RANT: iPhone 4S: is it enough that it "just works"?

[miggitymac]

ok, then go get an SGSII, RAZR or Nexus and then come back... it's happened countless times.

Not sure where you're going with this, but it's pretty much a non-point.

I was trying to avoid any comparisons in my original post because that just opens up endless and pointless discussion. I was just tired of people saying the iPhone 4S is awesome compared to older gen phones. Pretty stupid comparison IMO.

So, if you must compare the 4S with other phones, why not the newer gen phones like the SGS2? If you watch this video you'll see that it fares fairly well, if not better than the 4S, in "real-world" comparison tests for things that the average user will want to use their phone for.

 

[Fry-man22]

On a related note - The OP in this thread lead me to the discovery I can only down-vote a post once.

It's a shame, he needed two or three at least...

 

[miggitymac]

Seriously? I would assume you're talking about the "hidden" System Services settings that people have come to find drains the battery when they're on? If so, please tell me which of these things you need on a daily basis and how they make your "smart" phone any less "smart" when they're off???

I have one thing under System Services turned on...Cell Network Search. Now, please explain how Compass Calibration being off is making you lose sleep? Because your phone doesn't know magnetic north from north??? WTF? Who cares? Unless you're planning on going on an expedition, why do you need that? When you're using Maps for directions, do you think it NEEDS to know magnetic north??? No. It's just gonna give you directions and you'll get there just the same.

Same goes for Diagnostics & Usage. It's not doing anything other than sending info back to Apple. Plenty of people will leave this on and they'll get the info they need. Turn it off! It won't make your phone any dumber.

Location-Based iAds...do you really care if you get ads in apps that are tailored to where you are? Good grief...if I could get no ads at all, I'd be all for that!

Setting Time Zone...I rarely travel outside my timezone, so this is a non-starter for me. This is the one I can see being useful to someone that travels a lot. If you don't? TURN IT OFF!

And Traffic. If I'm worried about getting good traffic in a maps app, I'm going to use another, better app than the stock Maps app. So...again...turn it off.

Jeez. Some people just can't live unless they're complaining. 🙄

No. Actually, that's not what I'm talking about at all. Go check out the thread titled "Batterygate???" to see what I'm talking about.

People are disabling push notifications, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth...basically trying to cut out every function that they don't need all the time to salvage some battery life. Of course, when they do need those functions, they'll need to turn those functions back on. Don't tell me that's convenient. And don't tell me that that kind of function-neutering is common among other smartphones.

----------

On a related note - The OP in this thread lead me to the discovery I can only down-vote a post once.

It's a shame, he needed two or three at least...

I'm sure I can help you find endless limitations in your abilities. Glad to have helped with at least one of them. 😉

 

[master-ceo]

Is that what the standard for a company like Apple should be - it "just works...if you disable some features and services"?

Preach brotha preach.

The only thing I don't like. "Just disable it" - in a talking with your nose voice

 

[Small White Car]

Hmmm.

One or two hundred threads vs. 4 million phones sold.

Yup, sounds like Apple should just shut down and give the money back to the stockholders.

 

[big samm]

I have no battery problem at all it's fine just like my iphone 4 used to be! I don't turn off any of the features the phone has to offer... I think people are using it more and the think that the battery is weak... Wait in 3 months and everything should get back to normal!

 

[juswest]

I wish, but no, it can't. A perfect, albeit dated, example is setting a timer on a VCR - different manufacturers tried hundreds of different ways of doing it, with all sorts of different interfaces and still never made it a simple, transparent task.

Virtually all consumer electronic devices require a level of understanding, technical expertise and familiarity with the task in order to make use of them. Navigating to a destination via a waypoint on a GPS can be a nightmare of options, selections and stumbling around a poorly designed interface and still not result in success. Even the humble TV has a multitude of interfaces, menus and settings that users have to become familiar with in order to use the set.

Apple is far from perfect, and their vision is based around the vision of one single individual, which is certainly not ideal, but their real skill is to take the essence of what consumers need to do and simplify it into a product the consumer doesn't need to have to learn or understand before they can make it work.

And lemme guess people just magically use Apple products without having to learn to use them. Thing is, if that were true this forum wouldn't exist nor would Apple's own support forum online. The "IT JUST WORKS" tag line is cute but inaccurate. No product just works. I had to learn to use my Macbook, just as I had to learn how to use my iPhone, just as I'm learning to use my Galaxy S2. I could say something cute like it just works but I won't. Users learn a system, and buy into the ones they feel comfortable with.

