Apple now has two huge problems that are bigger than MobileMe

1. The App Store is turning into the "CrapStore". Everything is $0.99 or free, most is buggy and embarrassing, ratings and reviews are bogus. If they don't fix it, all serious development will stop and the good games and applications will go to better platforms.

2. The hardware needs a serious overhaul in particular with battery life.

The App Store could have been the killer App. But guess what it may kill the iPhone if Apple keeps on thinking that good software is like Pop Songs!

altus

@OMG! Ponies!: Oddly, NYC seems to be really bad for the iPhone 3G. yet other AT&T 3G saturated cities I've been in are perfectly fine for the iPhone.

Leonard Nimrod

@iwantcokeinabottle: I believe its 2.75G.
[en.wikipedia.org]
I do agree with you though. The iPhone 3G seems to be nothing but a headache. I'm sort-of glad I didn't jump on the 3G to upgrade. I've heard issues in the range of inflated plan rates, sub par 3G connection to no 3G connection, cracking cases, sup-par processor performance, and poor battery life. Seems the original isn't so bad after all. I think I'm gonna wait until the next gen to upgrade.

Joseph

@iwantcokeinabottle,

1) OS X iPhone v1.0 was not less stable than v2.0. It had plenty of issues but got a little better with each firmware revision. If you compare v1.1.4, the 9th software revision for v1.x to the 2nd firmware revision to v2.x then the newer one will be riddled with issues. This holds true for any major revamping of an OS. They are typically called growing pains and the only way to get around them in software is stick with the old until the new is well travelled.

2) It takes forever to sync because it's backing up. If you cancel the backup then it will sync quickly.

Leonard Nimrod

@Mr_LaZy:

Seriously! What is up with this phone??

I just am shocked that Apple could come out with a product with this many problems.

Are we sure that the Chinese company "Aple" hasn't taken over the real deal?

iSmoteThee

@OGHowie: I also have had no problems since the start. 3G reception and speed have been great and no other problems with crashing apps or failing to connect. Occasionally I have some apps that crash, especially on 2.0 but as of 2.0.1 no app crash has restared my phone. Sorry to all those having troubles.

ajlafontaine

Guess I am the only one with the app crashing problem since the update. Anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it? If I delete my apps don't I have to repay for the one that I bought?

Hirobomb

i've got this exact same problem, the sad part is it was working fine with 2.0 (except for the application bugs, but calling was fine) updating to 2.0.1 borked it, dropped 3g signal half of the time. Then 2.0.2 which was supposed to fix it made it so it never gets a 3g signal. I just got back from the apple store where they told me to go to att and swap out the sim. should have never upgraded from the 1gen iphone. much like this morning's article about xp and vista i'd love to 'upgrade' back to the 1st gen iphone.

eucrow

@chizelord: Uninstalling iTunes by itself won't do anything. The general fix since 7.7 has been to uninstall iTunes, QuickTime, Apple Mobile Device Support, and Apple Software Update, restart the computer, and then reinstall everything. Then cycle the power on the device before you plug it in.

And make sure you're on iTunes 7.7.1 first.

Seriously, ever since 2.0, this phone has been a piece of shit. Goddamn you second-gen adopters. I'm only half-kidding.

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

Haven't made a lot of calls since this morning so I can't say if it's gotten any better. Last week was terrible. I'd have about 3 or 4 dropped calls in midtown Manhattan.

OMG! Ponies!

Guess $199 for a 3.5" touchscreen phone with 3G, 802.11b/g wireless and GPS was too good to be true.

daftrok

I have had no problems. But I didn't have very many reception problems before the update either.

OGHowie

@mullingitover: True dat.

*genuflects*

mildretard

*now it is very much amplified.

mykalt45

Mine said NO SERVICE when I updated and turned 3G on, but I restarted the phone and it's been working as it did in the past (no 3G reception hardly anywhere).

