Apple Releases iOS 12.1.2 for iPhones With eSIM Bug Fixes

by

Apple today released iOS 12.1.2, the fourth update to the iOS 12 operating system since its September launch. iOS 12.1.2 comes just two weeks after the release of iOS 12.1.1, and one week after Apple seeded the first iOS 12.1.2 beta to developers.

The iOS 12.1.2 update is available exclusively on the iPhone and it can be downloaded over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.1.2 is free to download. iPads and iPod touch models continue to run iOS 12.1.1, the prior version of iOS 12 released on December 5.

appleesim
According to Apple's release notes, iOS 12.1.2 is a bug fix update that focuses on addressing issues with eSIM activation and a cellular connectivity issue in Turkey. From Apple's release notes:

iOS 12.1.2 includes bug fixes for your iPhone. This update:

- Fixes bugs with eSIM activation for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max

- Addresses an issue that could affect cellular connectivity in Turkey for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max

The timing of the iOS 12.1.2 release is curious as Apple often seeds more than one beta before launching a software update. It's likely that iOS 12.1.2 is addressing a bug that Apple did not want to wait to fix.

Today's iOS 12.1.2 release may also include software tweaks in China that remove patented Qualcomm functionality. A Chinese court last week issued an iPhone sales ban on certain devices in China after ruling that Apple had infringed on two Qualcomm patents related to resizing and reformatting photos and managing applications using a touch screen when using apps.

Apple said it would issue a software update for iPhone users in China to address "the minor functionality of the two patents at issue in the case."

eSIM functionality was first introduced in the iOS 12.1 update and expanded with iOS 12.1.1. In the U.S., T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are all now supporting the eSIM feature, as are multiple other carriers around the world.

Update: The iOS 12.1.2 update is now available for download.

Update 2: This post has been updated to reflect the fact that it is only available for the iPhone.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Read Full Article
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
Read Full Article • 107 comments
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Read Full Article • 102 comments
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Read Full Article • 164 comments
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Read Full Article • 87 comments
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
Read Full Article • 102 comments
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Read Full Article • 85 comments
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
Read Full Article • 214 comments
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...
Read Full Article • 111 comments

Top Rated Comments

TimUSCA Avatar
TimUSCA
83 months ago
Is this going to fix my green-bubble messages constantly saying "Number changed to Primary"? It does this for every single message that comes through, and it drives me nuts.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeyondtheTech Avatar
BeyondtheTech
83 months ago
I'm not seeing the benefit of using an eSIM unless using 2 lines. Am I missing anything?
Here's a potential cool thing - your telephone number is embedded in the iPhone. In the event that someone steals it or you lose it, even if they wipe it out and try to reactivate it, it will automatically reactivate the internal SIM and possibly ping its location.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cableguy84 Avatar
cableguy84
83 months ago
Battery life great after this update, getting over 1 whole day on a full charge now.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dmccombs Avatar
dmccombs
83 months ago
There are those who have heard that 12.1 also has bugs and were encouraged not to update. It's like that practically with every update for years and years now (and not even just when it comes to iOS).
I was just kidding about the Apple "It Just Works". LOL, those days are long gone. Now its more like "Stand on one foot while chanting, deinstall and reinstall all devices, hard reboot, soft reboot, then hope it kinda works a little".

Seriously, I spend more time re-syncing devices, re-installing, etc. Trying to get my Apple Watch, Phone, iCloud, Pictures, etc to keep working together, is like a second job... OK, ending rant...

Regarding this update, obviously Apple must consider it a bit of an Emergency, yet they don't tell much in the release notes. Ok, I better stop before I start a rant about Apple's lack of disclosure on problems/issues.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Oak Avatar
The Oak
83 months ago
Battery life great after this update, getting over 1 whole day on a full charge now.
The update just got out???
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
C DM
83 months ago
since applying the update 3 days ago.
Sounds like we might be talking about a different update given that this one was just released less than a day ago.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments