iPhone 3G Issues Persist Despite Latest Firmware

[MacRumors]

While Apple seems to finally have a handle on their MobileMe difficulties, it appears iPhone 3G issues persist despite the most recent firmware updates. The two most notable issues include 3G reception problems and iPhone application crashing.

The issue with 3G connectivity has been previously covered and results in some customers experiencing frequently dropped calls. It has been said that this issue is affecting 2% of iPhone 3G owners and will be fixable with a software update.

Monday's release of the 2.0.2 iPhone firmware brought some hope to affected users. An Apple spokesperson officially stated that the 2.0.2 firmware "improves communication with 3G networks". Despite these fixes, the problem appears to remain for some users. In fact, one woman is now suing Apple and seeking class action status due to dropped calls and "slower than advertised" speeds:

In a 10-page complaint, Jessica Smith alleges that Apple's latest handset is much slower than advertised and is prone to dropping calls. Smith is seeking class-action status as these issues could potentially affect thousands of consumers, she said.

The other issue affecting some iPhone users is one where all 3rd party applications fail to launch and audio and video media disappear from the iPhone. While some can recover from this problem with a firmware restore, others are finding they have to take more drastic measures. Arstechnica details a method in which some users are downgrading to an earlier version of iTunes in order to fix this problem.

Purported emails from Steve Jobs have said that Apple is also aware of this problem and will be providing a software update in September to address it.


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[Zwhaler]

I don't really have 3G problems, however I do encounter frequent crashes, freezing, etc with 2.0.2.

[pounce]

I won't be able to keep my phone unless reception improves. I've never had so many dropped calls.

[AJ1BostonMASS]

that just sucks for everyone who had a regular iphone w/no problems then go to 3g and have problems

[chuckvvd]

I have now issues with receiving emails. It often needs either a reboot of the iphone or killing the mail app on the iphone + disable/enable flight mode.

I tried a restore but this did not fix the problem. This is a known bug widely mentioned on apple forums but really annoying (I'm a business user).

Working great so far today though...

[DeadBeat]

The 2.0.2 made my reception worse.
Whether the fault lies with Apple (Faulty Phone) or AT&T (Faulty network), THERE IS a big problem with the iPhone & reception!
I have had Apple replace my phone twice, hoping that would solve the problem. I am now on my 3rd iPhone 3G in Los Angeles & the reception has been the same on all 3 phones ~ HORRIBLE!
It is not possible that I have gotten 3 defective phones!
Apple or AT&T or Both need to get there sh*t together & make this thing work!

[LaMerVipere]

I had the original iPhone and the reception was just fine and audio quality was extremely reliable.

Not so with my iPhone 3G, which has spotty coverage at best. People on the other line often sound distorted or distant, seem to fade in and out, and 3G signal is horrible (I don't think I've ever had more than 2 bars, usually just 1 or "No Service"). I've experienced problems receiving and making calls and SMS with 3G on so I turn it off most of the time. (I'm in Wicker Park in Chicago where the map says I should be fine with 3G coverage).

Sad to say it, but the "iPhone" part of the "iPhone 3G" is great, but the "3G" is just...unacceptable.

I miss my old iPhone and slow (but reliable) EDGE.

Please sort this out Apple.

PS, my father also has an iPhone 3G and is experiencing similar problems

[Rybold]

3G reception works fine for me. I think the people filing that lawsuit need to actually take a look at the coverage maps before they walk into court. I'm sure AT&T will be quick to show up with coverage maps and plenty of amo. Look at all the fine print on the brochures and contracts. Pages and pages of fine print. AT&T definitely knows what they are doing when it comes to legal issues.

[Bakey]

... Does it seem to be our friends in America who are suffering the 3G issues?

I don't recall see any sigs from European users suffering - don't want to sound this one if I'm wrong, but could the issues have "something" to do with 3G being it its infancy over the pond???

Either way, fingers crossed they'll (Apple) will get it sorted pretty soon - bad press is "bad press" and something the boys in San Jose could do without!!

[guet]

Originally Posted by pounce

I won't be able to keep my phone unless reception improves. I've never had so many dropped calls.

Have you tried turning off 3G? I wonder if that fixes your problem?

Haven't seen any problems with mine (UK, on O2) - best phone I've ever had.

[vandozza]

Originally Posted by Bakey

I don't recall see any sigs from European users suffering

You need to check out the Apple discussions, there are many international iPhone users that are having problems.

[Full of Win]

The excessive amount of anecdotal data proffered on MacRumors is killing me!

Mine is cracked, mine is not, I get great reception, I get bad reception, mine crashes, mine does not, I cannot connect to iTunes, I can connect to iTunes, my battery is good, my battery is bad.

I'm going to EXPLODE

[sparkyms]

I (thankfully) have very few issues with reception, in areas I can get a 3G reception I get data speeds upwards of 1MBPS, which is nice. It doesn't randomly drop off to 2G networks when there is a strong signal and I don't drop calls.

