Apple post Solution to Fix Crashed Messages App

[~Leo~]

Apple Posts Temporary Solution to Fix Crashed Messages App
Apple has posted some temporary solutions that can fix the Messages app after it's been crashed by a specific series of unicode characters.

The bug, which was recently discovered and been demonstrated on video here, can cause Messages to quit unexpectedly.

Apple is aware of an iMessage issue caused by a specific series of unicode characters and we will make a fix available in a software update. Until the update is available, you can use these steps to re-open the Messages app.

● Ask Siri to "read unread messages."
● Use Siri to reply to the malicious message. After you reply, you'll be able to open Messages again.
● In Messages, swipe left to delete the entire thread. Or tap and hold the malicious message, tap More, and delete the message from the thread.

Earlier
This Text Message Can Crash Any iPhone
A bug in the way iOS handles certain unicode text causes the iPhone to crash when receiving a message. The string of text has been making its way around the Internet after it was first discovered on Reddit earlier this afternoon.

effective.
Power
لُلُصّبُلُلصّبُررً ॣ ॣh ॣ ॣ
冗

If you send the string of text to anyone with an iPhone, the device will respring and reboot. Jailbroken users will be forced in Safe Mode. If the Messages app was opened to the list view, then the Messages app will become useless as opening it will always result in a crash.

Oddly enough, if you have the conversation window open already and receive the text, the phone will not crash; therefore, in order for the crash to work, the user must not have the conversation thread open (the crash works everywhere else including the lock screen, notification center, and banners).

Speculation on Reddit leads many to believe the bug is caused by the way iOS process unicode text, specifically in notification banners. The banner reportedly attempts to present the incoming text and then "gives up" thus causing the crash.

If you're stuck with your Messages app constantly crashing after receiving the text there are a couple of fixes. Most involve sending a message outside of the messages app (through Share sheets or through Siri). Below are two examples of ways to solve the issue:

1) Launch the photos app, send a random photo to the person who sent you the text, then go into iMessage and delete the conversation.

2) Use Siri to send a message to the person who just sent you the string. After Siri confirms and sends the message, open the Messages app and the problem should be resolved.

To prevent anyone from restarting your iPhone through the message again, you can turn off alert/banner message previews, or completely turn off message notification banners (Settings > Notifications > Message).

No word on how long this bug has been present in iOS but we're sure Apple will release a fix soon.

Update: An Apple spokesperson provided the following statement to iClarified:

“We are aware of an iMessage issue caused by a specific series of unicode characters and we will make a fix available in a software update.”


Source:iClarified