Fruity peddler of broken dreams Apple is said to be “investigating” claims that the latest iOS 4 upgrade breaks the iPhone 3G.
The iPhone 3G worked quite well, especially in comparison to its broken successor, until Apple rolled out the iOS 4 upgrade.
Suddenly users, who had no choice about the upgrade, found their 3G machines were slower, froze used up battery life.
Although the complaints have been around since the iOS4 has been rolled out for the 3G machines, Apple now says it is looking into the problems.
In Apple language this means that it knows it has a problem and is just figuring out how to deal with it. Normally Jobs' Mob's policy is to deny that there is a problem until there are enough complaints. When there are enough complaints it promises to “investigate”. Then it either releases a fix without telling anyone and insists that the problem only effects a “small number of users”.
Apple has told the Wall Street Journal that it is investigating, so we can probably expect a “not a fix just an update” any day now.
It is a little difficult to deny that there has been a problem. There have been hundreds of complaints on the Apple support forum and Jobs' Mob's customer service has been telling 3G users to restore their iPhones to the factory settings, to downgrade the toy to iOS 3. If only there was a rubber band you could put around it or a magic wand you could wave.
Still, we all thought it was a deliberate attempt to get users to upgrade to the iPhone 4. However you have to be daft to buy the iPhone 4. You have to be a very "special" Apple fanboy to buy a broken phone just because it is the latest model.
However for them to neglect the full testing of iOS4 on the 3g , means inturn there neglecting the need of current customers it seems there so focused on “this changes everything” that they forget what everything is or was and that should be providing full support to current consumers of there products.
It is another setback once again for Apple it will be interesting to see what's next in the news regarding iPhone/iPad issues (antenna, manufacturing and service charges) and their steps to refund cases won’t make up for the iPhone 4's lack of function over form.
But Apple have created such a loyal following that people may just put up with what issues there are for the sake of owning the latest Apple product.
Personally, I'd be happier with an older iPhone - at least then the issues are all ironed out.
However, it's also interesting to see how much excitement new technologies can bring. New technology and innovation is important for new business, illustrated by entrepreneurship grants and new business competitions like http://www.ukesnc.com.
Guess it's not all bad!