It's a shame that this issue does seem to affect a lot of people, and I am extremely glad that I am not one of the unlucky ones.

Hopefully they can also sort out the lags and freezing issues which still prevail even after 2.0.2 soon.

[ChucklesOToole]

Yes EU user here, lots of people in Europe having big problems in different countries and on different networks. The strange thing is everyone's problems seem a little varied. For me I get terrible signal in populated areas where 3g is meant to be strongest, but on the outskirts of the coverage map I get much better reception. Also I noticed holding the phone in your hands brings the number of bars down. If you hold the phone with two fingers by the side the reception usually goes up, looks like its really sensitive. Hope they can fix this..

[dayloon]

UK here - terrible 3G problems. A friend of mine who is also on O2 is right next to me with full 3G reception while my iphone can't pick up anything better than edge. 2.0.2 made no difference

[yorkslad]

The only problem I seem to experience since latest update is my phone freezes and goes dark just after I have finished making a call. Thebphone appears to be dead but comes back after about 30 seconds :-(

[OS X Dude]

Lol only the Americans would sue - we Brits would just moan about it but take no action

[Macjames]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5A347 Safari/525.20)

I'm in the uk and I have no 3g reception problems outside I always have full bars but as soon as I walk into a building it drops to edge. That's my only complaint, no freezes or app crashes.

[mkwilson68]

In the UK, on O2. Reception on the iphone 3g is totally, utterly useless. Mine is almost permanently switched off - otherwise, i can rarely make calls and regularly have calls route directly to voicemail.

This is NOTHING to do with the networks - the device itself is faulty. I have 15 friends and colleagues with the 3g iphone here in the UK and every single one of them has the same connectivity issues. And we live in the three largest cities in the country. This 2% figure is complete rubbish - pure PR spin.

Where I'm sitting *right now* is in one of O2's highest performing 3g areas and I am 6 feet from the window. My iphone switched onto 3g shows 'no service' or occasionally 1 bar, and all calls go straight to voicemail. My pal on the next desk has a Nokia N95, on O2, and he has a full signal, can make and receive calls normally, and does not drop calls ever.

Switching off 3g gives me a full signal. BUT I have also been getting *lots* of people complain about the call quality when I'm on the phone to them too. "Are you underwater?" is the question I was asked just a few minutes ago.

There really are some very, very serious flaws here and Apple needs to sort them out fast. To be in 2008 with a phone that performs this badly is just embarrassing. I have not had a phone perform this badly with normal calls for about 10 years.

Oh, and for all those saying 'take it back'... it's really not that simple. I transferred my number from Vodafone to O2 so taking the phone back means a massive upheaval. Apple knows this, which I'm sure is why it's taking its sweet time sorting it out. If this was a Mac, I'd have taken it back straight away, but phones are a different problem. I could get a different device of course, but this one actually syncs with my mac properly, so it's not really a case of swapping for something with equivalent functionality either.

Grrrr.

[achtung!]

you should never buy the first rev of any apple product! never! that's the real problem! but people don't learn!

[jamespa66]

Originally Posted by OS X Dude

Lol only the Americans would sue - we Brits would just moan about it but take no action

Sounds more like how the French would act then you Brits. Or is that only when dealing in world politics? Sorry couldn't resist

Jim

[David2070]

I'm in the UK on O2 and since installing 2.0.2 I am having problems with 3G. Prior to 2.0.2, 3G worked perfectly for me.

With 3G turned on, I am frequently getting a "No Service" message in locations where I used to get a full signal. If I reboot the iPhone, I get a signal, but when I try to make or receive calls nothing happens. People calling me get a "Cannot connect..." message.

I've now turned 3G off and these problems have disappeared. I'll be waiting until the next firmware release before turning 3G back on again.

[FullGaz]

Originally Posted by achtung!

you should never buy the first rev of any apple product! never! that's the real problem! but people don't learn!

Apple products are still perceived as exclusive luxury products: expensive but high quality. As of late, Apple has mainly delivered on the first part, leaving the quality aspects of their products for subsequent revisions. That goes for the iPhone, for the MBP and for OS X. In fact, in these very forums, there are more than 300 threads complaining about serious quality control issues.

Apple are trying to expend their markets but it is to the detriment of their image. The new iPhone is cheaper therefore allowing more people to get exposure to even more Apple products. That's a good thing in theory, but not if users are being served second grade devices and buggy software.

[netdog]

UK here. Dismal 3G reception at home where other phones get a stronger signal. 2.0.2 provided no relief from this and the phone lags MORE now. Its lag wasn't bad with 2.0.1 (and terrible with 2.0).

[bmk]

Originally Posted by achtung!

you should never buy the first rev of any apple product! never! that's the real problem! but people don't learn!

If no one ever bought the first rev, there'd never be a second...