Steve Jobs on Lack of Custom Wallpapers in iOS 4 for iPhone 3G

[Inconsequential]

Without a doubt, BS. It's called planned marketing obsolescence.

Apple, EASILY, could release IOS 4 for the original iPhone with at least some of its features.


[tosses original $500 iPhone in the landfill with everyone else]

Look, the 3G only has 128Mb of ram, the wallpaper would take up some of that for what good reason? None. It would also take up the already stretched CPU cycles resulting in a **** animation, laggyness and lower battery life (in theory very small change).

The 3G is based on 3 year old (or actually older) hardware I can 100% see why apple did not bother with putting it in for the 3G.

Who cares if jailbroken phones can do it, I know for a damn fact they can't do it *well*. Doing it *well* is the critical word here.

If the 3G lags in animation [without a background] and has issues with memory timeouts and then the resultant crashes when multitasking when jailbroken again without a background then why the hell bother adding it?

If I was a 3G user i'd be more concerned about apple lowering the base memory usage not increasing it with useless wallpapers!

 

[uberamd]

Without a doubt, BS. It's called planned marketing obsolescence.

No... it isn't.

Apple, EASILY, could release IOS 4 for the original iPhone with at least some of its features.

It did. Folders for example. However there is only so much you can do software wise when the limitation is in the hardware. Unless you are talking about the 2G, but this thread is titled for 3G so I will assume thats what you are talking about. If you are saying 2G, then sorry but your device isn't any less without the new features.

Apple is starting to become a parody of comedy bits about itself.

Everyone has to have a new "MAPPLE" product, yet everyone hates how the company treats them afterwards. (Simpsons episode)

Seriously? Are you serious? What other company provides a constant stream of free software updates to a mobile device? Apple can't work miracles, they can't get certain parts of software to run on a device that CAN'T SUPPORT IT. Thats the same reason your original XBox can't play XBox 360 games, and why the PS2 can't play PS3 games. USE YOUR HEAD.

You would think Steve Jobs, after a liver transplant, would grow up and start treating his customers who spent over $500 on an original iPhone better, but nope.

Jobs is still the same spoiled brat who treats his customers like $HlT and disowns his own child.

How can you say this? Hm? Does Microsoft treat the customers who purchased the original XBox better still? Does Sony treat original PS2 buyers better still? Does World of Warcraft treat its 4 year straight @ $15/mo subscribers better? NO. Want new features? Buy a new XBox, buy a new PS3, buy the new WoW expansion, and keep PAYING. That's what companies do. You have gotten free updates to the OS for years now! What more do you want?! Why don't you actually try some programming and see if you can work miracles when hardware is the limitation...

Him and Warren Buffet are starting to look like a world leaders, yet Jobs hasn't changed one bit. That's a shame. Apple has more value now than Microsoft and Steve Jobs has a new liver and doesn't have a freaking care in the world. F the customers.

F the customers? By not providing wallpapers? How old are you? Honestly, I feel like I am reading something a uneducated 10 year old wrote.

Who cares? The lemmings will still buy more insanely great products and toss the old ones in the trash just to contribute to global pollution just because Steve Jobs tells them to, not because the device is outdated. Wonderful. Good way to save that billions of dollars in the bank Steve.

Thank you Apple.

[tosses original $500 iPhone in the landfill with everyone else]

Ugh, you are such a ignorant uneducated person I don't know how to even properly respond to you. I wish I could meet you in person and actually have a debate with you and see how long it takes before you just collapse due to a lack of knowledge on the topic at hand.

A few points for you, buddy:

• When you purchased the original iPhone, were you EVER promised Folders? Multiatasking? Wallpapers? Answer: NO! You were NEVER told you would get those things and you are NOT owed them
• Did you purchase your original iPhone with the thought that you would be able to use custom wallpapers? NO! Why? Because that was NEVER an option back when you decided to purchase your device.
• Does your iPhone perform the EXACT SAME TASKS it did back when you purchased it originally? YES!
• Has ANY functionality been REMOVED from the device that was there in the past? NO. You have the SAME phone you have always had

Conclusion: You purchased your iPhone because it was able to perform certain tasks. Through free software updates that Apple released (none of which you were owed or were entitled to) your phone started doing MORE than it could when you originally purchased it. Your phone was made BETTER through free software updates, that once again you were never owed in the first place. GROW UP.

 

[Fast Shadow]

My 3G already stutters pretty badly during icon animations, which makes me think Steve Jobs is probably being honest.

 

[Pared]

I've done just that and no, it's not "much much slower" at all. It works just fine. How much is Apple paying you to help them upsell 3G owners?

There's a very noticeable delay when trying to open a folder right after using a RAM heavy app, like slingplayer.

Good grief, common sense went out the window with your post, eh? I don't need to "upsell" anything. I couldn't care less what others do.

