iPhone OS 3.0 Adoption Rate Soars

[MacRumors]

Tapbots, creator of the popular unit conversion iPhone app Convertbot, has published data showing the rate of adoption of iPhone OS 3.0 by its users. Notably, as of June 22nd, 75% of users running the latest version of Convertbot were using iPhone OS 3.0.




Demonstrating the effect of the $9.95 upgrade fee for the iPod touch on adoption rates, only just over 50% of iPod touch users were running iPhone OS 3.0, while nearly 80% of iPhone users were doing so.

While we caution readers about jumping to too many conclusions based on this sample of a single version of a single app without differentiating between new and upgrading users of the application, the data provides an interesting glimpse at upgrade patterns during the period leading up to and in the few days after the public launch of iPhone OS 3.0.

Article Link: iPhone OS 3.0 Adoption Rate Soars

[pubwvj]

I'm still waiting. Too many bugs.

[Tygernoot]

AppleInsider reports are quite different: almost half the iPhone users and hardly any iPod Touch users.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._software.html

[macduke]

Originally Posted by pubwvj

I'm still waiting. Too many bugs.

What bugs? My 3g and 3gs are fine, and I'm a HEAVY user who likes to play with every aspect of the device and push it to its limits. Internet tethering an episode of The Office on Hulu to my MBP while recording a movie then compressing and uploading the video to YouTube on my 3gs? Check. There might be an odd thing that happens here or there (like with the compass), but there is nothing major at all, especially when you compare this release to 2.0, which ended up killing my iPhone's soul with its lag, app crashes, apps disappearing, music disappearing, then Apple logo screen of death (ALSOD) that caused me to replace two units until I figured out what DFU restores were all about. Trust me, I know problems, and at least for me, a heavy user with several hundred apps, I've had nothing happen.

[joro]

I think this study is kind of self-fulfilling in the sense that most people will upgrade to new software when it’s available, especially for things such as the iPhone. I do think it’s interesting to note however the adoption rates among iPod Touch users (around 50%) which is obviously hindered by the fact that people have to pay for the updates.

[coffeemaciphone]

Shouldn't the iPhone 3GS (or 3G S) have some effect on this data?

It appears that it's just the same number of devices for each version of software.

[nagromme]

Originally Posted by Tygernoot

AppleInsider reports are quite different: almost half the iPhone users and hardly any iPod Touch users.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._software.html

That's what I was wondering. Now, one developer's user base is not the same as AdMob's survey, but 50% vs. 1% is a huge difference. I'd question both data sources more.

And I know a week isn't that long, but still, 1% adoption in a week, after copy-and-paste has been so much demanded, sounds implausible on the surface. (Especially with people spending tons of money anyway--on the device, on music, on rentals, on games... $9.95 isn't going to frighten EVERY user.)

But I'd be curious to know what the real numbers are.

[Axxl]

One minor thing is, I think a lot more people get an iPod touch who don't really know much about technology and such. Or they get them as part of the educational summer sale and don't really use them, so don't care about updating. Most iPhone users know what they're getting and eagerly await new updates, but I don't think it's as much of a deal for iPod touch users.
Alex
Edit: And, 3.0 is fine, what bugs are you talking about??

[optophobia]

Originally Posted by pubwvj

I'm still waiting. Too many bugs.

Please explain the bugs.....

[ugadawg94]

Originally Posted by optophobia

Please explain the bugs.....

First one I have run into with 3.0 on both 3G and 3GS, is it kills wifi. Since installing I have lost nearly all wifi usage on 3 iPhones(2 3G and 1 3GS). Lots of talk about this on the apple forums. That's just one for starters.

[joro]

Originally Posted by ugadawg94

First one I have run into with 3.0 on both 3G and 3GS, is it kills wifi. Since installing I have lost nearly all wifi usage on 3 iPhones(2 3G and 1 3GS). Lots of talk about this on the apple forums. That's just one for starters.

That’s odd my wifi has actually gotten better with 3.0. I had problems with the 3G and 2.0 OS always turning wifi off all together and I had to go back in and manually turn it back on if I got somewhere that had wifi. That problem has gone away with the 3.0 and the 3GS for me.

[Spades]

Originally Posted by Axxl

One minor thing is, I think a lot more people get an iPod touch who don't really know much about technology and such. Or they get them as part of the educational summer sale and don't really use them, so don't care about updating. Most iPhone users know what they're getting and eagerly await new updates, but I don't think it's as much of a deal for iPod touch users.
Alex
Edit: And, 3.0 is fine, what bugs are you talking about??

