As per usual, at the most inopportune time when I was already running late, I decided to sync my iPhone as I was getting ready to leave home today. Like clockwork, iTunes asks me if I'd like to update to Firmware 2.1. Would I? Unlike last time, I actually downloaded the update and took off to make my a Saturday class.
During a break, my fellow iPhone-laden class attendees got out their iPhones to check email, text messages and voicemail and the discussion turned to Firmware 2.1.
"Did you get it?" one fellow classmate asked eagerly.
Some of us had, and others, like me, had not. The only visual difference the few of us noted was that the iPod's song listings now listed the artists as well as the song title. But it was funny that we were talking about a firmware update like schoolgirls gossiping as the discussion quickly shifted to cool iPhone applications. Seismographs to levels to games....
On the way home, however, I ran into two of my friends who work at an Apple Store here in the Bay Area. One is a general floor rep and the other a Genius Bar rep. Both were touting the update as getting a new iPhone (essentially making the life of the Genius Bar rep a whole lot easier, me mused).
From what I've gathered from everyone I talked to today about the update (the whole point of non-geeky types talking about a firmware update is not lost on me) is the following: Somehow, Apple has increased 3G performance AND improved battery life in one fell swoop. Perhaps, some theorized, Firmware 2.1 has addressed 3G network access issues that drains battery life. Whether this involves AT&T slackening 3G access standards or if the change is on Apple's end doesn't really matter to me. The details behind the conclusion aren't critical to a lay user like me and my classmates. We saw a Firmware 2.0 iPhone placed next to a 2.1 and noting that 3G reception on the 2.0 was 2 bars while the 2.1 iPhone had 5 bars. Really? More bars everywhere for everyone AT&T?
Can't wait to see if this Firmware update finally makes good on AT&T's slogan of 'fewer calls dropped,' which has, thus far, rung hollow with the iPhone 3G.
In a crazy world, Apple would announce a "we-are-so-sorry" iPhone swap today: All first generation iPhone owners and all new iPhone 3G owners would be given a new free iPhone Plutonium, which, of course, has endless battery life. Perhaps this massive reset could be founded by the liquidation of Halliburton or perhaps as part of a massive government effort to promote consumer-spending, oh wait, that was Fannie May and Freddie Mac....
Stranger things have happened. What's the line? We can only hope for change?
But seriously folks, the biggest complaint I've seen (and experienced) is dismal battery life. By the end of a typical day's usage, the iPhone 3G battery is craving to be recharged after a few hours of standby and a just a few calls. This is pretty subpar, even for the most ardent of iPhone devotee.
A close second gripe: (and perhaps an even more fundamental flaw) is the "Call Failed" message that is much more common now than with the first generation iPhone. Apparently, this is based on the iPhone searching for a 3G network in favor over the EDGE network and not being able to do it quickly enough. AT&T and Apple point fingers at each other while we wait.
Public enemy no. 1: sustained battery life that can't come quickly enough.
(Credit: Kevin Ho)
The whole Freeiphoneswap.com process (see part 1) got me worrying and thinking about fraud. And, with frustrations about the iPhone's battery common among bloggers and friends alike, you know there is a lawsuit looming out there as some plaintiff-side law firm will want to take Apple to task for allegedly misrepresenting the iPhone's battery life (both the first generation and 3G). Whether these would-be rentseekers have a claim a jury would buy will be seen.
But thinking about it, Apple says this about the iPhone's battery life:
Talk time: Up to 5 hours on 3G Up to 10 hours on 2G
Standby time: Up to 300 hours
Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G; Up to 6 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 7 hours
Audio playback: Up to 24 hours
All of this with a whole bunch of footnoted caveats about testing being one pre-production models in May 2008 with this feature turned off, that one turned on, and that fact that no animals were harmed. But did they take into account all these 2.0 applications? The fact that people would be using their iPhones to do a lot more than talk, surf the new slowly, email or text? Probably not. All of these footnotes are probably enough of a caveat, c-y-a claim for Apple to argue that they never intended for anyone to rely on these estimates or that they made a warranty about battery life, i.e., no fraud, false promise or negligent misrepresentation, essentially, buyer beware. And with that, it'd be hard to muster a claim of fraud. In any case, legal or otherwise, Apple's claims about battery life didn't seem amount to very much. Just in case, these are the elements of fraud in California:
The tort of deceit or fraud requires: (a) misrepresentation (false representation, concealment, or nondisclosure); (b) knowledge of falsity (or 'scienter'); (c) intent to defraud, i.e., to induce reliance; (d) justifiable reliance; and (e) resulting damage. Engalla v. Permanente Medical Group, Inc., 15 Cal.4th 951, 974 (1997).