 

[tmofee]

My god, it really is the end of the world on here hey??

AppleCare shows us were really supposed to have these phones for two years. Anything over that is a blessing in disguise. I think were really lucky to get these sorts of updates for the older models so much this far.

 

[kdarling]

Conclusion: You purchased your iPhone because it was able to perform certain tasks. Through free software updates that Apple released (none of which you were owed or were entitled to) your phone started doing MORE than it could when you originally purchased it.

Your phone was made BETTER through free software updates, that once again you were never owed in the first place. GROW UP.

On the contrary, one of the biggest marketing points of the iPhone is/was software updates to add functionality.

Apple themselves have pointed out that they use monthly royalties (at first, and now a percentage of the selling price) to subsidize such software updates and additions.

If you recall, Apple even lobbied for a SOX exemption in order to allow accounting for income for this purpose differently, and thus not have to charge iPod touch and iPad owners who don't pay a monthly fee.

So it's wrong to attack people who expect something in return for the hundreds of millions of dollars that Apple claims to set aside for updates. A better argument you might make, could be that Apple has already expended that set aside money for the older devices.

 

[Skoal]

While I was upgrading to iOS4 i knocked the cable out of my iPhone 3G. I swear I saw standard homescreen with only the Apple Apps, and the raindrops background for a split second.

When the restore finalized I got the same BS black as everybody.

Yes you did! So did I!

 

[Hal Itosis]

That my friend, is Tetra from the Zelda video game series. Not sure I can value your opinion.

And I'm holding off the iOS4 upgrade on my 3G, just seems like too much of a risk (it's already running slow enough).

Well there goes any value your opinion might have had as well, as you've obviously no idea of one of the greatest video game franchises in the industry

Even if i did know that (which i'm proud to say i didn't), it's still fugly.

[sorry but, any "game" produced after marathon was just mental masturbation.]

 

[pisces03x]

exactly, people are ungrateful and its hilarious. before apple came into the phone game how many of your handsets would get updates? NONE, Apple changed the game with the iPhone but also changed it by adding multiple features that were not expected especially the first time around that made a product I bought as is even better. You bought your 3G as is, you get a free update with many new features and yet you complain? yes on a jailbroken phone backgrounding works, and wallpapers etc but the phone is sluggish, shuts down sometimes and mine would get hot for no reason. Apple is proud of there products and if performance is impacted negatively in any way Steve will pull it, its why Apple has become such a dominant force in todays technology market. And to be honest why are 3G owners really complaining? Im sure you can upgrade to iPhone 4 for $200 so go get one and stop complaining. For anyone who will respond they dont have the money or shouldnt have to spend it your right, stick with your phone that atleast got new features and stop complaining.

What about the users who bought the iPhone 3G when it was sold alongside the 3GS, just days before the iOS 4 announcement? Hell, or users who bought it after the announcement, because Apple was still selling it for a while until full stock depleted. I agree that - yes, you are getting new features. But if you sell a phone, you should at least support it with all upgrades the day after the customer buys it. It's a segregated system, and I'm sure there will be a ton of updates in iOS 5 that the 3GS won't be capable of using. Upgrades that use both cameras? Or not even, maybe updates that "require an A4" or something. And all the people that buy the 3GS - which Apple will still be selling next February - will be screwed.

 

[ktappe]

What about the users who bought the iPhone 3G when it was sold alongside the 3GS, just days before the iOS 4 announcement? - will be screwed.

Such buyers got a discount phone for $97-$99 and could VERY EASILY have found out it was a 2-year old model with a simple Google or other research. C'mon, what ever happened to caveat emptor? And besides, the 3G can run iOS4. They aren't "screwed" at all!

 

[node808]

4.0 Slowed my 3G to a crawl

When I go into Settings, it takes about 10 seconds to open it. Sometimes it just sits there and goes back to the home screen. Reboots do nothing. Everything on my iPhone is now slower. I dont think this is an accident, but yet another ploy to get people to upgrade. Anyway, the wallpaper works fine on jailbroken 3g phones...its not the wallpaper but the OS that slows everything down.

 

[ipooped]

is this a joke? literally the two simplest things you could ask an electronic device to do?.....it has to have something written in to tell it to have a black background right? so they cant write a software to change it or the icons that wouldnt take up too much ram? absolute bull!!! lazy a$$ apple

 

[kingtj]

Umm... no, no joke at all!

First of all, no, it DOESN'T need something "written in to tell it to have a black background". That would be the default behavior of the display if software doesn't instruct it to light up certain pixels.

