Just how widespread is a new bug in Apple’s latest iOS 11 update (iOS 11.2)? According to freshly published data, the bug in question — which disables hyperlinks in SMS communications leveraging the dollar sign ($) — is getting around extremely well today.
With iOS 11.2 adoption now past 42%, this bug is wreaking havoc on text messaging, particularly for brands seeking to prompt direct responses from consumers.
Unfortunately, due to the bug that continues to multiply across the iOS userbase, non-clickable links are taking a toll on SMS campaigns, likely resulting in a serious dip in conversions.
Derek Johnson, CEO of Tatango, tipped off the mobile marketing community to this issue earlier this month following the discovery of the bug, which is negatively hindering the mobile marketing efforts of prominent brands like Subway and Baskin-Robbins, to name a few.
“As you can imagine, this is causing major issues for brands using text message marketing, as many of their messages are promotional in nature, like ‘Save $5 when you spend $20.’ The timing is not good either, as many brands are sending more text messages than normal, due to the holidays,” Johnson recently told Mobile Marketer.
While there’s no timeline confirmed for a fix, Tatango is urging mobile marketers to stay clear of including dollar signs in their text messages until further notice.