Wow, that's a pretty big assumption. I would guess the opposite, myself, but wouldn't assume either way.

I think a more likely explanation is that there is no compelling reason to upgrade a Touch to 3.0, especially a first gen.

[Manic Mouse]

One of the guys at my church also has an iPhone and didn't even know what firmware was when I asked if he had the new one. I guess there are quite a few users like that who may never upgrade because they have no idea!

EDIT: And to add to the bug discussion, my iPhone is running better than ever under 3.0 with way more features to boot.

[GimmeSlack12]

Originally Posted by pubwvj

I'm still waiting. Too many bugs.

Yeah, what bugs?

[organerito]

I don't even want to remember firmware 2.0. My ipod Touch under 2.0 was the most frustrating hanheld I have had. I ha to restore many times because my music dissapear. 3.0 is a lot more stable for me.

[JustinEvil]

I've met people within the last 6 months who haven't updated their phones since they bought them in summer 07. I wanted to hurt them.

[CrimsonTider]

My Wifi is messed up now also. I can't get any help with it. I tried the tricks used in the past and none worked.

Very disappointed that I can't even get Wi Fi with it sitting right next to me.

[djellison]

Originally Posted by JustinEvil

I wanted to hurt them.

Why? It's a phone. It plays music. It goes online. That's all they actually care about. Hurt Apple if anyone - for not making it blindingly, massively obvious how, when and why to do these updates.

FWIW - this 3.0 adoption is, I hope, people going "About damn time" rather than a fanboytastic "OMFG NEW FEATURES"

[supmango]

Doesn't iTunes always ask you to update your device everytime you connect once it know's there's an update? I don't know of a way to hide this. Many people will do an update just to get their computer to stop nagging them (I think Microsoft first adopted this approach).

Also, OS 3.0 runs better than ever on my 1 gen iPhone. I can only imagine it runs even better on the newer hardware. I have yet to experience any bugs and I use the thing a lot (battery is dead by 3pm every day, I know I need a new battery).

[dangleheart]

Originally Posted by JustinEvil

I've met people within the last 6 months who haven't updated their phones since they bought them in summer 07. I wanted to hurt them.

Hope you are only joking.. If not, this is the kind of attitude that gives techies a bad name..

[Queso]

Originally Posted by djellison

FWIW - this 3.0 adoption is, I hope, people going "About damn time" rather than a fanboytastic "OMFG NEW FEATURES"

3.0 was the release that finally convinced me an iPhone was worth having. There were too many little things missing from previous releases that added up to uncertainty on whether I'd get on with it.

[twoodcc]

i expect the ipod touch users to stay at 2.2 for a little while. compared to the free iphone upgrade

[SpaceKitty]

Originally Posted by pubwvj

I'm still waiting. Too many bugs.

We havne't come across a single bug on either of our iPhones. Everything works perfectly including battery life.

[whooleytoo]

For those who haven't seen any 3.0 bugs/issues, I've run into a couple. Some may simply be app bugs which haven't been upgraded, but it's still a valid concern

Snake Galaxy either crashes on launch, or the keyboard it 'sticky' (keys stay pressed when you tap them). And performance overall is noticeably worse. Even FlightControl stutters more now than it used to pre-upgrade (and even restarting doesn't improve it), and that's hardly the most CPU/graphically testing app.

[NGMstudios]

1. The apps I have downloaded since 3.0 do not have the right pictures to represent them. My son got a game he wanted to play and it seems to be borrowing another games picture to represent it. Erased and tried again- nothing.
2. I got tip calculator- blank picture. Erased and reloaded- nothing.
3. Phone does not reset as it used to. "Slide to turn off" icon does not show up; instead screen goes blank and turns off.
4. Battery life seems to be less. This could just be me. The Maps app is by far the biggest hog of battery life.
5. Why should I have to get a new $@&#ing phone to extend the battery life? That's a rip off.
6. I won't go into the other small issues I've seen (slower processing speeds, etc etc etc etc etc etc).
7. I adore the phone but these 3.0 issues need to be fixed.
8. Oh, how could I forget? The wireless Internet works sometimes. I can't think of how many times I have seen safari can't open page or app store. I have a wireless signal when trying to use wireless but sometimes have to switch to 3G to get response.

I know there are more people having problems. Please speak up. I could not wait for 3.0 to come out but at this point, I'll take the earlier OS. No, I'm not restoring my earlier settings to do that. That would be pathetic to have to do to get the stability back.