So, basically, the phone behaves as it did on July 11th when I bought it, and no updates have cured the issues.

dcdttu

@snowtires: My friend had that same problem when he was on 3G on his Blackjack II. He couldn't make or receive any calls or messages (he had a full 5 bars as well). So maybe this has something to do with AT&T, although the fact that the update seems to be the cause kind of kills that theory

ab3

I too have had multiple problems after the update with calls failing immediately after dialing, many dropped calls, and also not hearing anyone on the line while calling. It was noticeable before the update, not it is very much amplified. I was just thinking, as an internet/multimedia device the iPhone is awesome. As a fun, not so much right now.

mykalt45

so that whole iPhone 3G name thing means you cant make 3G calls... awesome... i am actually returning my iPhone because of AT&Ts network and going back to Verizon... hopefully the Blackberry Thunder/Storm/Hurricane/other weather event will be close to what the iPhone offers on the OS side because i know it wont have any network or operating issues

purple-pillows

So that is how they plan to fix 3G reception issues; force everyone back onto EDGE.

scoobydoo

Most people haven't been able to use 3G for calls from the beginning. Other don't want to cause the reception is so bad...thank goodness for living in a highly populated area

efenili

this update killed my iPhone 3G. I called Apple and they told me that the sim was probably fried. AT&T replaced my sim card and it still won't work. After several restores with and without the sim card Apple said they will take it back and replace the iPhone. I will probably be without my iPhone for two weeks. ........This is a cool phone for people that don't really need a phone.

beatwerx

I have a "Call Failed" 4 out of 5 calls around 1-3 am in the morning.

Playstation

After the update I cant connect to anything, safari, the app store, nothing is responding. Is the iphone the new vista?

broken5hift

@mullingitover:

The thing is, the 1G iphone didn't have anywhere near these kind of problems. I got the 1G the week it came out and I thought I was going to be a beta tester, but it has been rock solid.

Really, the phone has not started to suck until apps came out. Don't get me wrong, I love the apps, but the phone just feels slow and unstable now. Also, the sync process takes FOREVER.

iwantcokeinabottle

@ab3: thanks, but I've tried every USB port on my computer, uninstalled and re-installed iTunes, checked all my drivers and even got a new iPhone. Idk what's going on. It works on all my friends computers but mine.

chizelord

I'm having the 3G 'call failed' problems. I can only place calls on the edge network. I've had this problem off and on since 2.0.1, first with awful 3G reception and then not being able to place calls at all. In fact, several people sent me emails saying that they couldn't get through to my phone all day, that there was a 'this number is not in service' error on my phone. Soooo glad I paid so much money for this phone.

snowtires

@chizelord: I had a similar problem. I don't know how to get it to reconnect to iTunes, but to get it to stop recognizing as camera:

1. Connect the iPhone
2. Open MyComputer and right click on the iPhone and choose Properties
3. Choose the Autoplay tab and make your changes to either do nothing or perhaps to open iTunes.

azmoviez

I've had fewer and less severe issues with my 3g iPhone than I did with my Moto Q I used to have.

tptcat

@chizelord: Try a different USB port, that solved a similar problem with an iPod I had a few years earlier, the pc would recognize it but iTunes wouldn't

ab3

When I updated my iphone to 2.0.2 I noticed that all my applications that I have purchased and downloaded for free do not work. They just open and crash after 5 seconds. Is anyone else expereincing this problem? I even did a system restore and that still didn't fix the problem.

Hirobomb

This is why I'm skipping the second-gen iPhone. Thanks beta testers, keep up the good work so my gen 3 phone will kick ass!

mullingitover

@Mr_LaZy:
Coming from someone who fixes these phones for a living...I agree.

tridtaei

At this rate, when will it become the iPatch phone?

geekpi

After I updated, my iPhone showed that I was connected over edve. It was the first time since I bought the phone that I was on edge. I restarted the phone and it worked just fine. But I still cant connect to itunes. When I connect my iPhone it shows up as a camera in my computer but wont show up as a phone or in the itunes side bar. if anyone can help with this, I'd appreciate it.

chizelord

No offense, but this phone has had more problems then it has solved.

