iOS 10 update bug causes iPhones and iPads to break

Apple says that it is aware of the issue and that it has now been fixed

Customers shop at the new Apple Store at the 350,000 square-foot World Trade Center shopping mall at the Oculus on opening day on August 16, 2016 in New York City (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Updating to Apple’s new iOS 10 has led some users to have their iPhones and iPads shut down.

Millions of users rushed to get the free update, which comes as a download to the phone, when it became available. But some of those people report problems once it’s arrived, finding that it crashes their phones and tablets and makes them unavailable.

The only thing that seems to fix some of the affected devices is plugging them into a computer over USB, and having them update and restore themselves through iTunes.

Apple issued a statement confirming a "brief issue with the software update process affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability”. The problem has now been fixed, it said.

The new update arrived on Apple phones at 6pm on 13 September. Immediately, the demand for it was strong, prompting issues with downloads and many people not being able to actually get hold fit at all.

Anyone around the world with a compatible device – the iPhone 5 or newer, and the iPad Mini 2 or newer – can get hold of the free download. That’s done either through the settings app or with a computer.

It brings a whole host of new features, including updates to the Messages app, wide-ranging changes to the lock screen and empowering Siri.

The new operating system will come bundled into the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus when they are released on Friday.