Interesting comment(s)... I don't want to get personal but as you have NO knowledge of my background I don't see how you can make this statement. I do take into account your first paragraph but I'd like to point out that my original post was supposed to refer to the state of the current beta and it's future (not specifically how new app's are dev' - I should have made this clear), my question has now been answered with grace by other posters.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
3.0 Beta - why only developer access?
- Thread starter rammy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Interesting comment(s)... I don't want to get personal but as you have NO knowledge of my background I don't see how you can make this statement. I do take into account your first paragraph but I'd like to point out that my original post was supposed to refer to the state of the current beta and it's future (not specifically how new app's are dev' - I should have made this clear), my question has now been answered with grace by other posters.
Because it's a Beta. It's buggy, things don't work. Apple doesn't want to release a beta to the public as too many people would download it, freak out about errors, Apple employees would be flooded with idiots complaining about broken iPhones, people would give inaccurate bug reports, all hell would break loose. If you want the beta, become a developer. If the 100$ is too much, then you obviously don't have a strong urge to develop, and thus would most likely have issues with beta software.
Am I mad? Hardly.
Am I amused by all the people that don't know what they're doing or getting into trying to install 3.0 and then screwing up their iPhones? Yes.
Am I amused by the "developers" that are selling 3.0 beta access and will eventually be subject to legal action by Apple? Highly!
I think it should be a public beta. If it's not presented as an option in iTunes and not plastered everywhere, the average consumer wouldn't even know. If they provided an easy way to downgrade, which I'm sure wouldn't be that hard for them it wouldn't be a problem. For anyone aware of the beta-ness of the software who still wants to try it out, I think they should be able to. The more people that test it the faster they can uncover all the bugs and get it ready for launch.
Because only developers can give relevant feedback.
Consumers are idiots. Apple shouldn't have to wade through thousands of useless comments about the software to find reports from real developers.
Not necessarily true. There's a law of diminishing returns on this. Throwing more bodies at a problem doesn't always mean a faster solution.
While I would like it to be released the public, I can understand restricting it.
A comparison I can think of is browsers: both Safari and Firefox release betas of their software to the public far before release - Firefox even releases alphas.
But its a different market, a browser is only one program, whereas the iPhone firmware is the entire OS, which given its bugs should only be used on testing devices.
A comparison I can think of is browsers: both Safari and Firefox release betas of their software to the public far before release - Firefox even releases alphas.
But its a different market, a browser is only one program, whereas the iPhone firmware is the entire OS, which given its bugs should only be used on testing devices.
Why it is a bad idea
The beta has a great start to it... but it has a LONG way to go. I feel that Apple may be looking for more feedback as they have learned their mistake by unleashing 2.0 upon the world before it was ready for prime time. It has narrowed it down to the users (developers) that understand what beta is/means.
I could not imagine (after the iPhone user base has drastically expanded to the millions of owners out there today) what would happen if a software just like 2.0 was released to them. The sheer panic of first-day buyers that totally killed the AT&T activation servers that ended up having to activate at home. Millions of crashing apps and restores required on existing handsets. so may people convinced that it must be something wrong with their iPhone and it couldn't possibly be an issue with the software at all and they need Apple to replace it. The outrage when people loose the functionality of their iPhone 3rd party apps and have no Apple supported method of getting 2.2.1 back onto their precious iPhone.
Sure, there are people out their that would love to get their hands on it early but don't want to be a developer (all my friends are jealous) but then when the long-term use gets them frustrated, and they wanna go back a firmware rev., they're trapped.
I believe Apple made a smart move: "If you want 3.0 beta so bad, it's gonna cost you. BTW, don't forget to read the fine print!"
The beta has a great start to it... but it has a LONG way to go. I feel that Apple may be looking for more feedback as they have learned their mistake by unleashing 2.0 upon the world before it was ready for prime time. It has narrowed it down to the users (developers) that understand what beta is/means.
I could not imagine (after the iPhone user base has drastically expanded to the millions of owners out there today) what would happen if a software just like 2.0 was released to them. The sheer panic of first-day buyers that totally killed the AT&T activation servers that ended up having to activate at home. Millions of crashing apps and restores required on existing handsets. so may people convinced that it must be something wrong with their iPhone and it couldn't possibly be an issue with the software at all and they need Apple to replace it. The outrage when people loose the functionality of their iPhone 3rd party apps and have no Apple supported method of getting 2.2.1 back onto their precious iPhone.
Sure, there are people out their that would love to get their hands on it early but don't want to be a developer (all my friends are jealous) but then when the long-term use gets them frustrated, and they wanna go back a firmware rev., they're trapped.
I believe Apple made a smart move: "If you want 3.0 beta so bad, it's gonna cost you. BTW, don't forget to read the fine print!"
why? the reason is simple. it's mostly for test in order to develop. beta is not fully working. I actually test beta software. it is very slow. some apps stop working, and frozen. Youtube is not working. plus, every time when you connect with itunes, it shows message that your phone or touch can't be activated because it is beta. so what you can do is that you need to turn internet connection off for sync everything. in addition, if you test it with touch, it will be fine. but with iphone, you won't make a call no matter what. it has still lots of bugs. so practically it is not good. if some of you jailbreak, then install beta. you can't downgrade to 2.2.1. remember, it is all your risk.