Mr_LaZy

Writing this from my 2.0.2 iPhone 3G and I have to say I'm not expirancing 95% of the issues being described. A little keyboard lag here and there, but other then that the phone runs great, and my 3G reception and calling are perfect (I'm in the Boston area).

CTJoyce

I have no 3g reception, and when I was in the car dealership waiting for my car to get its service I noticed that I was no longer on the 3g network and it was using the E

Jamaces

But this is still the best phone ever, right? RIGHT?!?!?

Waka in Japan

2.0.2...... Can't tell which bugs it fixed but we can sure find the new ones it created. :-) wonderful, c'mon 2.1!!!!!

Brent_Andrew

As someone noted already, compared with my windows mobile phone, the issues here seem trivial. At least apple is doing updates, too bad they seem more like do-overs than true updates though. I'm still on 2.0.0, and if I have to live with the way it is now until 2.1 I won't really be that disappointed. It does feel a bit like the 3g is sort of stuck in between gears but hopefully sooner, rather than later, it'll start to prove itself.

lpranal

iDidn't upgrade, so personally iDon't care. iBought the iPhone 1.0 on launch day and feel thankful iDidn't run into a slew of iSsues that usually accompany a 1.0 product.

It's really iRonic that all these issues show up on a 2.0 product.

codemagic

@wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!: Thanks. I'll try it now. I didn't see the other stuff in my software manager.

chizelord

All I read about is problems with the iPhone 3G, but I've had mine since day 1 and have never had a problem. I guess I'm just one of the lucky. I've updated the firmware both times without a glitch. So far I'm loving the iPhone 3G.
Now, because I just typed this my iPhone will crash.

sjohns

@Joseph,

1) He was using '1G' to refer to the 1st generation iPhone, not to the colloquial generation usage of the iPhone's EDGE radio.

2) You should take high-profile issues with a grain of salt when the simplest of issues no matter how isolated make front page news on Digg.

Leonard Nimrod

@Leonard Nimrod: I was just in New York last week and my 3G iPhone had great 3G recpetion. EXCEPT on top the the empire state building...my phone showed full reception but I couldn't hear anyone clearly.

ajlafontaine

I'm getting all kinds of call failed now + dropped calls. This sucks.

c2

@elislider: There's a friend of mine with a 1G iPhone having the some problem. She's trying to get an appointment at the apple store and hopefully get it cleared up.

mruler360

@Hirobomb: Remove all apps, sync.

Add apps back in small batches, sync each time.

Worked for me on 2.0.0. No problems since.

William Hook

maybe related... ? my dads iphone actually just randomly spit up the message "no sim" (he still has 2.0.1 software on his iphone). i had him turn it off, take the sim out, put it back in, and restart the iphone and still nothing. weird.

elislider

Apple must be using the Newton handwriting recognition team for this project.

astrocramp

There's a reason it's called the "Cutting Edge." Get to far out, and you're bleeding.

mruler360

I'm currently "Downloading Only" to make sure 2.0.3 doesn't come out next week and fix everthing .2 created while causing a few problems of it's own.

mruler360

The saying used to go, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sound like the iPhone problems have made a new one up: "If it's broke already, don't break it even more."
I live in Huntsville, Alabama and I haven't had a single issue yet outside of buggy apps. I got mine from the local Apple Store in the first week of August.

mruler360

@Leonard Nimrod: If 1G is first gen, then 3G is third gen. 3G refers to the technology, not the generation.

Joseph

Luckily, no problems on my end after the 2.0.2 update.

Other than slightly quicker contacts, and less lag on texting, no other major differences noted.

3G coverage sucks so bad in the parts of LA I work in (know this from previous experience with a 3G card for my MBP), that I haven't noticed an change one way or the other in iPhone 3G performance.