It's much more efficient to only have the operating system manage / push around the pixels it needs to keep track of, vs. doing DOUBLE the work; having to replace every shifted pixel with the proper replacement one that goes to a background screen you assigned.

is this a joke? literally the two simplest things you could ask an electronic device to do?.....it has to have something written in to tell it to have a black background right? so they cant write a software to change it or the icons that wouldnt take up too much ram? absolute bull!!! lazy a$$ apple

 

[pdjudd]

On the contrary, one of the biggest marketing points of the iPhone is/was software updates to add functionality.

Except updates were not promised forever. The original iPhone has received several updates. Apple has met their obligations but at some point they have to draw a line in the sand. That’s just how a business operates. You cannot support everything forever.

 

[pisces03x]

Such buyers got a discount phone for $97-$99 and could VERY EASILY have found out it was a 2-year old model with a simple Google or other research. C'mon, what ever happened to caveat emptor? And besides, the 3G can run iOS4. They aren't "screwed" at all!

Do you trust every single iPhone buyer to know exactly what they're buying? Sure, you can say that a lot of them who are Apple-followers and follow technological trends would know, but of the individuals who go to the store going "hey, my Blackberry just died, and I need a new smartphone," and see two iPhones: one for $99 and one for $100 more, some would go for the cheaper handset and find out afterwards that it can't support a lot of the new features that the other handset has. And there would be no chance of returning it.

 

[WeegieMac]

Without a doubt, BS. It's called planned marketing obsolescence.

Apple, EASILY, could release IOS 4 for the original iPhone with at least some of its features.

Apple is starting to become a parody of comedy bits about itself.

Everyone has to have a new "MAPPLE" product, yet everyone hates how the company treats them afterwards. (Simpsons episode)

You would think Steve Jobs, after a liver transplant, would grow up and start treating his customers who spent over $500 on an original iPhone better, but nope.

Jobs is still the same spoiled brat who treats his customers like $HlT and disowns his own child.

Some things never change. I used to hate Bill Gates with a passion, but you know what?

Him and Warren Buffet are starting to look like a world leaders, yet Jobs hasn't changed one bit. That's a shame. Apple has more value now than Microsoft and Steve Jobs has a new liver and doesn't have a freaking care in the world. F the customers.

Who cares? The lemmings will still buy more insanely great products and toss the old ones in the trash just to contribute to global pollution just because Steve Jobs tells them to, not because the device is outdated. Wonderful. Good way to save that billions of dollars in the bank Steve.

Thank you Apple.

[tosses original $500 iPhone in the landfill with everyone else]

Finished?

The original iPhone and the iPhone 3G CANNOT handle wallpapers without system performance being reduced. I jailbroke the iOS4 GM and enabled both wallpapers and multi-tasking, and the respring on the apps when returning to the home screen juddered like hell.

I had to manually remove the gradient shadows behind the icons by removing the image files for the shadows, and even then it became borderline usable. The judder was less, but it certainly never "flew" onscreen like app icons do when respringing on the 3GS and iPhone 4.

The gradient drop shadows behind the app icons and text are what slows the 3G down. All those shadows need to be rendered in the memory, for each app and bit of text.

You can whine and moan all you want, but your being replied to by someone with EXPERIENCE of the features running on the 3G, and trust me ... it CANNOT handle wallpapers because of the drop shadows/gradients. You're talking about asking a system with a paltry 128mb of RAM to run fourth generation features? Get real my friend, you were lucky you had two major updates to the first iPhone as it is.

You mentioned the $500 for your iPhone, and while it cost that back then it's not it's value now. I honestly cannot believe an original iPhone is going off on a jealousy rant ... go and buy or upgrade to a 3GS for $99 if you want the full features of iOS4. It's not much to ask considering you're using a now 3 year old device.

 

[WeegieMac]

I dont think this is an accident, but yet another ploy to get people to upgrade. Anyway, the wallpaper works fine on jailbroken 3g phones...its not the wallpaper but the OS that slows everything down.

Wrong. Wrong. And wrong again ... on so many levels.

Look people, if you can't justify, afford, or aren't allowed to upgrade your iPhone to a new model, don't bitch at Apple.

Technology moves on, either you keep up or you don't.

The 3G is a two year old device, it's been discontinued, it's got a measly 128mb of RAM and people expect it to render drop shadows in the background for every app and piece of text on the home screen?

People who rant and rave think they're experts, but some of the stuff you hear from them is woefully inaccurate.

Wallpapers do not "run fine" on a jailbroken iPhone 3G. The animation/respring when pressing the home button is juddery and requires the removal of the drop shadow graphics from the Springboard.app folder.

Even then it's nothing like it is on the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4.

This place is getting worse, the people who bitch demand to be listened to yet disprove and disbelieve every counter comment regardless of experience or background.

What's the point?

 

[WeegieMac]

My 3G already stutters pretty badly during icon animations, which makes me think Steve Jobs is probably being honest.