----------

Hmmm.

One or two hundred threads vs. 4 million phones sold.

Yup, sounds like Apple should just shut down and give the money back to the stockholders.

Versus the many that visit the Genius Bar each day that don't use forums. So don't make it seem like the guy is crazy. They have problems just like every other company, just they have a rabid crowd of people who always yell at those with complications and issues.

 

[miggitymac]

Hmmm.

One or two hundred threads vs. 4 million phones sold.

Yup, sounds like Apple should just shut down and give the money back to the stockholders.

Typical fanboy response and basically what I was trying to get across in my OP.

Steve Jobs' whole vision when he started Apple wasn't about selling the most or making the most money. It was about making products that weren't "*******" like Microsoft and Co. That's the vision that got Apple to where it is today.

However, it seems to me that Apple has started to stray from that vision and have decided to go into the money-making game even if it means having to push out "status quo" products. I just used the 4S and Lion as examples.

You think Microsoft fanboys weren't throwing out the "we sell more and make more money therefore we are better" defence against Apple fanboys back in the day? Puhleeze...

 

[Small White Car]

You think Microsoft fanboys weren't throwing out the "we sell more and make more money therefore we are better" defence against Apple fanboys back in the day? Puhleeze...

What does that have to do with what I said?

Who said that here?

The "IT JUST WORKS" tag line is cute but inaccurate.

No one claimed that "it just works" means you don't have to learn how to use things.

It refers to things like the fact that I can plug in 2 Macs with Firewire and have a network going without having to do anything else. Try doing that on Windows and let me know how many steps short you are from getting a working network going.

It's not Apple's fault that the general public has taken "it just works" and applied it to all sorts of ridiculous things that it was never intended to mean.

Versus the many that visit the Genius Bar each day that don't use forums. So don't make it seem like the guy is crazy. They have problems just like every other company, just they have a rabid crowd of people who always yell at those with complications and issues.

Look, get back to me when Apple stops coming in first place in these surveys:

http://allthingsd.com/20110920/apple-tops-acsi-customer-satisfaction-survey-again/

Until then, someone starting threads about that very issue while claiming that the company that's in first place is in trouble is just silly.

 

[juswest]

What does that have to do with what I said?

Who said that here?




No one claimed that "it just works" means you don't have to learn how to use things.

It refers to things like the fact that I can plug in 2 Macs with Firewire and have a network going without having to do anything else. Try doing that on Windows and let me know how many steps short you are from getting a working network going.

It's not Apple's fault that the general public has taken "it just works" and applied it to all sorts of ridiculous things that it was never intended to mean.

No one had to claim it, it's like campaign propaganda. It just works and user experience are like cult terms on these boards. The general public didn't turn either phrase into anything ridiculous. The general public are usually the ones at the genius bar or on here getting advice.

And I would hope the two Macs networked, they're from the same company. Whereas the PC's could be different.

What does that survey have to do with anything I've said?

 

[KentuckyHouse]

No. Actually, that's not what I'm talking about at all. Go check out the thread titled "Batterygate???" to see what I'm talking about.

People are disabling push notifications, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth...basically trying to cut out every function that they don't need all the time to salvage some battery life. Of course, when they do need those functions, they'll need to turn those functions back on. Don't tell me that's convenient. And don't tell me that that kind of function-neutering is common among other smartphones.

Another list, eh? Ok, I'll play...

Push Notifications: I've got them disabled too, but I use BoxCar to handle my notifications. No Push constantly draining your phone and instantaneous delivery of every notification and email in the Notifications Center.

3G: You can disable this? Hmm...can you share with the class how you've managed to figure that one out, since it's been a big deal for the last few days around here that you can't?

Wifi: Well, of course you need to disable WiFi if you're not in RANGE of WiFi. If you are, then you're golden. But if you've got it enabled but there's no WiFi to connect to, then it's just sitting there searching and that's not a new revelation (that it drains the battery when WiFi is on but actively searching for a network).

Bluetooth: Again, a known battery drainer on EVERY phone. If you're not actively using your headset or other Bluetooth add-on, then turn it off. This isn't exclusive to the iPhone. Any phone will drain with Bluetooth enabled and not actively being used (and yes, it will drain when actively being used as well).

Any more?

 

[miggitymac]

What does that have to do with what I said?

Who said that here?

