Comments on: iPhone 2.1 Software Update – T +4 Days & Counting

By: dmingeek

dmingeek — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:26:59 +0000

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.

By: oops46

oops46 — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:43:48 +0000

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.

By: Christopher Gavula

Christopher Gavula — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:01:38 +0000

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.

By: markntravis

markntravis — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:12:04 +0000

With 1300 contacts you need a PBX.

By: Christopher Spera

Christopher Spera — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:30:18 +0000

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…

By: Wayne Schulz

Wayne Schulz — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:00:02 +0000

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.