Please don't kill me, but.....

[Ori]

I am thinking of packing it in with the Iphone.

Let me start off by saying, that I love the phone I really do, but I am on the verge of starting to dislike it because of the problems I am having with it.

I'm not too fussed about missing features(mms, push notification, sms forwarding etc....) as I believe they will come and I knew about them before getting the Iphone, but the stability of this OS and poor reception is starting to get to me.

Is it me or do other people think we deserve better? I was an early adopter of the original Iphone and an early adopter of the 3G Iphone and yet I am really annoyed at how bad this phone is. Lag, crashes, updates that don't fix it. Battery life which I accept, but think should be better.

It is actually starting to bring me down. It has now reached the point where I no longer recommend it to my friends as it's got so many bugs.

If I wanted a phone that was laggy, unreliable and kept crashing I would get a windows mobile device. At least then I would have decent reception on 3G!
When did Apple let their software get this bad?

I know I am just venting and won't really get rid of the Iphone, but why is 2.0 (and updates) so much worse than 1.1.4? Sigh.

[brn2ski00]

fyi - but getting rid of the iPhone isn't really Death worthy....

[MacBoobsPro]

I am thinking of packing it in with the Iphone.

Let me start off by saying, that I love the phone I really do, but I am on the verge of starting to dislike it because of the problems I am having with it.

I'm not too fussed about missing features(mms, push notification, sms forwarding etc....) as I believe they will come and I knew about them before getting the Iphone, but the stability of this OS and poor reception is starting to get to me.

Is it me or do other people think we deserve better? I was an early adopter of the original Iphone and an early adopter of the 3G Iphone and yet I am really annoyed at how bad this phone is. Lag, crashes, updates that don't fix it. Battery life which I accept, but think should be better.

It is actually starting to bring me down. It has now reached the point where I no longer recommend it to my friends as it's got so many bugs.

If I wanted a phone that was laggy, unreliable and kept crashing I would get a windows mobile device. At least then I would have decent reception on 3G!
When did Apple let their software get this bad?

I know I am just venting and won't really get rid of the Iphone, but why is 2.0 (and updates) so much worse than 1.1.4? Sigh.

I only have apps crash occasionally and its usually 3rd party apps which is quite understandable. I also believe that 3rd party apps, although offer great enhancements to the phone, also introduce many more possibilities for things to go wrong. I limit my apps to only the absolute must have apps. If I download an app and its hardly used or more trouble than its worth then in the trash it goes (even if its paid for). As a result my iPhone is quite stable and speedy.

[profetto]

You're a dead man!!!








Just kidding! :D

[7on]

Have you tried setting it up as a new phone? I've heard reports that it might be bad backups causing the bugginess. Try doing a restore with 2.0.2 and do not install from a backup. It might take care of everything for you.

[Ori]

fyi - but getting rid of the iPhone isn't really Death worthy....

It is for some people on this site!! :D

[cantankerously]

If it doesn't perform, then return it. That's understandable.

[Ori]

Have you tried setting it up as a new phone? I've heard reports that it might be bad backups causing the bugginess. Try doing a restore with 2.0.2 and do not install from a backup. It might take care of everything for you.

That sounds like a lot of work. I will give it a go tonight to see if it does anything though. I shouldn't need to do this though. It's Apple. It should be easy!!

How do I install without allowing the restore to take place?

[Aiphanes]

That sounds like a lot of work. I will give it a go tonight to see if it does anything though. I shouldn't need to do this though. It's Apple. It should be easy!!

How do I install without allowing the restore to take place?


First of all you probably download some bad unstable apps...that screwed up your Iphone...and you live in a area that has subpar 3G...you need to realize that in the boondocks or deadzones...3G is not gonna work. Do the restore and comeback here and tell us what happended..

Return the phone if it did not fix anything because yours is defective.

I will never understand why people settle..if your iphone is performing like crap after a full restore..then there is something wrong with the phone.

[brn2ski00]

It is for some people on this site!! :D

You have to take most everyone on this site with a grain of salt... just my experience.

