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Apple's IPhone 3G Firmware Update Bombs
JagsLive writes "After lots of complaints about iPhone 3G connection issues, Apple released a firmware update Monday with hopes it would fix the issues. But early reports suggest it didn't work as planned.
Complaints have included dropped calls, abrupt network switches, poor reception, and service interruptions.
Apple declined to offer details about its iPhone 2.0.1 update, other than saying it included 'bug fixes.' However, comments in Apple's support forum say plenty about the latest attempt to rectify poor user experiences. In fact, the update seems to be causing new issues, apparently interfering with the GPS function, among others."
The crap linked article doesn't even get the version number right - I recommend reading ars techinca's take (the amusingly named Hope you didn't plan to actually make calls on iPhone 2.0.2) or even Apple insider.
I for one welcome our new haha overlords.
There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
On my iPhone, 2.02 completely disabled all 3rd party apps. Any apps installed run for just a few seconds before returning to the app screen. Deleting and re-installing doesn't help.
Good job apple.
Not at all. Just reduce the "number of bars" shown in the user interface and make the phone lose connection predictably at a higher threshold. Problem fixed.
It's pretty sad that the 3G iPhone is running into problems. Especially since it has such high visibility due to everyone wanting one.
Actually, if this was any other cellphone company you would just get some bad reviews on a hardware site... and that's it. The fact that it's Apple means that it is appearing in more mainstream media.
Oh no, the Nokia xxxx is dropping calls left and right. Yawn. Oh no the Razor isn't great. Yawn.
Umm there's a problem with the iPho... OMG! CNN needs to cover this!
I've had/used cellphones that were pieces of garbage; dropped calls, poor reception, etc.
I guess that's the problem with a re-design; had they just refreshed the original iPhone there would be few technical glitches. But rolling out a new circuit board is causing them some headaches.
From: steve.jobs@apple.com
To: daniel@roughlydrafted.com
Subj: Hello
Daniel,
Looks like we're in a bit of bind right now. QA signed off on the 3G 2.0.1 update despite not testing it fully. (The guilty parties are being punished as we speak.) For the time being, could you write another pro-iPhone article? Be sure to mention how it is "substantially less buggy" than competitors phones, and how beautiful it is. Also, be sure to make a jab at Zune (the Internet always eats that stuff up.) It'd also be great if you could work chair throwing in there as well. Thankfully, the masses eat up tired memes without even realizing it. One article should buy us enough time and mindshare to fix these issues.
Sincerely,
Steve
First off, the firmware that was just released was 2.0.2, not 2.0.1 which had been out for a while already. Second, Apple never claimed that this update contains the 3G fix. As usual, they have been secretive and cryptic about what the update actually contains, but this was just a minor update, not the big radio firmware fix we've been waiting for. And finally, although a few people have complained about the GPS in the new version, most of the reports seem to indicate that the GPS has IMPROVED.
Disclaimer: I own an iPhone and am suffering from the 3G issues. I'm certainly no fan of the way Apple has handled this so far, but this article is just a pointless and error-filled troll.
The reason this one is getting so much press is Apple's "It Just Works" campaign. They're saying it just works, and when it turns out to not "just work", it's a pretty big issue.
If creativity is the field, copyright is the fence.
It's pretty sad that the 3G iPhone is running into problems. Especially since it has such high visibility due to everyone wanting one.
But the real kicker is that this is Apple's own hardware. I can understand when Microsoft's updates fail (at least to some extent) because of the multitude of different machines trying to run the software. But Apple owns the specs and built the machines. To me, failed software updates from them are inexcusable, but likely the fault of the bean-counters with MBA's (I like that expression for some reason, but I can't remember who to attribute it to) pushing out the update too fast.
Based on other comments, I get the impression that this news is a little outdated, and I know that anti-Apple statements are a sure-fire way to get modded down. But please: consider all the factors of Apple products, especially if Apple insists on preventing other companies from writing OSes for their devices.
