IN PROGRESS: Apple is working on a solution to fix the bug on its phones.
The bug, first noticed by a Reddit user, allows someone to repeatedly crash an iPhone simply by sending it an iMessage composed of certain symbols and Arabic characters.
Receiving such an iMessage crashes and instantly reboots certain iPhones and if the messages app is in list view when the handset reboots, attempting to access the app again causes the phone to crash and restart.
The bug doesn't appear to affect all models of iPhone and all versions of the iOS operating system but since the bug's existence was first brought to light on Reddit, instances of the problem have multiplied considerably as more people learn about the trick and more fall victim to it.
However, an Apple spokesperson said: "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. " — AFP Relaxnews
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