Ridgerunner

@Joseph: The 'G' here refers to the word generation. The number refers to it's place in that generation. You know very well that the OP said 1G referring to the original iPhone. The 3G in the iPhone 3G refers to the 2nd generation iPhone having 3rd generation radios for data. The 2.75G that you mention as EDGE can also be referred to as 2G. The .75 qualifier is pretty pointless unless you wish to be anal about a term that has no real baring on the specifications of the technology. If you are going to be pedantic about an alternate term for EDGE then why refer to HSDPA as 3.5G since it's UMTS that is actually considered the start of 3G.

• 3GPP Track graphic.png

Leonard Nimrod

@ヨシダさん 25:

Get it right, moron. This is Apple's problem and they need to fix it ASAP.

I think it's pretty shitty to blame the carrier when Apple clearly released an iPhone with major software issues.

yoshi

iPocalypse 2.0!! Woo hoo!!!

blazedshaggy

What a surprise...AT&T and Apple fail again. As a customer with them for 3 years, and working with them for over 10 years, this is hardly surprising.

ヨシダさん 25

I'm using 2.01 jailbroken 3G iPhone. I live in Long Beach by Los Angeles,CA. I usually have full 3G bars and have great internet speed. I do get about 1 or 2 failed calls a day...

oh shit...i better knock on wood

jcrockerman

I just got my iphone 3G this past saturday been working fine i guess ok 3G reception then after the update ive had moderate to excellent 3G reception. Not sure if it means anything maybe my phone wasnt a problem phone.

Alex2643

it's sad when hackers can provide stable, hacked firmware that's better than Apple's "fixed" new firmware.... I HAZ WINPWN!!

blazedshaggy

I actually just want to dial back to 1.1.4... I'm willing to forgo the extremely mediocre App Store. I just want that old stability back. Oh, and maybe for Safari not to crash eight times a day. That would be hot. It's not even the same crashing it used to (very randomly) be-- now it crashes Safari but leaves me with a black screen with the silver Safari headed bar on it for about ten seconds before the home screen pops back up. The Apple Store said there's nothing wrong with it.

wild homes loves you but chooses darkness!

I sometimes have the "call failed" thing with my iPhone in 3G, but I don't think it's related to the update - I think it's related to the area. I was getting the bug with 2.0.1, and always in the same location - it always says I have 5 bars and 3G at the parking lot by the beach where I go a lot, and calls always fail there (and the internet is always unavailable). Everywhere else my connection is fine and my calls work for the most part.

Ribs

Wow looks like everyone is having some type of problem....I planning on switching from verzion to att because ATT is pretty good in my area(verizon is great to) but i think ima hold off now hopefully this will all be fixed when my contract runs up with verizon (November)

Enisity

@Leonard Nimrod: Where is the 1G on your chart?

Joseph

@Hirobomb: Damn. I thought you might just be lying, but I just did the update and the same thing happened to me. It all crashes after a few seconds.

jzulli

@beatwerx: this update killed my iPhone 3G. I called Apple and they told me that the sim was probably fried. AT&T replaced my sim card and it still won't work. After several restores with and without the sim card Apple said they will take it back and replace the iPhone. I will probably be without my iPhone for two weeks. ........This is a cool phone for people that don't really need a phone.

<= Ya the 2.0.2 totally bricked my phone. I had to go to the apple store and they replaced it on the spot(I mean after they try to fix it).

Does anyone else notice that all(most) of their apps crash when they are running now with 2.0.2?

theshortguy

To those having problems with crashing apps or missing media, check this out...

[www.shokk.com]

shokk

@Joseph: Can you really be that obtuse? A simple Google search would show you that 3GPP specification are based on the GSM standard which starts the 2G in cellular radio tech. Or is that you are still confused that one item can be in its 1st generation while containing components that are in its 2nd generation?

