iPhone 2.1 Software Update – T +4 Days & Counting
Posted on 16 September 2008, at 12:34 pm, by Christopher Spera
Like most everyone suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous iPhone 3G fortune, I downloaded and installed iTunes 8 and the iPhone 2.1 Software Update last week. As of today, I am T +4 Days and counting. This is just a check point for everyone, as I’ve had at least 3 people (in the office…& I work in one of the lowest tech IT departments in the world…the kind in a hospital) ask me IF I had updated my iPhone, AND how things were going if I had.
Just to remind everyone, officially, the update included…
• Decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls
• Significantly better battery life for most users
• Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• Improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• Faster installation of 3rd party applications
• Fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes for users with lots of third party applications
• Improved performance in text messaging
• Faster loading and searching of contacts
• Improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• Option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation
So…how are things going for me?? Great question. In a nut shell, technically, I DO have a decrease in dropped calls. In 4 days, I’ve had about 8 dropped calls instead of 15 or more (about 2/day instead of 5+ dropped calls/day).
Battery life, is like, night and day better with the 2.1 update than before. I’ve been able to go almost 8 hours or more without a charge, with a couple of calls and listening to an audio podcast or two. Very nice.
I have also noticed an improvement in the amount of time needed to backup the device (seconds instead of 10’s of minutes), improved TXT message response from the keyboard, an improvement in performance of Contacts (I have approximately 1300 on my iPhone); and an improvement on the signal strength icon.
Speaking of signal strength… I have noticed that the device is now more agressively switching to an EDGE signal AFTER the update than it did BEFORE the update. I don’t know if this is an improvement or not; but the signal meter on my iPhone now more closely matcheds what I’m seeing on other AT&T 3G phones.
Overall, as a Smartphone, I have to give the iPhone a 65. Its got a good beat and is easy to dance [to] with; but its performance is still sub-par. I’ve got other converged smartphones that are a better PDA and a better phone (like my Tilt) than the iPhone. The 2MP camera is still “ehh” at best… I’m still exploring the use of Genius Playlists.
I’ll likely keep using the iPhone as a daily driver right now because of the iPod integration and its awesome screen. However, Apple needs to do a lot with the PIM integration before this device is going to be usable for me (and most everyone using Exchange; but I’m alluding to Part 2 of my series on the iPhone 3G as a Business Tool, which should post tomorrow).
I would really appreciate it if other users would post their opinion of the iPhone 2.1 software update, and let us know how things are going for you.
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September 16th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I never had a huge issue — after 2.1 my phone seems a tad better. I haven’t been able to test the battery out as of yet (the last few days I’ve been by a charger).
Apps definitely still crash. Safari definitely still crashes.
My crashes were not frequent enough pre-2.1 for me to have an opinion on whether the upgrade reduced them or had any other effect.
To me it seems like the phone is about where it should be in terms of stability.
I take issue with your grade of 65.
There’s no other phone on earth that can touch the iPhone for:
1. Browser
2. Depth of Apps (and the store has only been open since 7/11)
I think you may also be discounting the role that the AT&T network could play in a lot of stability issues. I’ve had very similar symptoms on other carriers (primarily Nextel) when the towers in my neighborhood took at turn for the worse.
I’ve also experienced great service on T-Mobile that suddenly produced disconnects several times a day. My guess is that someone “tuned” the local tower in some manner that resulted in less signal sent in my direction.
September 16th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Honestly, I’m not certain I entirely agree with you. Yes, the browser on the iPhone is the most desktop like, even though it can’t view Flash content; or use many other plug-ins. Depth of apps… WM and Palm devices have a lot of apps… the App Store may have a lot, but without the ability to do trials just yet, its going to be hard for the Store to continue to make an impact.
Yes, AT&T may have a great deal to do with all of the dropped call issues I’ve got with my iPhone, but I don’t have these kinds of issues with the E-TEN/Asus V900 or the AT&T Tilt I have. Heck, I can take a call all the way THROUGH Union Station (yes, on the tracks, underneath the Old Post Office) on the V900, something I haven’t been able to do at all on any other cell phone, on any other carrier. The iPhone like all the others, loses it under all the concrete and steel. It also frequently loses a data signal, and continues to drop calls where other phones on AT&T do not.
I really don’t want to give up on this thing. I really don’t; but something has to change soon…
September 16th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
With 1300 contacts you need a PBX.
September 16th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Chris – I kind of have to disagree with you. The App Store is already having a large impact. Additionally, trials are easily possible – the developer just releases a FREE version with limited functionality or maybe the functionality is that it times out or issues a nag screen – whatever. A number of vendors have already done this.
Having a lot of apps, as are available on WM and Palm isn’t necessariliy an indication of usefulness. 90% (or more) of those apps may be crap. Same may be true for iPhone apps. The point is that you really need to look at how many of the apps are there are functionally useful rather than simply how many are available. That said – the iPhone app store, with it’s single, consistent delivery mechanism, has grown at a far faster rate than did development of WM or Palm apps at the same point in their histories. There’s a lot of potential there that hasn’t been tapped yet and I’m interested to see where it goes.
Ona different matter – I will again say that Exchange issues are not necessarily the only important thing when considering business viability of a device, although a lot of MS-centric sites and evangelists will have you believe that that is the case. That said, there are definitely things that would improve this device’s usability in a business capacity. The Tilt, with its slow processor that practically chokes when more than one app is running, isn’t what I would call a great example of usability. There are better examples of WM usability than that particular device.
My general experience with 2.1 on a non-3G has been favorable. My call drop rate is unchanged, but it was mostly resolved with 2.0.2. I have noticed that my EDGE signal is actually WEAKER than before. At work I used to get a 1-2 bar signal (not bad considering I’m on the bottom floor in the interior of a 2 story metal building, but now its frequently 1 bar or no service.
My apps are pretty much on par with Wayne’s comments as far as stability goes – pretty good, especially 3rd party apps, but Apple’s apps seem a little less stable.
I did have problems the first Saturday after installing, but I was in New Orleans and as soon as I left that area, things got better and haven’t given me the same problems since. I suspect network stability in the NOLA area was to blame.
My battery life has definitely improved – especially standby time. In-call time is about the same.
September 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I tend to agree along the lines with Chris. I have an AT&T Tilt as well but I do prefer the Iphone. Quite frankly I had a first generation phone and do wish that I had not upgraded; the battery was still MUCH better and before the software update came out it rarely crashed.
In spite of all the apps available in the store, not having a built in tasks application and no Cut and Paste is almost unforgivable.
What I cannot get away from is the Browser. Even without flash (which is SORELY) missed no phone has one like it! Like the Blackberry but the holdup is the browser as I surf A LOT using my phone.
Here in the Midwest, the highest speed that I have gotten on 3G is 348k and that is in several different cities so around here, that appears to be the norm. Thank goodness for WiFi.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I haven’t noticed a significant decrease in the number of dropped calls since I upgraded to 2.1. Actually, it had gotten so frustrating that I gave up on my iPhone 3G and have regressed to a Nokia Communicator 9300 of all things.
I am planning on taking the phone back to the store to see if I can get it exchanged for a new one (har har) or maybe even my money back or at least a trade for an iPod Touch. I just don’t think it’s usable with as many dropped calls as I am having.