[Ori]

First of all you probably download some bad unstable apps...that screwed up your Iphone...and you live in a area that has subpar 3G...you need to realize that in the boondocks or deadzones...3G is not gonna work. Do the restore and comeback here and tell us what happended..

Return the phone if it did not fix anything because yours is defective.

I will never understand why people settle..if your iphone is performing like crap after a full restore..then there is something wrong with the phone.

I will try the full restore, but I have done restore several times before but have always restored from backup afterwards. I didn't think this would mess things up.

As for returning the phone...whats the point? I will get another "buggy" Iphone like a lot of people here?

[Anuba]

If I wanted a phone that was laggy, unreliable and kept crashing I would get a windows mobile device. At least then I would have decent reception on 3G!
Hmm, I've never seen a Windows Mobile device this laggy and unreliable. I've seen some crappy Symbian devices though. My last two SonyEricsson phones (M600i, P1i) were sluggish and buggy and would sometimes crash or even hang, requiring a reboot. But the actual hardware is flawless -- reliable, durable, no cracks, no dropped calls, no miserable battery life etc. After all, Ericsson has been making phones for 130 years. They are also one of the main suppliers of cellular infrastructure and they had a major hand in the development of 3G, Bluetooth and other standards. When they teamed up with Sony they added some much needed design sensibility, plus some damn fine technology such as the Carl Zeiss optics used in their phone cams.

Apple, by contrast, are complete phone n00bs who took a bunch of off-the-shelf chips, threw them in a device and hoped it would work, and we are beta testing it for them now at our expense. They might get the hang of it in 5-10 years, but right now they're only learning how to build a phone. Yes, the software is fantastic (when it works) and the interface is brilliant, but the actual meat-and-potatoes phone hardware (and the cam) is a mess. A mess which probably can't be sorted out with software updates. And Apple could never afford the cost and embarrasment of a massive callback so they will probably modify the hardware quietly, so that late adopters will get a functional iPhone while the rest of us will have to put up with the nuked, mass-produced prototype.

[sushi]

I will try the full restore, but I have done restore several times before but have always restored from backup afterwards. I didn't think this would mess things up.
If you have a bad backup, then restoring from it will re-introduce whatever is wrong.

So make a clean restore.

Then add apps that you know that work okay. Some out there may be causing problems. Be sure that you have the latest versions before installing.

[alFR]

Apple, by contrast, are complete phone n00bs who took a bunch of off-the-shelf chips, threw them in a device and hoped it would work, and we are beta testing it for them now at our expense. They might get the hang of it in 5-10 years, but right now they're only learning how to build a phone.

lol, substitute "mp3 player" for "phone" there and you've got pretty much what people were saying when the iPod was released. Look how badly that did....

[Ori]

And Apple could never afford the cost and embarrasment of a massive callback so they will probably modify the hardware quietly, so that late adopters will get a functional iPhone while the rest of us will have to put up with the nuked, mass-produced prototype.

If that ends up being the case. I would walk into the nearest apple store and demand one that works with the new hardware.
In the UK we have statutary rights which declares that an item has to be "fit for purpose".

If an item isn't working and is a genuine defect (not wear and tear) with the item then you can return it at any time and get a full refund! It could be 1 day, 6 months or 6 years after you bought it. So I don't think Apple can get away with doing hardware fixes here in the UK.

[Sylar]

Kill you?


[Elaine enters.]

Elaine: Jerry, that crazy straight-armed woman down at Peterman's trashed my office. And then listen to this; this is message she left me.

[Takes a tape recorder and plays the tape.]

Sam's voice: Elaine...I am going to find you. If not in your office then in the xerox room, or the little conference room near the kitchen...

Elaine: She must've got a blueprint of the building or something.

Jerry: Did you tell Peterman about this?

Elaine: Well, I tried, but he thought it was some sort of cat fight.

Kramer: Cat fight?

Elaine: Ok, why? Why do guys do this? What is so appealing to men about a cat fight?

Kramer: Yeye cat fight!

