Avatars are swapped around sometimes while I'm using iphone/ipad

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Splinty

Shake 'em off
Admin
Dec 31, 2014
44,116
91,095
Every few weeks since we started we've had iphone and ipad users mention that sometimes avatars or other images seem to randomly get swapped around. I know this is annoying, but there isn't much I can do about it.

The problem lies in Safari and started in iOS5. The bug appears to have resurfaced in iOS8. Images are not actually different. Your iOS device is simply displaying them wrong:


Safari in iOS8 image placement | Apple Support Communities

Safari keeps displaying Random images | Apple Support Communities

Images Randomly Swapping on iPhones, mobile Safari and iOS - Steck Insights Web Design

Safari on iOS 5 Randomly Switches Images, Part 3 – VG Tech

Bug Notice: Front Page Image Swaps with iPad iOS 8 and Safari

Now technically this isn't JUST apple, but its predominantly based on some tests others have done:

place useragent count percent
1 iPhone 1340 75.791855

2 Android 247 13.970588
3 Opera 148 8.371041
4 Symbian 33 1.866516


Nerdom: The underlying problem is in something called http piplining that is used to streamline request for a website. Safari asks for a webpage and information and doesn't always give a full handshake. Especially on slower connections or something that drops and data (like a potentially weak cell signal) this is ripe for failure. Safari has an error handling problem here and spits out the wrong picture in the wrong spot more than others. This is highly noticeable on something like a forum with a grid of tons of small pictures that you know to link to an identity. But its probably happening all the time when you are viewing news sites or espn or whatever.

You can report this bug to apple:
Login to Apple Bug Reporter



FIX:
1> Clear browser cache. This is temporary and it may all come back

2> Install opera, chrome, firefox or any other alternative browser on your iOS device

3> REPORT THE BUG to apple via the link above so they fix this in an update.




Now at least laugh at the time this bug caused the best result on our old software:

dougie random image funny.jpg