Forced Upgrade? iPhone 0G is acting weird after 3+ years. :(

[iPhone0G]

I've been proud to own the original iPhone since it came out ~3+ years ago. Recently around (iOS 3.2) it's started acting strangely.

1. It doesn't recognize I have wifi in my settings. (It's grayed out, can't even turn it on/off)
2. The clock is off by hours or minutes every time I use the phone.
3. The phone rings or doesn't ring when it feels like it.
4. The reception has started to get worse in known good reception locations.
5. The battery life is just unreasonable now, less than an hour of continual use on a "full charge"
6. The battery indicator seems unreliable, showing half charge when it's closer to 20% danger zone.
7. Powers Down/Shuts Off in the middle of use, without low battery warning.

It's a shame people can't continue using a piece of technology if they feel like it. Cynically, it feels like Apple is purposely building in this software-based planned obsolescence.

Any thoughts from other 0G users? (Besides upgrade a perfectly good piece of tech that just seems to be acting up)

 

[RaceTripper]

Try doing "Reset Network Settings" in the Settings app.

 

[PsstGreek]

I've been proud to own the original iPhone since it came out ~3+ years ago. Recently around (iOS 3.2) it's started acting strangely.

1. It doesn't recognize I have wifi in my settings. (It's grayed out, can't even turn it on/off)
2. The clock is off by hours or minutes every time I use the phone.
3. The phone rings or doesn't ring when it feels like it.
4. The reception has started to get worse in known good reception locations.

It's a shame people can't continue using a piece of technology if they feel like it. Cynically, it feels like Apple is purposely building in this software-based planned obsolescence.

Any thoughts from other 0G users? (Besides upgrade a perfectly good piece of tech that just seems to be acting up)

The iPhone 2G was the best iPhone ever owned. It just felt so right using it. I wish I still has mine (owned it for 2 years). But it's your time to move on, lol

 

[iPhone0G]

WiFi not grayed out anymore!

Try doing "Reset Network Settings" in the Settings app.

Your advice worked! Now the option to turn on the Wifi is not grayed out anymore. Thank you!

Now it's just hanging with a spinning dial looking for a network when I'm writing this on my desktop connected to a wireless base station. Strange.

 

[QuarterSwede]

The iPhone 2G was the best iPhone ever owned. It just felt so right using it. I wish I still has mine (owned it for 2 years). But it's your time to move on, lol

I disagree. It was solid for sure but the iP4 feels the same way and has all the benefits of more advanced technology.

 

[PsstGreek]

I disagree. It was solid for sure but the iP4 feels the same way and has all the benefits of more advanced technology.

Eh, we all have our opinions. But the 2G was "classic' Apple with the aluminum back.

 

[eawmp1]

It's a shame people can't continue using a piece of technology if they feel like it. Cynically, it feels like Apple is purposely building in this software-based planned obsolescence.

It's a shame people don't realize the rapid pace of technology advancement and recognize not all software can be backwards compatibile. I have the last version of the iMac before the switch from PPC to Intel. While I would love to run Snow Leopard on it, I recognize the technological limits. OTOH, if I boot into Tiger I can run my legacy OS 9 software. iOS was new technology with the iPhone. Now with expectations of more functionalityy/multitasking/speed, the original iPhone, developed to run the nascent iOS, will be increasingly less capable with each new software release. Some day Apple may release an iOS that doesn't even run on your iPhone (rather than not allowing certain features).

 

[iPhone0G]

Some day Apple may release an iOS that doesn't even run on your iPhone (rather than not allowing certain features).

Yes, I agree. I'm well aware of the PPC to Intel Architecture shift, and the subsequent operating systems that wouldn't even run on them. PPC is obsolete and deprecated technology.

However, it's not comparable to the iPhone; I wasn't aware there was anything official about iOS 3.2 causing the iPhone 0G to stop working as designed. That should absolutely be mentioned more explicitly; or at all.

As such, since it hasn't been mentioned, we shouldn't be treated like herded cattle, constantly buying new upgraded tech, if the hardware is still functional. That should be our decision, not Apple's forced hand.

Anyway, this thread isn't about what you're talking about. I just want my iPhone to function properly, any suggestions to fix some of the issues?

 

[QuarterSwede]

Some day Apple may release an iOS that doesn't even run on your iPhone (rather than not allowing certain features).

They already have. It's iOS 4+

 

[iPhone0G]

So anyone..... clock "fixed"

So anyone have these problems and were able to fix them?

Concerning the clock. My only solution was to revert my phone to the manual clock, and not have it automatically set the time. It's keeping the time better now.

