’s previous updates. Core applications all work, iCloud Keychain is as fantastic as Apple made it out to be, and the major bug that was plaguing my iPhone has been squashed.

The only iPhone 5 users that should hold off are those who want to jailbreak. iOS jailbreak developers have cautioned those who wish to jailbreak and until the update is deemed safe for download, those who have been holding out for a jailbreak need to refrain. For everyone else, iOS 7.0.3 appears to be a solid upgrade from iOS 7.0.2.