Apple has, however, put this page up with tips and suggestions about extending battery time, is this all they're going to do? Well, the jury's out on that one.
How 1.0 iPhones use battery life with the 2.0 firmware and all those tantalizing applications is something that may be worth considering against the iPhone 3G's voracious appetite for power. During the past weekend, as new applications get tested out, I've seen the iPhone 3G use more and more power with the charge indicator gradually slipping away, ultimately flashing the "low battery" warning. This warning wasn't something common with the 1.0 iPhone I had. In fact, I had never seen that "low battery" indicator even after 7 days of camping-like condition on the AIDS Ride.
Of course, with 3G, improved sound quality, GPS locating, and very loud ringer, it would make sense that battery life would suffer. Short of putting a stick of plutonium in the iPhone 3G, it would seem a safe bet that power chargers will get a good workout with the iPhone 3G. Invariably, battery fatigue will soon follow and Apple will have a secured a revenue stream of captive iPhone users who will eventually shell out $80 for battery replacement. That or third-party chargers for cars (or solar chargers) will see increased sales. Either way, this is where the 3G falls short.
This year many riders in the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the LA Gay and Lesbian Center's annual 7-day AIDS LifeCycle bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles were toting iPhones - tucked away in their spandex or in their Bento boxes on their bikes.
The iPhone was the mose commonly spotted PDA, but man riders had Blackberry devices too. In any case, having a PDA was a great way to keep up with news and to send out updates about our trek's progress. Each day the Ride featured 2500+ riders cycling more than 70-100-plus mile routes. And, at the end of the day, a massive tent city would be set up in such exotic locales as Lompoc, California, which were no more than large grassy fields or state parks. Power sources were very, very scarce if even available. So, in addition to complaints about sore backs, sit ones and tight quad muscles, many iPhone-laden riders noted the battery life was pretty dismal. When there was an errant plug-in found at the park it was immediately swamped with chargers and extension cords to get some precious electricity.
Not being able to plug-in, many ALC riders tried using solar chargers, others like me, only turned it on sporadically during the day, but even after 7 days of doing that my "low battery" warning light popped up by Day 5 of the Ride. For those using solar chargers mounted on helmets, backpacks or tents, a full charge wasn't too common, but a 1/3d to 1/2 charge was possible, enough to get by with conservative use of the iPhone. I preferred not being plugged-in as the Ride itself gave me enough to think about: what was that, another mountain to climb?
But, once again, having a camera phone that can email was great. In addition to being able to keep loved ones and supporters updated via SMS/twitter updates, this year Riders could send pictures of the stunning views from the various mountains we climbed, of the coast and of each other that we were afforded. Also, the quasi-GPS (slated to be replaced soon by iPhone-the-second) still gave us a sense that we were in the middle of no where on some days of the Ride. All in all a great device to have on the Ride, which in itself was an incredible experience.
Already looking to next year's Ride, a rider from a Bay Area solar panel and power company promised to have a service truck vehicle topped off with solar panels to soak up the sun and to offer riders a charge station for their cell phones, camera batteries and PDAs. He was already beta testing it this year with other iPhone Riders and it looked to have worked just as well as commercially available solar chargers. But within a year, he promised the technology to be improved. And, knowing how a year can change everything, ALC 8 may become even more plugged-in.
My friend Zach sends an image on the AIDS Ride somewhere in the middle of the California coast on his iPhone
From just outside of Ventura, the iPhone's camera allowed ALC 7 Riders to send updates to their supporters
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