First, I don't have an iPhone nor do I plan on getting one. And while I use a MacBook Pro at home I'm not a zealot... I've had tech issues with my Apple products.
Apple isn't perfect. They have the occasional hardware issue with their rev A systems and a poor OS update here and there. As a whole their systems are usually pretty darn stable, but they still get major issues.
Heck, I was suffering with a known keyboard issue on my MacBook Pro for a year before they fixed it. A year.
But in their defense, they're still somewhat new to the Cellphone arena. Sure, this is their second phone and some of the insides are similar to the iPod touch, but they're still new. It's like if a Car designer was asked to design and build a great riding lawn mower. They'd make one, but their first 2 models might have issues.
Meanwhile, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, etc have been pumping out Cellphones for a while and have gone through their growing pains. They know what to avoid when designing hardware and what to do when sending out a software update. And yet with all of this neither they are perfect.
I've had issues with cellphones from other companies, and know some people that experience MAJOR issues with other cellphones. It happens.
Here's hoping that third time's a charm.
Stop mocking Apple d00d...
I'm posting this from my updated iPhone, and obviou
You don't get the mainstream press interested in a new phone being released, but they were all out for the iPhone.
Live by the sword and all that.
I happen to know the guy who headed the RF software group for the original iPhone. He's a low-key sort, from the industrial high-reliability real time world. He did not like being yelled at by Steve Jobs. So, shortly after the first iPhones were out and working, he quit.
Apple found someone else to do the 3G version. Probably not someone from the industrial high-reliability real time world.
No way man, you're forgetting how Macs are like, TOTALLY the gold standard in interface design unless you want to do something crazy like look up stuff in the help feature or add titles to a video or change the box sizes for titles in iMovie or close a rules window in Mail without having to hide your dock or extract stills in iMovie without adding the still to the video or have it wait until you're finished recording multiple videos before it makes you wait for it to break them up or upload a picture to photobucket that iPhoto has kidnapped or actually have a fucking clue what your emails to others will look like when you embed pictures in the text or want to see at a glance which email address you're sending to or use Adobe Acrobat without annoying update warnings that require good reflexes to turn off or charge your iPod without having good enough reflexes to keep it from deleting everything when you don't want to sync or move the iPod library on one computer to another or ...
Oh, I'm sorry, was it hard for you read all of that in one sentence? Now, pretend I told you that that style was the gold standard in writing, and now you know what it's like to use a Mac.
Information theory is life. The rest is just the KL divergence.
"Just Works" post.....
Interestingly, I find it fairly insightful to see how the great unwashed masses are complaining about this, yet, for the most part, Apple is getting a "free pass" from pundit's, media, and most of the public because of past marketing.
What would the reaction have been if this was some other company?
Just a though that rattles around in my brain.
Not only is it "past marketing," it's the clamorous fan-base that sends death-threats to columnists who say negative things about Apple products that make them very reluctant to criticize too quickly.
The RDF is real. When I used Windows, if something was broken or I needed some application to do something, I would get a range of suggestions and, frequently, sympathetic remarks from other Windows users with the same problems. The attitude from Apple forums is generally that if an Apple product doesn't meet my needs or expectations, there's something wrong with my needs and expectations. There is a lot I like about my MacBook, but I'm getting fed up.
I haven't used a Macs enough to complain about them, but I've been using an iPhone for a few weeks now. I'm not going to say the device is crap, it's not, but I definitely would not call the UI a gold standard. I'm still trying to figure out who's nephew they hired to make the decision that you should need to plug the phone into an entire computer to get audio onto this wifi device. I mean really. They shipped a wifi enabled, web surfing music player that cannot download PODCASTS from the internet. I do find it funny though that when Apple implemented a UI element that has been in Lotus Notes from the beginning, the UI element magically went from being the worst thing ever to being a gold standard.
You mean the people quoting the idiot financial analyst who is trying to manipulate the stock? The same financial analyst that also claimed the first iPhone would have to be recalled because the touchscreen was defective? It's interesting that every article claiming a hardware problem goes back to the same source.