Jerry: Because men think if women are grabbing and clawing at each other there's a chance they might somehow kiss.

Kramer: T-t-t-t...

----------------------------------------------------------------

[Elaine is on the street and plays a tape to two police officers.]

Sam's voice on the tape:...if not in your apartment then in the LAUNDRY ROOM!...or the ATM in the building across the STREET!...or the WATCH SHOP!

Elaine: Can't you do anything about this? I mean this woman is a psycho!

Cop#1: 'Reer.'

Elaine: Look, just because I'm a woman...

Cop#2: 'Mauau.'

Cop#1: 'Meeow.'

---
[Raquel Welch walks down the street.]

Raquel: I don't move my arms when I dance. That's my signature!
---

Elaine: Would you just keep an eye out for this woman. She's about ye high and eh, she doesn't swing her arms when she walks.

Cop#1: What do you mean?

Elaine: Like this...[imitates the walk with her arms hanging.]

[Raquel Welch comes towards her.]

Raquel: What the hell is that? Are you making fun of my dancing?

Elaine: Aren't you Raquel Welch?

Raquel: You know who I am. Now, what are you doing?

Elaine: Nothing, I wasn't just moving my arms...

Raquel: That's it, you are going down.

Cop#1: Ooh, cat fight.

Oh, we'll find you alright. Don't even THINK about returning that beauty! (j/K :D)

In all seriousness however, if it's not working up to your liking I would definitely return it. Everyone needs/expects different things out of their phones/devices, and for some of us junkies, the iPhone is xanadu in tech form. Others rightfully might not agree. Try out a blackberry if the iPhone isn't your cup of tea. After testing every device you can think of, the BB Curve was the only device to ever hold my interest aside from the iPhone, so the BB Bold might be perfect for you.

[Ori]

Kill you?



Oh, we'll find you alright. Don't even THINK about returning that beauty! (j/K :D)

In all seriousness however, if it's not working up to your liking I would definitely return it. Everyone needs/expects different things out of their phones/devices, and for some of us junkies, the iPhone is xanadu in tech form. Others rightfully might not agree. Try out a blackberry if the iPhone isn't your cup of tea. After testing every device you can think of, the BB Curve was the only device to ever hold my interest aside from the iPhone, so the BB Bold might be perfect for you.

I used to have a blackberry and dread going back to it. Worse is that most of the missing "features" like longer vibrate, different notifications etc can all be done if you jailbreak the phone. Something I will never do.
But it isn't the missing features that bother me. It's the basic phone functions that don't work properly as well as some serious bugs within the software. Remove the bugs and get the phone working to spec then I would be happy. I loved my old Iphone. It worked!!!!

[jk000]

You have to take most everyone on this site with a grain of salt... just my experience.

More than a grain mate, i'd take a pot!

[Anuba]

lol, substitute "mp3 player" for "phone" there and you've got pretty much what people were saying when the iPod was released. Look how badly that did....
Yeah, except the competition didn't have a 130 year head start. The first iPod-like DAPs came out in 1998 and the iPod was introduced 3 years later. Must have been SO hard to get a foot in the door to a market that barely existed.

With the iPhone they ventured into a swamped market over a decade after the main players, and we're talking phones now... not self-contained single-purpose audio players that plug into USB sockets. It needs to work with cellular infrastructures around the globe.

Also, the iPod was quite revolutionary and a massive step up from what existed then. The iPhone's only advantage (and a huge one, admittedly) is the software and the interface. In all other aspects it's lagging years behind the competition. 1st gen didn't even have 3G, which had been around for ages in Europe. To hail this as some major sales point, to the point where they actually include "3G" in the name is like if Pizza Hut would start bragging that their pizzas include a cutting edge ingredient called "cheese". The 2MP camera is laughable. There's no flash and no front-facing cam. The battery can't be swapped and it has mediocre life. There's no MMS. Damn cheapskates couldn't even include a dock or a case, which you get with almost every other high-end phone. Not that those phones need cases anyway because they're typically made from durable material that doesn't need a leather or silicone diaper...

