Why I Sold My iPhone 3G
Posted on 02 November 2008, at 10:10 pm, by Christopher Spera
Its no secret. I purchased an iPhone 3G on iPhone 3G day in July of 2008. I’ve chronicled many of the issues I bumped into in a number of different posts, including my series on the iPhone 3G as a Business Tool. You can catch the three part series, here:
- iPhone 3G as a Business Tool – Part 1: iPhone OS
- iPhone 3G as a Business Tool – Part 2: Calendar, iCal and Exchange
- iPhone 3G as a Business Tool – Part 3: Conclusion & Recommendation
Despite Apple’s hard work to resolve all of the device’s issues, the three software updates they’ve released since the device’s initial release almost four (4) months ago, I have continued to have device issues on a daily basis. I continued to have applications crash, both core Apple apps like Mail, iCal and Safari, as well as 3rd party apps…ANY third party app…, and calls drop every day. The BNSF rail line that I commute on for 4 hours every day, has some of the worst coverage on the AT&T network in Chicago-land…but only on my iPhone 3G. EVERY other GSM phone I have that carries an AT&T SIM doesn’t have the coverage problems that my iPhone 3G does. I’m actively carrying 3 cell phones right now: the iPhone 3G, the AT&T Tilt, and the Glofiish V900.
My Tilt, for example, even with a whacky cooked ROM and non-standard radio, doesn’t have the same problems that my iPhone does. I can’t count on the ferkackta thing to hold any kind of call at any time. My iPhone drops an average of 4 calls a day, and I’ve had it.
Uncle, already!
I was doing the best that I could, and doing ok at it…to ignore or live past the issues I had identified with Exchange and with the device as a business tool (see my articles, links above), and was doing ok with it; but when I was speaking to a very close friend on Friday, and had to deal with 8 separate call drops during the conversation I had to stop before trying to call them back the last time (never hooked back up with them…) and ask myself if I would have stuck it out like this with any other phone? Would I have put up with all of the quirkiness, memory issues, application crashing, and above all, call dropping issues? The answer hit me like a truck – hell no! I would have contacted the device manufacturer, shared my findings and told them I was returning the device.
I might just give Stevie J. a call or drop him a line and let him know what is going on. It likely won’t result in anything, and again, I have already sold the phone (it ships out tomorrow, 03-Nov-08). Unfortunately, the device, in my opinion while nice for casual cell phone users, is just NOT ready for prime time with a power user like myself. I depend on my phone too much to put up with the really, REALLY bad performance I’ve been ACTIVELY excusing over the past 4 months. I’ve become way too accommodating, and I really need to be more “me-centric” right now.
So, selling the phone took all of, about 10 minutes… and I plan to use the proceeds to purchase a Samsung Epix sometime in the next few days. If it performs anything like the other two Blackjack devices that it resembles, it will be a good choice. If all else fails, I’ve got the Tilt and the V900 to fall back on as backups, in that order.
I may consider another iPhone in the future, but not without some serious hands on time and research first. I’m sorry Mr. Jobs…I didn’t sign up to be a beta tester for this device; and for me, in my market, the device just isn’t ready for wide distribution.
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November 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 am
I have very similar signal quality issues when I ride the Metro North train into New York City. For some odd reason the signal for AT&T isn’t very built up around the rail line.
Around my house the iPhone is pretty stable. I do experience ongoing Safari browser crashes and those seem to get worse with the addition of different applications to the phone – but nothing that I can point to specifically.
Overall my experience on the iPhone is far better than on WM but definitely worse (stability wise) than Blackberry (which tends to be an OS tank).
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
I traded up from an iPhone to an Epix a few weeks ago. So far I am very pleased. Hope you have the same experience!
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:16 am
Chris, being a Chicago northern suburb person myself, I can understand how the train rides on the Metra can drive one nuts with cell coverage, there are times when even the Blackberry suffers. Good Luck. Tt
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:22 am
I’m sorry to hear you finally had to give up on the iPhone, but I understand your frustration.
For the record, your experience, while not unique, is definitely not universal. I have not had any difficulties with my 3G iPhone running on the newly-implemented 3G network here in the Mobile-Pensacola area. It’s very stable – apps and all. No dropped calls (except those to/from you).
My iPhone experience is similar to Wayne’s in that my iPhone has been MUCH more stable than my WinMo devices. I only occasionally get app crashes, and I have NEVER had to reset the device. I can’t say the same is true for my WinMo devices. I agree that Blackberry is more stable, but for me, less functional as well. I am running with 4 pages of apps. The device isn’t flawless, but my experience has been a much more positive one than yours.
I was extremely disappointed in the Tilt, myself, and the Epix really doesn’t offer the features I want right now. Maybe someday MS will fix the memory management problems of WinMo and I’ll try it again, but for now I’m avoiding them. Good luck with your next WinMo device.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:37 am
I appreciate everyone’s comments. Trevor, I’ve been comparing reception between the iPhone 3G and my Tilt and the Glofiish V900 for a while now. Both WM devices have a signal when the iPhone does not, and have a data signal when the iPhone does not. They also have a better signal than the iPhone when all 3 devices have a signal.
That clearly points to the device, IMHO; and I am having a hard time justifying its rentention as a result. Don’t get me wrong. I really like it and there are parts of it I’m already missing; but in the end, it all gets down to how I use my phone, and the iPhone 3G and I aren’t ready for each other.
November 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Chris, I am using the Epix as my main device now and love it. I still have my iPhone 3G active on a second line, but I cannot use it as my main phone. I use it for media and news feeds (ByLine since Safari crashes every other minute). If I could find a nice WinMo RSS reader that integrates into GReader, I will probably sell my iPhone in favor of the Fuze.
Good luck with the Epix. Once you get used to the pointer, it is an amazing device. Everything about it is made around single hand use, which is how I believe all phones should be.
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I will miss your comments on the iphone, and I hope you eventually come back to it. I have a small law firm and I don’t need some of the features you find lacking in the iphone (such as the inability to send out appointment notices), but it is evidence of its inadequacy for business that I too find it lacking. The absence of a todo list is to me incomprehensible (I bought “Things” which is very good but is not integrated with the calendar), as is the inability to search the calendar. Moreover, the lack of an editing function deprives the user of something essential to a smartphone that can be used for reading text. Apple’s stubbornness notwithstanding, an onscreen keyboard that has no feedback is not easy to use (and, like you, I am a touch typist). Voice dialing is also a no-brainer, so why is it missing? The answer, I think, is simple: this device is a consumer device, and is likely to remain so. So I don’t see this even in the future as a good business device.
November 4th, 2008 at 6:37 am
I think you should take a look at the E71, Christopher. I’ve had it for 2 months now and i LOVE it. Even though i’m an S60 fan at heart, the E71 is just much much much more than a regular S60 or Nokia handset. I wonder if you’ve held one in your hands or not yet, but the Epiz is MAMMOTH next to the E71!
November 4th, 2008 at 6:37 am
that was Epix, woops
November 4th, 2008 at 8:35 am
@brettq – I am looking forward to trying the Epix. I’ve played with it a little, and I did like the 1 handed operation a lot.
@pradley – I may come back to the iPhone IF they work out the problems with the radio and IF they fix the OS and application crashes. There are also a number of Exchange issues that need to get resolved for me. Until that happens, I am going to be sticking to a WM device.
@khouryrt – I appreicate the suggestion; but I am not interested in S60 based devices. I know the E71 is supposed to be really nice; but its just not for me.