troubleshooting

iPhone 3G: text messages not getting through

Several AT&T users have reported an issue in which incoming text messages are never received by the iPhone 3G. The problem is most common with accounts that have been ported from other carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile.

As described by a poster to the AT&T discussion forums:

"Got the iPhone on July 11th, ported from T-Mobile on the 14th. I have been having issues with getting texts ever since. I have called customer support seven times and finally got someone to open a trouble ticket with the inter-carrier text message service provider. We'll see … Read more

Fix for iPhone 3G GPS problems: turn off 3G

Several users have reported in an issue in which the iPhone 3G's A-GPS unit fails to properly discover physical location. As described by Apple Discussions poster "Zlog":

"GPS in particular was a problem i had with my wife's 8GB, as it located us in texas. We're in Oregon."

The same user subsequently tested a variety of configurations for his iPhone 3G's networking, with the following results:

3G: Off BT: Off Wifi: On Does GPS work?: Yes ------ 3G: Off BT: On (and paired w/ headset) Wifi: On Does GPS work?: Yes ------ … Read more

Bluetooth audio echo afflicts iPhone 3G

Several iPhone 3G owners are reporting an issue in which severe echoes are generated through car audio systems with which the phones are paired. Generally, the driver hears echoes while the call recipient does not. The issue affects iPhone 3G models running iPhone OS 2.0, but not first-generation iPhones running the same. An Apple Discussions thread chronicling the issue includes the following laments, among others:

"Yesterday I bought an iPhone 3G. I can still pair it with my car, but now all of my conversations have a terrible echo. It's impossible to talk to anyone - we … Read more

Problems sending iPhone mail through "MobileMe" alias accounts

iPhone users seem to have a problem with the latest version 2.0 update in which MobileMe email accounts all send mail through the primary email name. This means that for accounts which are set up with email alias names, the iPhone software will not send email with a "reply to" address as the alias, but instead use the main account name as the reply email address. As described by one Apple Discussion member:

As described by Apple Discussions poster 24Golfer:

"If you use Alias email names and receive emails as you normally would - and reply … Read more

iPhone backup process extremely slow, corruption issues

Many iPhones users are reporting that the backup portion of syncing in iTunes is taking a very long time to complete or results in a non-responsive iPhone. In some cases, the inordinately long backups may be the result of corruption issues that may be resolved via the following process:

Allow a backup to complete Unplug your iPhone In iTunes, navigate to Preferences > Syncing (under "iTunes" on the Mac and under "Edit" in Windows) and delete all old backups Restart your system. Plug your iPhone back in, at which point you should be prompted to sync … Read more

Sluggish iPhone 3G interface, text input reported

Several users are reporting inordinately sluggish system performance from the iPhone 3G, particularly with regard to scrolling, text input, and return to the home screen. The issue appears to be endemic to iPhone OS 2.0, as users of first-generation phones who have updated to the new software are also experiencing lag.

A sampling of reports from this Apple Discussions thread:

"I did a [...] side by side test and yes the new operating system on the iPhone 3G is much slower for every application...typing is a pain because of the obvious response delay" "Both my wife … Read more

iPhone 3G signal and reception complaints pour in

Users, in droves, are reporting signal strength/reception issues with the iPhone 3G when utilizing the 3G network in areas with purportedly strong coverage, per AT&T and other carriers' maps. Most disconcertingly, phones from other manufacturers often deliver excellent 3G signal strength on the same network and in the same location as signal-crippled iPhone 3Gs.

Several users have exchanged their iPhones for replacement units with no improvement.

A sampling from this Apple Discussions thread, which currently has 86 responses: "Seems the reception is really unsteady (even in Manhattan) and today the signal disappeared entirely, stating "no … Read more

Restore and update your iPhone 3G to squash bugs

If you have an iPhone 3G and haven't restored it yet, do so. The first batch of iPhone 3G units shipped with iPhone OS 2.0 5A345, but the current build is 2.0 5A347. A handful of bugs were squashed with the new iteration, which brings enhanced stability and other enhancements.

Unfortunately, Apple hasn't designed iTunes to recognize the difference between the iPhone OS 2.0 builds. As such, you'll need to perform a "Restore" function to pull the new release.

In order to restore, connect your iPhone to your system then click the … Read more

Removing stubborn iPhone apps

Some iPhone applications downloaded from the App Store have proven difficult to remove. The two traditional methods of deleting/uninstalling apps are as follows:

On the iPhone, press and hold any icon until all icons begin to shake. Press the black "X" in the upper left end of the icon, and the app is deleted from the iPhone. View applications in your iTunes library on your computer, control or right-click any application and select "delete"

However, if you delete the App from the iPhone the computer will reload it when you sync again. If you delete … Read more