Lastly, the iPod sold in massive boatloads above expectations. iPhone sales are below expectations.

[PredatoryWasp86]

I loved my old Iphone. It worked!!!!

You could always get an old one and go back to 1.1.4

[ratbatblue]

I myself have decided that I've had enough of the iPhone the way it is. My first step will be to call AT&T today on my lunch hour and demand a partial refund every month on my data plan, until they get an iPhone-friendly 3G network established in places where their own maps say there is one. My phone doesn't work properly on 3G either where I work or where I live (Austin and Killeen, TX), and AT&T coverage maps are all blue in both places. As far as I'm concerned, that's breach of contract. After calling AT&T, I'm going to set up an appointment with an Apple Store to try and get my phone replaced, even though I know it will do no good. I don't even know that they'll do it at this stage, but I intend to make a lot of noise about it, with emphasis on the reason I'm demanding it. Sure, the iPhone is a singularly cool device. I wanted an iPod that makes phone calls, and I have one (Edge works mostly fine). But if the companies that distribute and support the thing make certain claims about it, as in the way they make a big deal about the 3G capabilities, IMHO they must ensure the device can live up to those claims for Everyman, Everywhere. That's not the case, and I've had enough of it.

[BOSS10L]

I know I am just venting and won't really get rid of the Iphone, but why is 2.0 (and updates) so much worse than 1.1.4? Sigh.

Two words: App Store.

It finally came to me the other day that it wasn't the phone itself that was causing my problems, but the crappy apps I had DL'ed to it and iTunes from the App Store. I'm just now getting time to do a complete wipe and restore, and I'm willing to bet that this will fix it.

[alFR]

Yeah, except the competition didn't have a 130 year head start. The first iPod-like DAPs came out in 1998 and the iPod was introduced 3 years later. Must have been SO hard to get a foot in the door to a market that barely existed.

They don't have a 130 year head start in cellphones, either. I don't think experience making rotary dial pulse-dialling landline phones really helps you design a modern cellular handset, do you?

It needs to work with cellular infrastructures around the globe.

What, you mean the GSM networks it works on already?

Also, the iPod was quite revolutionary and a massive step up from what existed then. The iPhone's only advantage (and a huge one, admittedly) is the software and the interface.

I think you're underestimating how important the UI is to the average user. I had a 3G nokia before the iPhone: the UI was so poor and it took so long to do anything that I never even bothered to set my email up on it. Web browsing was a joke. What good are features if you can't be bothered to use them because the UI is so poor?

The 2MP camera is laughable. There's no flash and no front-facing cam. The battery can't be swapped and it has mediocre life. There's no MMS. Damn cheapskates couldn't even include a dock or a case, which you get with almost every other high-end phone. Not that those phones need cases anyway because they're typically made from durable material that doesn't need a leather or silicone diaper...

Camera - fine for many users, there is the argument that if you want a good camera you should get, well, a camera. The pictures from most of the other smartphones may have more pixels but I've yet to see one that approaches the quality of my 4-year-old point and shoot, for example.
Front-facing cam: video calling is a massive flop. I don't know anyone that uses it, and the uptake on most 3G networks is low.
MMS - This is an omission, but arguable if that's better than email. It's probably coming eventually anyway.
Dock/case: no phone I've had in the last 5 years has come with either of these (not counting microfiber bags).
Case durability: can't speak for the 3G, but my v1 iPhone is holding up fine, thanks.

Lastly, the iPod sold in massive boatloads above expectations. iPhone sales are below expectations.

Got a link for that? I'd say over a million 3Gs in the first weekend was over expectations: the shortages of handsets would seem to bear that out.

I've said it before on here and I'll say it again: WM/Symbian are about to get their asses handed to them on a plate. In 5 years the iPhone will be the dominant smartphone platform. You can call me out on it then if I'm wrong. :)

[Sobe]

My phone doesn't work properly on 3G either where I work or where I live (Austin and Killeen, TX), and AT&T coverage maps are all blue in both places. As far as I'm concerned, that's breach of contract...But if the companies that distribute and support the thing make certain claims about it, as in the way they make a big deal about the 3G capabilities, IMHO they must ensure the device can live up to those claims for Everyman, Everywhere. That's not the case, and I've had enough of it.

