A weird iOS bug means some iPhone owners can't use the letter 'i' (AAPL)

iPhone X

The letter "i" is the fifth-most popular letter in the English language. It's pretty useful. You can imagine how frustrating it must be if you're not allowed to use it.

But some iPhone users are currently experiencing exactly that: A bug in iOS means that the letter "i" is sometimes being corrected to an exclamation mark and a question mark in a box.

Frustrated users are taking to Twitter to voice their displeasure at the bug.

This is a hilarious iOS 11 bug http://pic.twitter.com/TXFXbvgaqO
— Mike Murphy (@mcwm) November 6, 2017

There’s a bug in iOS 11.1 on iPhone 7s that converts capital I into ! and the ? In the square. 🙃
— Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver (@thefunrevucc) November 5, 2017

⚠️ An iOS bug is causing the letter “I” to show as the letter “A” and a question mark box (it’s not a missing emoji) https://t.co/NqDd8bUdV0 http://pic.twitter.com/G8lfpOTD6k
— Emojipedia 📙 (@Emojipedia) November 5, 2017

I have a $1,150 telephone that can't read the letter i https://t.co/HF9Qqzysh2
— Mike Murphy (@mcwm) November 6, 2017

As Emojipedia points out, the issue is caused by a bug in iOS 11.1's autocorrect software.

Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, but on Twitter is directing users towards instructions for a temporary fix for the problem.

Here’s what you can do to work around the issue until it’s fixed in a future software update: https://t.co/xXaXeeSRt9
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) November 5, 2017

The bug will eventually be permanently fixed in a software update, Apple said. But in the mean time, perhaps afflicted Apple customers could get creative and take inspiration from the author Ernst Vincent Wright — the novelist who wrote the novel "Gadsby," published in 1939, without using the letter "e" once.

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