This has nothing to do with some "ideal" test plan.
This has to do with releasing beta code to developers who have paid to identify themselves to Apple, agreed to an NDA (which devs care about more than users because Apple can cut off their gravy train), and very likely have seen and are capable of actually reading previous beta warnings from Apple.
This has to do letting developers write new apps that will test as many of the new OS features as possible (most users don't write apps). This greatly increases the number of apps that will likely be ready when the OS is finished and released to the public (e.g. more $$$ for both Apple and the devs).
This has to do with developers who are far more worried about problems they find running their own apps, old and new, and won't waste Apple's time reporting the fact that Apples own apps are unfinished beta's. Apple likely already knows way more about bugs (and slow test code) in their own apps than any user will find. They don't need a zillion reports on this from noobs.
st
void warranty
Previous betas only went to devs who had been in the program for some number of months previous to the beta.
I would not be surprised if Apple went back to a far more limited beta due to the flood of users, many who seemingly can't read, often temporarily bricking or being forced to jailbreak their iPhones after playing with the beta.
Or they could raise developers fees.
Note that running the beta voids the iPhone's warranty. If you ran the beta, Apple has your UDID on record, plus iTunes phoned home during activation.
Previous betas only went to devs who had been in the program for some number of months previous to the beta.
I would not be surprised if Apple went back to a far more limited beta due to the flood of users, many who seemingly can't read, often temporarily bricking or being forced to jailbreak their iPhones after playing with the beta.
Or they could raise developers fees.
Note that running the beta voids the iPhone's warranty. If you ran the beta, Apple has your UDID on record, plus iTunes phoned home during activation.
Really? I just checked my warranty information online with Apple at: https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do
1. Enter your serial number and country
Serial number and country entered.
2. Warranty information about your iPhone
Our records indicate that your product is covered for service and telephone support under the AppleCare Protection Plan which is estimated to expire on July 10, 2010.
You are right. Just read the part about beta's. Oh well. But I am sure Apple would do the right thing if it weren't related to misuse or jailbreaking. I still would have installed Beta.
Limitations. The Plan does not cover:
(i) Issues that could be resolved by upgrading software to the then current version;
(ii) Your use of or modification to the Covered Equipment, the iPhone OS or iPhone Software in
a manner for which the Covered Equipment or software is not intended to be used or modified;
(iii) Third-party products or their effects on or interactions with the Covered Equipment, the
iPhone OS or iPhone Software;
(iv) Your use of a computer or operating system that is unrelated to iPhone Software or
connectivity issues with the Covered Equipment;
(v) Apple software other than the iPhone OS or iPhone Software, as covered under the Plan;
(vi) iPhone OS software or any Apple-branded software designated as beta, prerelease, or
preview or similarly labeled software; and
(vii) Damage to, or loss of any software or data residing or recorded in the Covered Equipment.
Probably didn't "void" the warranty, ie. permanently disqualify you from all future support. In all likelihood, after the final release is finished, and you update to it, you'll regain all your remaining warranty rights.
Heck, with Firefox at least, you don't even need to wait for the alphas. The complete bleeding-edge source tree, often updated several times per day, is always available for public consumption. Granted, it would be unwise for most non-developers to try to use it.Roessnakhan said:
Hate to break it to ya, but there is no such thing as "regaining" voided warranty rights. LOL
I would interpret that as any damages caused by running the Beta on your phone will not be covered. Kind of in the same category as if you dropped your phone into a puddle of water.
Now that's impressive, I've managed to post the same post twice!!??! Apologies
Could someone close the other thread?
If the user can't even figure out how to post a thread,
or follow rules on not making duplicate threads,
or actually read the FAQ on how to remove duplicate threads,
how is the user going to provide useful feedback?
Apple has never provided any downgrade for baseband.
That's exactly why I explicitly said:
Nowhere did the agreement actually state that the use of beta software would, in itself, terminate, nullify, or void the contract.
It simply said that the warranty did not cover damage caused while the beta software is in use.
If the use of the beta software did not, in itself, void the contract, and no damage was incurred during the time the beta software was installed, then it would still be in force after the beta software was replaced with the final release.
This is the interpretation I have, however, you did a better job stating it than I did a couple posts up.
I wouldn't say "consumers are idiots". I would say consumers have not been trained and have no practice in giving _useful_ feedback to a developer. Most of them are experts in whatever they are experts in, or at least reasonably good; most of them are _not_ experts in software testing.
I read your posts, and I am posting based on what I read. You don't know the difference between a beta version of an application and a beta version of an operating system. Since _I_ know the difference, I also know that giving you a beta version of the iPhone 3.0 OS would not benefit Apple in any way.