From AT&T's "more info" on their coverage map:

Map may include areas served by unaffiliated carriers, and may depict their licensed area rather than an approximation of their coverage. Actual coverage area may differ substantially from map graphics, and coverage may be affected by such things as terrain, weather, foliage, buildings and other construction, signal strength, customer equipment and other factors. AT&T does not guarantee coverage. Charges will be based on the location of the site receiving and transmitting the call, not the location of the subscriber. Your phone's display does not indicate the rate you will be charged.

How is that a breach of contract?

[archipellago]

If that ends up being the case. I would walk into the nearest apple store and demand one that works with the new hardware.
In the UK we have statutary rights which declares that an item has to be "fit for purpose".

If an item isn't working and is a genuine defect (not wear and tear) with the item then you can return it at any time and get a full refund! It could be 1 day, 6 months or 6 years after you bought it. So I don't think Apple can get away with doing hardware fixes here in the UK.

you wanna check the sales of goods act, I take your point but it isn't quite as easy as that.

i am in the uk btw.

[dccorona]

I am thinking of packing it in with the Iphone.

Let me start off by saying, that I love the phone I really do, but I am on the verge of starting to dislike it because of the problems I am having with it.

I'm not too fussed about missing features(mms, push notification, sms forwarding etc....) as I believe they will come and I knew about them before getting the Iphone, but the stability of this OS and poor reception is starting to get to me.

Is it me or do other people think we deserve better? I was an early adopter of the original Iphone and an early adopter of the 3G Iphone and yet I am really annoyed at how bad this phone is. Lag, crashes, updates that don't fix it. Battery life which I accept, but think should be better.

It is actually starting to bring me down. It has now reached the point where I no longer recommend it to my friends as it's got so many bugs.

If I wanted a phone that was laggy, unreliable and kept crashing I would get a windows mobile device. At least then I would have decent reception on 3G!
When did Apple let their software get this bad?

I know I am just venting and won't really get rid of the Iphone, but why is 2.0 (and updates) so much worse than 1.1.4? Sigh.

the night is darkest just before the dawn (best movie EVER!!)
2.0.2 fixes many of these problems
and reports of people with the 2.1 beta say almost everything is fixed, including reception issues

stick it out just a bit longer, and you should see a huge improvement

[DN7335]

Wow I guess I'm surprised when I read posts like this because I'm flat out lovin' my iPhone. As just a phone its acceptable, but with all the other stuff I can do with it, its awesome to me.

I don't get good 3G reception, waiting for the fix for that. But, I turned off 3G and get really good signal on EDGE, plus I'm usually around wifi for data regardless.

Also, I do reboot my phone every one or two days. Just a habit I got into and it only takes a few seconds, and I don't experience all the problems I read about such as keyboard lag, crashing, etc.

I did jailbreak my phone (not sure why you are so opposed to that) and I can do all kinds of wonderful things with it now, and a lot of the missing features are present in the JB apps available.

Anyway, hope you find a phone that you like. Maybe the Instinct or the Glyde will give you what you need.

[nfg315]

i say stick it out until 2.1 is released, try a fresh install of that, and if you still have problems go for the exchange

[GNice]

I used to have a blackberry and dread going back to it. Worse is that most of the missing "features" like longer vibrate, different notifications etc can all be done if you jailbreak the phone. Something I will never do.


I used to feel the same way about jailbreak, but changed my mind and decided to give it a try since there isn't any real downside...now that I've done it, I wouldn't have an iPhone any other way.