Leonard Nimrod

@theshortguy: I noticed one app crash on opening yesterday, but no issues with the rest. I was going to list them all, but it would be an embarrassingly long list...

distortedloop

iPhone 3G works fine for me. 3G service most places I go here in LA, no dropped calls (well, no more than I got on any other phone, AT&T, Cingular, Verizon, Spring, Nextel, Airtouch, etc...). It's a much better phone than the first iPhone was, and a much faster network device.

My only complaint about the thing is the battery life, and actually now that I'm not playing with it constantly and have learned to just dock the thing when in the car, it's not unbearable...no worse than my Treo was with similiar usage.

As far as costing more. NO WAY. I actually pay less now that it's subsidized because AT&T let's me use a corporate FAN discount (25%) I have access to. ;-)

distortedloop

IMO all the problems are poorly coded apps. iPhone 3G is a piece of cake compared to the nightmare that is Palm OS and finding good apps.

steaky

i am restoring to 2.0.1 as I am typing this. I installed 2.0.2 and the number of failed calls sky rocketed. Apple better fix this shit. I didn't pay $200 for a fucked up phone. Get it right apple. It's not that hard.

Dudemeister on the Run

@yoshi: No, i have every right to blame AT&T too, because they're equally in this as Apple is - so watch who you're calling a moron, moron.

ヨシダさん 25

Everyone here knows Att has the worst reception in the wireless business! We all knew what we were getting ourselves into! Everyone should go back to their Blackberrys, that would keep the apple loyalist in the elite group!

TheodoreMedusa

Everyone is complaining about 3G coverage. Did you all check ATT's web site for 3G coverage? I did and i am fully covered where i live! We all need to relax! This is by far the best computer/phone/gps unit to date! And for you who won't stop complaining about OS speed, i would suggest deleting all those lame apps you never use and the ones you think will impress your friends!

TheodoreMedusa

@Leonard Nimrod: Oh wait, you can't answer my question because you're saying the exact same thing I said in my first post that got your panties all up in a bunch.

All I am trying to do was clarify what iwantcokeinabottle is saying so that if a non-technical reader comes into the blog, they'll have a clearer understanding. All you want to do is have a useless argument over something so small just so you can "win" in your small little world. So if you want to be right, fine your right 1G/3G--you're awesome Leonard.

Joseph

@Leonard Nimrod: Thanks for not answering the question.

Joseph

FAIL

Bluesk1d

@steaky: Poorly coded apps are causing 3G reception problems (the topic of the original post)...?

If apps are constrained to their own little sand-boxed memory space, are forced to quit or suspend when switched away from, and aren't allowed to touch the phone portion of the OS, how would they affect the calls dropping or not?

If you're talking about apps crashing in general, okay, I agree. Clearly Apple isn't testing and vetting these the way they claimed they would.

I've got a pay as you go SIM I never use, but I am going to throw it in an old 3G Razr and see how many bars that thing gets compared to my iPhone. I've got no complaints about 3G, but it would be interesting to see if in the few place I go that I only get one bar or EDGE only service if the Razr experiences anything different.

distortedloop

I can confirm that this update breaks the 3g reception. I haven't had a problem with calls, but I can no longer use the internet. Haven't bothered switching to EVDO to see if I the internet works there. Tested my 3g internet earlier that day and got 2.19Mbps downloading (Cambridge/Boston area). Now I can't even load a single page. This sucks. Going to have to go through the trouble of erasing the phone and downgrading to 2.0.1, worked a lot better.

XylonPirithous

Since iPhone launched in U.S. exclusively on AT&T the network has seen a large increase in the number of HSDPA devices on their 3G cells. Since this time, a number of problems have been reported by users. Dropped calls, latching onto EDGE reception when 3G is available, slow data throughput and general signal strength instabilities.

All of these described effects can be attributed to 'Cell Breathing' due to poor network planning.

What is Cell Breathing?

In 3G systems all mobiles can use the same carrier frequency at the same time. This means that there will be interference between users in the same call and in neighbouring cells.