You implied that since the iPhone is selling so well that the "one or two hundred threads" of issues were essentially negligible. In other words, you were implying that the number of sales are indicative of quality. Completely false.

Until then, someone starting threads about that very issue while claiming that the company that's in first place is in trouble is just silly.

I never said that Apple is in trouble. In fact, I'm sure it will continue to sell a lot of products to a lot of people. I'm just questioning as to whether the people that buy the products are holding them up to the standard that they should be held to.

People seem to have a lower standard for Apple, and I think that's entirely backwards. As one of the most powerful and influential companies in the world, they should be held to an even higher standard.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

Think of it like this: out of the millions of iPhone 4S's sold up to this point, there's probably a few thousand people who have problems. That's a pretty small amount. So for the rest of us, the iPhone "just works" and that's all Apple cares about. No product will ever be 100% perfect but Apple's have been pretty close for me. If your iPhone doesn't work right, take it back. I have no problems with mine.

 

[miggitymac]

Another list, eh? Ok, I'll play...

Push Notifications: I've got them disabled too, but I use BoxCar to handle my notifications. No Push constantly draining your phone and instantaneous delivery of every notification and email in the Notifications Center.

3G: You can disable this? Hmm...can you share with the class how you've managed to figure that one out, since it's been a big deal for the last few days around here that you can't?

Wifi: Well, of course you need to disable WiFi if you're not in RANGE of WiFi. If you are, then you're golden. But if you've got it enabled but there's no WiFi to connect to, then it's just sitting there searching and that's not a new revelation (that it drains the battery when WiFi is on but actively searching for a network).

Bluetooth: Again, a known battery drainer on EVERY phone. If you're not actively using your headset or other Bluetooth add-on, then turn it off. This isn't exclusive to the iPhone. Any phone will drain with Bluetooth enabled and not actively being used (and yes, it will drain when actively being used as well).

Any more?

Good for you. You've found the answers to Batterygate. Go tell the world.

Way to downplay other people's real and legitimate issues by proving them wrong with a survey consisting of you. You're a real genius.

Just like any other issue that you don't experience personally doesn't exist right? Racism? Sexism? Prejudice? All urban myths and legends because the great KentuckyHouse doesn't see any of those things in his small little world...

 

[rockyroad55]

OP, just wondering, do you have a 4S?

 

[trouble747]

This is an unscientific test involving just my own living room, but let me see...

--2nd xbox 360, replaced under warranty
--3rd wii, both replaced under warranty
--2nd samsung television, replaced under warranty

The Sony blu-ray player and receiver are still kicking. I also haven't had an issue with my macbook pro yet....and while my 4S doesn't have the battery life I would like, I'll wait for a software update before swapping it out.

These products are being churned out by the millions, there are going to be issues with some of them. Thanks to the internet, you can read about every unhappy customer's problem. The ones without issues tend to write less.

 

[Tsuchiya]

Apart from battery issues, there doesn't seem to be much news floating about regarding the shortfalls of the 4S. I think this forum is a magnet for new iPhone users so attracts it's fair share of owners wanting to vent about the issues they've encountered.

Personally, my only issue with my 4S is battery life. Even then, it's not exactly bad, just not as good as my iPhone 4.

Ignoring that, I adore my 4S. It's my 3rd iPhone now after the 3G and 4, and I've yet to regret purchasing any of them 🙂

 

[Megalobyte]

I guess I'm lucky, I average 7 hours of pretty heavy use. If that's not enough, think for a moment, all that's packed into such a tiny device, all the tech and power, 7 hours is a LOT. Laptops don't get 7 hours and they have room for a huge battery, no camera, phone, gps, several antennae, etc.

To get even 5 hours from a feature packed hand held device is remarkable. 7 hours is a miracle.

I think those that are getting 3-4 hours have real issues, but if you get 5-7 hours heavy use, and are really unhappy, your expectations might be too high.

 

[papaduxx]

why are people so content with letting apple products slide by even though they have real issues. They are great looking phones but why should a product be release as a final version with a main selling point that is still beta. I purchased a 4s to see if siri and the better camera would be a compliment to my business uses. By 10 am (unplugged at 7:30am, not crazy usage, and no bluetooth or wifi on) i was at 66%. That is unacceptable, but i hear people defending it and saying "well buy somthing else", what a load. Why can apple sell me a product that "will be fixed with a software update" 3 months after purchase and charge me full price... If im gonna be a test subject for siri then give me something to offset the "cannot connect" promps i get for 2 days since i got it at launch. Sure its two days only but i bought this phone for a use, to help aid me and my work, not to mention really was excited to have my iphone and this "assistant". Why release a product if you servers cant handle it.... its not like they werent expecting to sell millions, they do it every release. I am just disappointed in this "upgrade" and am really thinking about going back to the 4. I do not accept that i can get something that is partial and pay full price while smiling about it.... ooo it will be fixed soon lol, sure it will at who's expense.