The question remains however, that something as simple as clock functionality should not be affected by the longevity of the phone. Yes, we get amazing features with each new phone, but that doesn't mean I need them or want them on Apple's schedule.

It's pretty insidious to force people to upgrade by deprecating their phone with software mal-grades. People should be allowed to use the phone until the hardware breaks, not the other way around.

 

[SirithX]

As far as battery life, the lithium ion batteries even in the newest iPhones aren't advanced enough to last reliably after I think 2 years? So your battery problems are normal, to have any decent battery 3+ years later you would have had to baby it, constantly recharging in full cycles and the like to slow the decrease of battery life as much as possible. I think the current batteries last for 1000 charge cycles. Apple does have a battery replacement option so that's really your only bet, but I don't know if they still service the first gen iPhones.

 

[iPhone0G]

iPhones aren't advanced enough to last reliably after I think 2 years? So your battery problems are normal,... Apple does have a battery replacement option so that's really your only bet, but I don't know if they still service the first gen iPhones.

That's really interesting. Thanks for that information. I didn't realize lithium ion had a lifespan. I'll look into the battery replacement option.

The truth is, I may just break down and buy the new shiny happy iPhone 4 this weekend. I don't know if I have the fight in me to work out all the kinks I have with it.

 

[zerostar]

That's really interesting. Thanks for that information. I didn't realize lithium ion had a lifespan. I'll look into the battery replacement option.

The truth is, I may just break down and buy the new shiny happy iPhone 4 this weekend. I don't know if I have the fight in me to work out all the kinks I have with it.

If you have the financial ability and of course the upgrade credit (with a new 2yr agreement) I would jump at the iPhone 4 upgrade

I have had the 4 for some time, came from the 3G (skipped 3Gs) and it blew me away.... in the meantime my wife still had my original iPhone and she just got the iPhone 4 last weekend. WOW to her its a whole different ballgame! She loves it and especially the camera and SPEED of the device amaze her.

The original iPhone she had would miss calls a lot, it seemed like reception keep getting worse and worse (what you are seeing) but amazingly the battery still lasted her a good day and 1/2 which is very surprising since I got my first iPhone on release week. No other problems with it that I know of... So I guess many do last!! I saw a few people still using them as well recently.

Anyway, get the iPhone 4 (and a case/bumper) you'll be GLAD you did!

 

[RaceTripper]

If you have the financial ability and of course the upgrade credit (with a new 2yr agreement) I would jump at the iPhone 4 upgrade

I have had the 4 for some time, came from the 3G (skipped 3Gs) and it blew me away.... in the meantime my wife still had my original iPhone and she just got the iPhone 4 last weekend. WOW to her its a whole different ballgame! She loves it and especially the camera and SPEED of the device amaze her.

The original iPhone she had would miss calls a lot, it seemed like reception keep getting worse and worse (what you are seeing) but amazingly the battery still lasted her a good day and 1/2 which is very surprising since I got my first iPhone on release week. No other problems with it that I know of... So I guess many do last!! I saw a few people still using them as well recently.

Anyway, get the iPhone 4 (and a case/bumper) you'll be GLAD you did!

I'm taking an opposing approach. I'm eligible for an upgrade now. But with my contract ending in June and Verizon likely picking up the iPhone in January or so, I just can't see getting an iPhone 4 for any reason. I will wait until June for the iPhone 5 and hope that by then I have an idea of who's the lesser of the evils between ATT and Verizon.

 

[iPhone0G]

Mug me why don't you!?!

I'm taking an opposing approach. I'm eligible for an upgrade now. But with my contract ending in June and Verizon likely picking up the iPhone in January or so, I just can't see getting an iPhone 4 for any reason. I will wait until June for the iPhone 5 and hope that by then I have an idea of who's the lesser of the evils between ATT and Verizon.

I just went to the ATT store over the weekend and walked out without buying a shiny new iPhone 4. I felt like they were trying to mug me.

All I wanted was to upgrade my technology and keep my existing monthly plan intact. Instead, I found out that they aren't "doing" unlimited data plans anymore. But "just for me" since they like my face, and I signed up for the iPhone early enough, they have a special plan that "allows me" to continue having unlimited data. All I would have to do is pay twice as much as I am now for the same data plan I am currently using.

Crazy!

I am going to wait it out as long as I have to upgrade my iPhone0G; I'll take your advice and wait for it to come out with another service provider (sprint or verizon or tmobile or boost for all I care) and let competition for my dollar be respected in the marketplace the way it should be.