I'm not suggesting for one second that you should change your mind. Just sharing with you (and others) my experience. I wish you the best of luck reaching stability. My phone is pretty stable, the battery life has gotten much better, and I don't have 3G dropped call issues (feelin' pretty lucky). It certainly isn't perfect and is frustrating at times...particularly contacts and keyboard lag. But it's not as awful for me as some. I still have my BB Pearl and using compared to my iPhone definitely feels like a huge step back :)

[Anuba]

They don't have a 130 year head start in cellphones, either. I don't think experience making rotary dial pulse-dialling landline phones really helps you design a modern cellular handset, do you?
Not directly, no. But if you've been making phones over their entire evolutionary curve and you have over a century of progress, trial and error to fall back on you're probably in a better position to make a solid product than if you only just started. Apple might be making mistakes now that Nokia sorted out in 1997 and Ericsson in 1994...

I think you're underestimating how important the UI is to the average user. I had a 3G nokia before the iPhone: the UI was so poor and it took so long to do anything that I never even bothered to set my email up on it. Web browsing was a joke. What good are features if you can't be bothered to use them because the UI is so poor?
I'm with you there, and I've been sold on the UI ever since I bought an iPod Touch a year ago or thereabouts -- couldn't get the iPhone in my country until now. But everyone isn't blown away by the iPhone, and many don't give a crap about UI look and feel... it's like trying to dissect what people look for in a car. If everyone went for beauty and performance we'd all be driving sport coupés. And yet some people wouldn't take a Porsche in exchange for their precious Ford pickup. And if you're not impressed by the interface, what does the iPhone have over other phones? More buttons? ;)

Camera - fine for many users, there is the argument that if you want a good camera you should get, well, a camera. The pictures from most of the other smartphones may have more pixels but I've yet to see one that approaches the quality of my 4-year-old point and shoot, for example.
Yes - it is fine for most people -- at least in full daylight. But in a spec-obsessed world where the main sales point for a digital camera is that it has 1 million pixels more than last year's model and where recess and watercooler gatherings around the latest gadget revolve around specs, features and more specs, the iPhone cam fails utterly to impress. Again with the Ford pickup vs. Porsche -- there are people out there who buy a phone because it's the one with the best cam, just like there are people who prefer a phone with no cam at all.

Front-facing cam: video calling is a massive flop. I don't know anyone that uses it, and the uptake on most 3G networks is low.
Maybe. I thought we were yet to reach a point where front-facing cams on both ends of a phone call are so commonplace it actually has a shot at catching on. And also... it's Apple. A company that makes a huge deal about videoconferencing. iChat, iSight, built-in webcams on all computers except Pro & Mini. A company that takes pride in changing the way people use devices (=iPhone boosted net surfing on cellphones from 15% to 90% or something like that).

MMS - This is an omission, but arguable if that's better than email. It's probably coming eventually anyway.
I never use it myself, but going by some comments I've seen regarding the iPhone you'd think that MMS is vital to their survival...
Dock/case: no phone I've had in the last 5 years has come with either of these (not counting microfiber bags).
Well, my last phone was a SonyEricsson P1i and it came with a charger, a dock, a fake leather sleeve and an USB cable. And I believe a dock was included with the 1st gen iPhone.
Case durability: can't speak for the 3G, but my v1 iPhone is holding up fine, thanks.
Yes, I suppose the v1 was sturdy enough but these reports of cracks in the iPhone 3G case are pretty damn frequent. And Apple has a history of, perhaps intentionally, choosing materials that scratch and crack and buckle and whatnot. There was the Cube... hinge problems on PB G4 (Titanium)... the white and black MacBooks that look like they're 60 years old after a few months of typing... the iPods with a clear plastic front (1st Gen Nano + 1st gen Video iPod) that would scratch when you wiped it off with a clean cloth, or if you merely looked at it funny... these are issues that weren't on my map until I got into Apple products. Over the years I've had all these cellphones, they are invariably made from some sort of painted plastic and they have a clear plastic display. And I can drop them on the tarmac or keep them in a pocket full of keys, coins and lint, and they look good as new. Then I got a black iPod Nano V1, and after a day both the front and the back looked like they had been used for skating practice by Tonya Harding. I don't think you can find materials THAT unsuitable for life on the road unless you actively look for them... after all, it's a win-win situation for Apple. First you buy one of their gadgets. Then it gets completely trashed from normal usage. So you buy a second unit, and this time you pay Apple for some overpriced silicon skin, or a "sock" to protect this m-o-b-i-l-e use from everything that a mobile device is supposed to be built to endure.
Got a link for that? I'd say over a million 3Gs in the first weekend was over expectations: the shortages of handsets would seem to bear that out.
A quick stop at Google turns up results along these lines...

