January 26, 2026
Cache me outside, Apple!
Apple, What Have You Done?
Bugs, random restarts, and 35GB mystery files—fans fume
TLDR: An Apple superfan says new iPhone, iPad, and Mac updates feel buggy, with “system data” swallowing storage and random restarts. Commenters split between wild hacks (set the date to the future), suspicion of upgrade pressure, and vows to delay or even switch platforms—because everyday users just want things to work.
Apple’s latest updates for iPhone, iPad, and Mac were supposed to be shiny and smart—now the community is screaming. The Online Goddess says iOS/iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe turned “it just works” into “it just… breaks,” citing a 35GB blob of system data gobbling storage, random iPhone restarts, and Mac changes that killed her app muscle memory. Commenters piled on with receipts and chaos: one user admits a time‑travel hack—“set the date to the future”—shrunk the mysterious cache. Yes, really. Another claims a work Mac shows 188.67GB of “system data.” Cue the “is Apple nudging upgrades?” debate, with [Hard_Space] calling it a familiar tactic while others say they’re grateful Apple isn’t forcing installs yet, unlike Windows. The vibe: exasperated, funny, and a little paranoid. Memes fly: “From ‘just works’ to ‘just hoards,’” and advael quips that the “just works” era is “coming to a middle.” A cautious camp vows to wait a year before updating—or even pay the switching costs if the direction doesn’t change. Meanwhile, Sebastian via the guestbook grumbles about Apple Music weirdness, rounding out a comment section that reads like a support group with punchlines.
Key Points
- •A user reports numerous problems after upgrading to iOS/iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, spanning iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- •On iPhone 14 Pro, ‘system data’ reportedly grew to ~35 GB, limiting storage, obstructing updates, and occasionally blocking photos.
- •The author notes iOS widget appearance changes (glowing border) and weekly random restarts, often when taking photos.
- •On iPad (M1 iPad Pro), the App Store search field doesn’t auto-focus and Safari aggressively refreshes background tabs.
- •On Mac, an “app launcher” was removed without warning; hardware issues include an iPad Magic Keyboard disconnecting/rattling and an iMac screen flicker since Tahoe.