 

[Blakjack]

I'm going to agree with the spirit of the original post. Apple is a victim of its own success to a certain degree, but does seem to be erring on the side of complacency of late. Look at all the issues with Lion too. It seems like they are in such a rush to get things out the door that they are not really finished in time. Having said that, I still wouldn't want to switch to any other phone, ecosystem, media streaming box or computer. I just wish they would try a bit harder to make things "just work" on day one.

COMPLACENCY?!!!

Since iPhone 3G, Apple has had a schedule. The schedulcalls for very other iPhone to not b a major upgrade. They are just sticking to their schedule. They don't have to change it because we want them to or because Android is making some consumers go gaga over these huge rediculous screens.

If the 4S kept its current look and specs but had a 4" screen, this years naysayers would be singing a different tune. People need to relax and be happy with their phone choice or just switch.

If every company decided not to stay true to itself because a few people thought they were losing their magic, we'd have a lot more failing companies

 

[ChiMac71]

I "settled" on sticking with an iPhone 4S instead of adventuring with an Android presuming that the iPhone would "just work" and would not require the constant tinkering and experimenting that Androids seem to require just to make it through a 9 to 5 day. Like picking a reliable Honda Civic or Accord instead of a domestic or European model with more horsepower or panache.

Where is my Honda?

 

[papaduxx]

I am gonna go back to my 4, its a good phone with the exception of the proximity sensor. The 4s just doesnt give me a reason to keep it yet, and by the time they fix it the iphone 5 will be 6 months away. I was thinking about trying android but i wont really think about it till i see ICS in action. Android is pretty nice but i think i would rather try it with a more polished OS update like ICS.

 

[Nads786]

*** the iphone i am returnign it @omorrow

 

[za9ra22]

...Thing is, if that were true this forum wouldn't exist nor would Apple's own support forum online. The "IT JUST WORKS" tag line is cute but inaccurate. No product just works.

A rather spurious argument. Firstly, the existence of places such as MacRumors is no more a reflection of average Apple users than hospitals are a reflection of average health. Secondly, suggesting that Apple products are no different from anyone else's rather goes against all the evidence in the marketplace. If it were true, there wouldn't be an Apple, nor would Steve Jobs have been much noticed, let alone lauded in the way he has been.

That doesn't mean there aren't some poor products since it's not possible to get everything right, nor that there aren't faulty products since inevitably there are, but there is very clearly a method to Apple's design madness that sets it apart from just about everyone else, whether some want to admit it or not.

 

[Robbug]

Well this goes to prove that forums are a "concentrator". People only tend to visit said forums when:

1. They have an issue they need help with.

2. Upon finding no real solution they begin a crusade to garner more attention to the issue to find commonality and justification. **Or someone comes in and hijacks the thread turning it into a bitch fest. (While written a bit harsh, I am a bit jaded at the moment. Banding together over an issue can be a positive force to correcting the issue.)

3. After bolstering their own opinion on the problem they evangelise the issue to a degree bordering on religious fervor.

4. The above creates bait for persons of opinion to flock to the thread like a honey pot.

5. Popcorn inducing situation ensues.

6. Original thread issue is lost and it turns into a name calling game.

7. Half the people following the thread fill up on popcorn and stop watching.

8. Many wonder what was the purpose of posting said thread.

9. Final conclusion - troll.

As to the original post - you can not, in all good sense, state the product is completely flawed with 4+ million units already sold. If that were the case, we would be watching this on NBC, ABC and CBS nightly news about how millions of people were having issues with the newly issued iPhone 4s - like the issue with Blackberry.

On a completely unrelated note, this is the first time I have ever replied to a rant thread. Normally I just pass these on by. Straw that broke the camel's back and all.

Edit: if you truly are having an issue with the gadget, by all means call customer support and attempt to resolve it. If that fails to meet your satisfaction, there are avenues you can take to fix the situation. Bitching about it hear just spreads bad Karma. And if customer support and the other avenues fail then pick the flag up and start your Crusade. At that point I am sure there will be a throng of followers ready with pitchforks to join you.