As the loading within a cell is increased, the Base Station noise floor appears to rise. The mobiles must transmit additional power to overcome the increased interference. As a result the maximum path loss that can be tolerated within a cell is decreased and the cell effectively shrinks.

Load Balancing.

Cell breathing provides a degree of load balancing. As a cell becomes more heavily loaded it becomes smaller. This has the effect of shedding users around the cell boundary to more lightly loaded neighbouring cells.

Planning for cell overlap.

It is important to plan for sufficient cell overlap to ensure that coverage holes do not develope under heavier load.

The extent of cell breathing can be limited through the use of call admission control (CAC).
The CAC mechanism is used to decide when a new call can be accepted. Any new calls will be blocked once the interference reaches a certain level.

See this .pdf for further information:
[www.macltd.com]

Ralph_11

Well, honestly I don't have any problems with 3G reception or battery life, or hardware defects. Of course, what I'm saying is, I wasn't stupid enough to purchase an I-phone.

SuruchiMalkoth

I don't know strange so many complaints I've had nothing but enjoyment with the iPhone 3G. No problems at all. I mean even with these issues nothing else on the market compares right? so how bad can it be and AT&T are updating or attempting to make updates. What about the good stuff like web browsing seems to me that nothing else even comes close.

randatheu

For me, I have only had to replace my iPhone once. But over the past few weeks I have developed a theory: Apple has too much on their plate right now. For example: MobileMe. The Jobs email even proved that they are dealing with too much. The same is happening with the iPhone. They are still tweaking the problems with one of their biggest products ever, and the most anticipated phone in a while. Apple has to sit down, and make a SOLID plan that will carry them through all of this. I think in a few weeks they will work out the kinks, well, I hope so.

oceanrider

i would recommend Calling apple technical support they are normally very helpful if you have not already tried a complete restore with both 2.0.1 or 2.0.2

Alain_Garner

Before the update, I was driving just outside of a 3G covered area and had 3G on. The phone said "No Service", while the other one (Sony Ericsson W300i) showed full bars for Edge. I shut 3G off and got full bars on Edge for the iPhone as well. When I turned it back on, same thing, "No Service". I did the update, and have only placed 3 calls, but all three had voices cutting out. 3G was on during all three calls.

ClaireDadlet

i would recommend calling apple or restoring you phone with 2.0.2 again

Alain_Garner

I am soo glad I have my P1i , 3G works perfectly , hell I am even posting this message through my powerbook connected to my p1i using 3g, did you think a computer maker would make the perfect phone in two attempts??, and your still stuck with a 2mp camera

ichi1

@rml4uk:

Sorry. *whole

rml4uk

I'm definitely dropping a while lot more calls now. WTF!

rml4uk

It would be helpful if everyone's story was accompanied by their location/city...I've found the AT&T map to be useless and inaccurate...

dea136

@Leonard Nimrod:

I agree, I've been in Denver and Washington DC this month and both cities were far better than NYC (where I live) for 3g with my iPhone. Sounds like an AT&T issue to me... Could this be an AT&T/Location issue rather than an iPhone issue at the highest level?

dea136

@dea136: Google the link if you're interested, but Wired magazine is running a survey along those lines; something with putting your location and iPhone 3G and EDGE issues on a pin on a map.

No 3G call connectivity issues here: San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, CA. My friend in the furthest West part of the Valley has issues though; but I think it's her phone, as she has issues even in areas I don't.

distortedloop

I just tried to update all the apps that have new versions, and the "Install All" or "Update All" button is gone from the Updates page. Now I have to install each of the new versions of my apps 1 by 1.

I thought that was slick to install all 5 new updates with one push of a button. Why is that button gone, intentional or a regression? How frustrating is this, geez.

smokindenali

Detroit, MI: Ever since 2.0.2 I can't maintain a 3G phone call. I had *no* issues with 2.0.0 and 2.0.1 except screen lag under some input conditions... so I updated hoping for some more improvements.

Apple note - Rule #1 of software updates: Don't break more important things than you fix... FCOL

m/code