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Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

There's an iOS bug that lets you crash other iPhones with a single text

In some cases, the bug can force an iPhone to reboot.

THERE’S A NASTY new iPhone bug doing the rounds: It’s a string of characters that, when sent in a message, crashes the recipient’s phone.

We first heard about the issue on 9to5Mac, and it apparently affects only iPhone-to-iPhone communication. After receiving a text with the particular string of characters, Messages will reportedly crash repeatedly. It can also force iPhones to reboot in some circumstances.

Here’s the text that is reportedly causing the bug:

effective. Power لُلُصّبُلُلصّبُررً ॣ ॣh ॣ ॣ 冗

For what it’s worth, we’ve tried to replicate the bug and can’t manage it – suggesting that it doesn’t necessarily affect all iPhones. But comments on social media show that it’s definitely for an issue for many:

On Reddit, one user theorises that it’s caused by a failure to render unicode properly — “[causing] messages to take up a lot more memory than normal, leading to iOS killing the largest process,” and thus crashing.

And as 9to5Mac notes, this isn’t the first time this has happened. In 2013, the tech blog reported on how certain Arabic characters could cause issues in both iOS 6 and OS X 10.8.

If you’ve been affected, Forbes has a suggestion on how to fix the issue and let you reopen Messages: Either “have the person who pranked you send another message,” or “send yourself a message through Siri or your Mac.”

Apple told Business Insider it had no comment at this time.

- Rob Price

Read: Is your phone overheating regularly? Here’s how you can fix it >

Read: Why this Irish company’s plans for global expansion is leaving the US for last >

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    Mute Winston Teardrops
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    Dec 4th 2013, 10:26 AM

    Thais are nice folks but you never ever disrespect their royals. Just not done.

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    Mute Inanimate Carbon Rod
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    Dec 4th 2013, 10:41 AM

    Thais are nice folks except when you’re involved in a disagreement with them- then you’ll see them turn nasty very quickly and how they always see the foreigner is to blame, even if they are in the right. If you have a road traffic accident in Thailand that wasn’t your fault you’ll still end up paying for it because you’re not Thai, that’s the way things work over there.
    Thais might be friendly but I’d never trust one.

    29
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    Mute MGrey
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    Dec 4th 2013, 11:03 AM

    Yeah remember crossing the border from Malaysia and the immigration officers had to be paid off to let us in.

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    Mute paddy last
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    Dec 4th 2013, 11:07 AM

    Your right, Thai people are fiercely proud people, they love their king and country and will just about always back their own! A word of advice, get insurance and a dashcam if you intend to drive in Thailand in the future.

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    Mute Abinger Hammer
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    Dec 4th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Your storey is not credible.There is no fee at immigration.So if you paid,then more fool you.

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    Mute MGrey
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    Dec 4th 2013, 12:26 PM

    Who are you to question the veracity and start name calling. Were you travelling there in 2001? Why don’t you pick on the commenter who says that not a single Thai person can be trusted – is that a fair comment?

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    Mute MGrey
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    Dec 4th 2013, 12:32 PM
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    Mute PerkyBeans
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    Dec 4th 2013, 3:49 PM

    Hmmm where did you cross the border? I find that hard to believe, I have crossed the border many times both by land and sea and never had a problem

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    Mute Abinger Hammer
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    Dec 4th 2013, 4:07 PM

    @ MGrey,Yes I was travelling there in 2001 and 15 years before that date too.Ive never heard of any monies being demanded unless someone has overstayed the period that a visa has been issued for.Which is a fine and not a bribe.
    Im not bringing into question the correctness or accuracy of your comment,thats for you to establish.
    And after almost 30 years living and working in The Kingdom I do trust my Thai friends.Maybe Inanimate Carbon Rod needs to become more animated.
    Dont dictate what my opinion should be whether it pleases you or not,or to whom it be directed.

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    Mute MGrey
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    Dec 4th 2013, 4:18 PM

    I haven’t dictated anything to anyone and your snotty response and basically calling me a liar is unacceptable. Your naive attitude to corruption is also embarrassing.

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    Mute Abinger Hammer
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    Dec 4th 2013, 5:10 PM

    Many thanks for the compliment MGrey.I find it comical that you consider me to be naive,which must be an embarrassment.I dont remember calling you a liar,I merely said that I found your comment not to be credible.

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    Mute MGrey
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    Dec 4th 2013, 9:16 PM

    Read the link I posted and stop embarrassing yourself even more!

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    Mute Abinger Hammer
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    Dec 5th 2013, 12:30 AM

    I read it but unlike you I dont believe everything I read.Id hardly associate comments from trolls that have been hard done by on a forum such as tripavdisor to be gospel.
    I forgive you.

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    Mute Chef Anthony
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    Dec 5th 2013, 7:27 AM

    Bit of generalization on that one mate. 65 million Thais and none to be trusted? Ignorant narrow minded thoughts. I’m married to a Thai and working in Thailand 6 years and find the people to be trustworthy. I suppose all Irish are drunken street brawlers?

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    Mute Anita OGalligan
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    Dec 9th 2013, 9:19 AM

    I’ve known Thailand for very many years. I spend the winters in Hua Hin. I have many Thai friends.
    I find the Thais very honest and trustworthy. They are lovely people and very hospitable. One can
    find good and bad in all societies.

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    Mute Fong Wannapho
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    Dec 4th 2013, 10:25 AM

    Cash is King in Thailand, it’s all about money, deceit and corruption. At least it’s not about religion, thankfully.

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    Mute Abinger Hammer
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    Dec 4th 2013, 10:22 AM

    King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrates his 86th birthday tomorrow December 5th.Though his is not now in Bangkok but was moved to the quiet coastal town of Hua Hin.Many happy returns your Majesty.

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    Mute Anita OGalligan
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    Dec 9th 2013, 9:24 AM

    Thanks Abinger, I attended The Birthday celebrations up at the palace in Hua Hin among the thousands of well
    wishers. The H.M. The King is a wonderful person and has devoted his life to helping the poor as the rest of his
    family also have.. I’m very fond of the Royal family. LONG LIVE THE KING!

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    Mute Cathal Meehan
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    Dec 4th 2013, 10:47 AM

    @Pat: The demonstrations had nothing to do with HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej. They were part of ongoing dissatisfaction with the current regime and the PM’s stupid attempt at trying to pass an amnesty bill that would allow her brother to return to the country and not face charges of corruption. How she honestly thought that was going to happen I’ll never know.

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    Mute Pat O'Brien
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    Dec 4th 2013, 9:21 AM

    Stupid stupid people. Some day they might wake up and realise instead of having a revolution every two years they should kick out the fella on top.

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    Mute Mick Fox
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    Dec 4th 2013, 9:33 AM

    Try saying that in Thailand and see how it goes down. To your statement makes nonsense, it’s like saying that overthrowing the queen of England would make a difference to how politicans operate.

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    Mute paddy last
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    Dec 4th 2013, 9:51 AM

    What a stupid stupid statement! They are demonstrating against the government not the king. Just because you don’t like the idea of a king, leave them be.

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    Mute Kitty Prendergast
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    Dec 5th 2013, 7:36 AM

    I always find the gentle ways of the Thai lovely when I visit and I think that the demonstrators efforts to clean up for the king show an incredible maturity. What a lovely gesture.

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