"iPhone sales below expectations"
"Apple iPhone sales below expectations in the UK"
"Apple iPhone initial sales below market expectations, says IMS Research"
"Apple's much-hyped iPhone performed nowhere near Wall Street expectations during its first 30 hours on sale"
"Early iPhone Data Disappoints, Sending Apple Stock Lower"
"Europe sees low iPhone sales, exclusives over soon?"
"iPhone Europe sales ’sluggish’"
"Sluggish Sales - The iPhone in Europe, Lost In Translation?"

Etc... etc...

I've said it before on here and I'll say it again: WM/Symbian are about to get their asses handed to them on a plate. In 5 years the iPhone will be the dominant smartphone platform. You can call me out on it then if I'm wrong. :)
That's on the assumption that the OS and the UI are so irresistible that once you've fiddled with an iPhone you won't have anything less... but if that was the case, shouldn't OS X be the dominant platform by now?

There is so much more to it than being the best and the most innovative. Ask French carmaker Citroën. They pioneered the "think different" approach long before Steve Jobs was born. And in the year he was born, they introduced a radically designed car, the DS, jam packed with so many groundbreaking innovations that it should have wiped all competition off the map. It was the iPhone of 1955. Independent hydropneumatic suspension, swivelling headlights, inboard power disc brakes and numerous other jawdropping bells & whistles considered otherworldly in 1955. 53 years later it remains the most comfortable ride in existence -- even with a flat tire or one wheel completely removed.

So... world domination for Citroën, right? Well, the DS was indeed hyped to no end by the media and Citroën did take 12,000 advance orders on the day of the unveiling, but... in the long run it just didn't cut it. The radical design introduced some technical problems, there were frequent mechanical failures (you know, cracked casing... dropped calls... sluggish interface and poor 3G performance. ;)) And apart from these issues, the design was just too bold for the average joe. In the end he went for something more conservative from one of the mainstream manufacturers, with their tried and true pre-WW2 technology.

Therefore I predict that in 5 years (and 10), average Joe will be using a conservative and non-intimidating smartphone with physical buttons, and the iPhone software wouldn't touch such a device with a 40 foot pole -- ergo, iPhone will not be the dominant smartphone platform.

[squeakyclutch]

The villagers will be gathering after sundown tonight bearing torches and pitch forks.

[GNice]

Therefore I predict that in 5 years (and 10), average Joe will be using a conservative and non-intimidating smartphone with physical buttons, and the iPhone software wouldn't touch such a device with a 40 foot pole -- ergo, iPhone will not be the dominant smartphone platform.

Really down on the iPhone, huh? :p

[Eso]

"iPhone sales below expectations"
"Apple iPhone sales below expectations in the UK"
"Apple iPhone initial sales below market expectations, says IMS Research"
"Apple's much-hyped iPhone performed nowhere near Wall Street expectations during its first 30 hours on sale" - Oh and by the way, this article is a year old in reference to the original iPhone release
"Early iPhone Data Disappoints, Sending Apple Stock Lower"
"Europe sees low iPhone sales, exclusives over soon?"
"iPhone Europe sales ’sluggish’"
"Sluggish Sales - The iPhone in Europe, Lost In Translation?"

You might want to learn how to do a little research.

First of all, Google results can hardly be classified as sources, especially when you use biased phrases like "iPhone sales below expectations". You also have to consider that varying sources have varying degrees of validity. Quoting a few search results hardly proves a point. What proves a point is actual statement about sales versus expectations.

iPhone sales 1.5 million units ahead of September expectations (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/19/rising_iphone_browser_share_points_to_sales_of_5_million_3g_units.html) - "Should the trend continue through the remainder of the quarter (ending September 30th), it would suggest upside of approximately 1.5 million units to his previous estimate of 3.5 million iPhone sales."