Exactly. Hell, my old 3G could have stuttering respring animations when running on a clean 3.1.3 install. It's old hardware, as time passes it will struggle to keep up, it's natural.

 

[Arisian]

Wrong. Wrong. And wrong again ... on so many levels.

Look people, if you can't justify, afford, or aren't allowed to upgrade your iPhone to a new model, don't bitch at Apple.

Technology moves on, either you keep up or you don't.

The 3G is a two year old device, it's been discontinued, it's got a measly 128mb of RAM and people expect it to render drop shadows in the background for every app and piece of text on the home screen?

People who rant and rave think they're experts, but some of the stuff is hear is woefully inaccurate.

Wallpapers do not "run fine" on a jailbroken iPhone 3G. The animation/respring when pressing the home button is juddery and requires the removal of the drop shadow graphics from the Springboard.app folder.

Even then it's nothing like it is on the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4.

This place is getting worse, the people who bitch demand to be listened to yet disprove and disbelieve every counter comment regardless of experience or background.

What's the point?

+1

 

[chris975d]

It's really amazing at how some people think that Apple can keep upgrading a product's software indefinitely. They've upgraded each of their handsets for at least two major OS upgrades, which is more than any other mobile manufacturer out there. Before Apple, it was damn near impossible to get any smartphone's OS upgraded beyond it's initial release version. And even if there was an OS update, it had to be approved by the carrier and they released it (think Windows Mobile here). There are still other handsets out there right now that get no official updates beyond their initial release. Is Google putting 2.1 or 2.2 (Froyo) on their FLAGSHIP phone from initial release, the T-Mobile G1?

The iPhone 3G is in kind of a unique position in that even though it was released 2 years ago, it's almost essentially the same phone as the original 3 year old iPhone (same processor, RAM, and graphics chip). So hardware-wise, it's 3 years old (3 product and OS cycles old in this example). The graphics chip and processor can't handle the drop shadows and animations in iOS 4 to a level that satisfies Apple, so they didn't include that feature. If they had, people would then be bitching about how slow and jerky the OS ran! This is just something that happens with technology...newer software/OS eventually need faster hardware. Just how Snow Leopard doesn't run on Power PC architecture. Just how even Windows OS's typically need more robust hardware each release. Can you run the Windows "Aero" feature on older hardware designed with Windows XP (3 OS cycles ago) in mind? Probably not very smoothly. It's just that in Apple's case, they take away the option to even have that miserable experience (OS slowing down trying to enable features designed for newer hardware), where as Microsoft will allow you to enable Aero on any computer that Vista or Win 7 will install on. But what's the point in having that option to enable it, if it's going to drag down the performance of the entire system?

 

[AidenShaw]

Can you run the Windows "Aero" feature on older hardware designed with Windows XP (3 OS cycles ago) in mind? Probably not very smoothly.

Not really a good example - being able to run Aero depends on the graphics hardware of the system. An minimal XP system with a good graphics card will run Aero just fine - but a maxed out CPU/RAM system with a minimal graphics card won't.

Microsoft will allow you to enable Aero on any computer that Vista or Win 7 will install on.

Not true at all. Aero's requirements are independent of Win7.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919183

You need a DX9 Pixel Shader 2 32-bit color card. Win7 only requires a 1 GHz CPU, 1 GiB of RAM, and any DX9 card.

 

[chris975d]

Not really a good example - being able to run Aero depends on the graphics hardware of the system. An minimal XP system with a good graphics card will run Aero just fine - but a maxed out CPU/RAM system with a minimal graphics card won't.




Not true at all. Aero's requirements are independent of Win7.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919183

You need a DX9 Pixel Shader 2 32-bit color card. Win7 only requires a 1 GHz CPU, 1 GiB of RAM, and any DX9 card.

Still seems like a somewhat appropriate example, since it's been stated that the drop shadow effect on the icons is written for OpenGL ES 2.0, and the only iDevices that have a GPU that supports that are the PowerVR SGX containing ones, which are the 3rd gen Touches, iPhone 3GS, iPad, and iPhone 4. So wallpapers won't work without that as a minimum requirement on the graphics capabilities, just as the Aero feature is dependent on a minimum graphics card as you stated in correcting me above.

 

[Master Kamen]

Jobs was right in every possible way there. I tried the 3G with just the wallpaper turned on and the thing was ridiculously slow. Then I turned on the multitasking. It was horrible, everything that could possibly lagged, lagged like crazy, it would even. crash the phone sometimes and I had to force reset.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Jobs was right in every possible way there. I tried the 3G with just the wallpaper turned on and the thing was ridiculously slow. Then I turned on the multitasking. It was horrible, everything that could possibly lagged, lagged like crazy, it would even. crash the phone sometimes and I had to force reset.

You posted on an almost 10 year old thread....?

 

[Master Kamen]

Yup!