Analyst Gene Munster ups his estimate of 4th quarter iPhone sales (http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/08/13/analyst-apple-will-sell-447-million-iphones-this-quarter/) - Gene Munster has upped his estimate of the number of iPhones he expects Apple to sell in its 4th quarter, from 4.1 million to 4.47 million, according to a report to clients issued early Wednesday."

Analyst Michael Cote: 3 million iPhones sold (http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/08/technology/iphone-3m.fortune/) - ... sales blow past expectations." "The 3 million figure is much higher than Wall Street analysts had anticipated. Forecasts called for total quarterly sales of three million to four million."

The fact is iPhone 3G sales are performing equal to or above expectations of both Apple and market analysts' predictions.

It is no supirse that the phone features of the iPhone are quite lacking compared to other phones on the market. The 3G now marks their second generation phone whereas the competition are in the double digits. And look at their latest models - iPhone clones. The fact that their Xth generation phones are competing with the iPhone is telling. Apple may be playing catch-up in the telephony side, and the other guys are playing catchup everywhere else. As a media player and web devices (not to mention it's slick UI) the iPhone has them all beat hands down. Web browsing on the iPhone has already surpassed that on windows mobile platforms.

I am quite sure that Apple will figure out how to make a phone before the other guys figure out how to do everything else. I don't think it will take them that long, either. I think next July we will see major leaps in the iPhone hardware. I am also predicting two different models - one much like the current, minimalistic design and only a home button, and a busniess model with a few more buttons and other physical features (LEDs, etc) for functionality.

[andreab35]

Awwwwww... cheer up! :)

I feel the same way sometimes.

The iPhone is the best phone I have ever owned. I used to use those Tracfones and I got no service EVERYWHERE.

So since I wanted to be special, I purchased the iPhone and have loved it from day one. Yes- it has its issues, but I just learn to tolerate it.

My biggest problem is reception. When I need it the most, there is no reception. When I barely need it in the area- a full blown five bars. I went to Walmart today and outside I had five bars. When I went inside, I had zippo. It makes me jealous seeing other people talking away freely on their cellphones that they probably paid $50 for and me just standing there with "No Service" with a $400 phone.

I still have my hopes that Apple will pull through for all of us! ;)

[Mikey B]

i've recently come to believe, like others in this thread, that many of the bugs, lags, crashes, etc are way more a function of the 3rd party apps then the iPhone hardware or software. It's been a pretty simple equation- the more apps, the more my phone lags and crashes.

case in point- today, my phone crashed when trying to sync on a couple new apps. restored and needed to make a phone call. immediately i noticed that it was way more responsive. no lag in contacts, sms, nothing. i proceeded to start syncing my apps back on and after i got through maybe 15 of them, i stopped the restore to see how responsive the contact app was. it was right back to being laggy as hell.

i'm restoring again, and i think i'm going to just pick a few, key app, trying to keep the # of 3rd party apps under 10, and see what the difference is.

[squeakyclutch]

I haven't had any major problems with my iphone, although I regularly experience lag, lapses in 3g coverage, and apps spontaneously quitting.

I feel the thread starter's sentiment. We waited for months, squealing like little school girls whenever a *leaked* picture appeared in blogs, lined up overnight only to see system failures prevent us from getting an iPhone, and pay crazy amounts of money every month. In return, a relatively problem free Jesus phone we all craved was the least señor Jobs could do for us. I do feel a bit cheated with the bugs I've encountered.

Come on Steve, after all that we have done for you, how could you let us down like this. I need Steve to come up to my apartment, hold me in his arms, and tell me everything will be alright.

[steve31]

I would "hang in" for a while. I have the same problems as most others do...but I did expect for it to be "buggy" at first. I am sure that if we all give it some time Apple will fix most of the bugs. I did keep my 1st gen iPhone with 1.1.4 as a back-up. But I have not had to use it so far. Hang in or return and come back latter when things are fixed.:D