iPhone OS 2.0.2 fails to fix 3G reception issues, apps problems

Apple has released iPhone OS 2.0.2 with its obligatory, but unhelpful, release notes indicating only "bug fixes."

Unfortunately, a resolution to widespread, frustrating 3G reception issues is not among those fixes. In fact, some users have reported that the update manifests poorer 3G reception than 2.0.1, with devices now giving a "No Service" message in previously 3G-accessible locations.

"I use to get one to three bars of 3G service in my house and now I can't make a call," wrote an Apple poster. "I have to switch off the 3G to get any bars. Things are going the wrong way!"

Even worse, many users are experiencing incompatibility with previously operational third-party applications. "Yes, I have about 15 apps loaded and now only eight to ten work with the new 2.0.2 software," said a user. Some are reporting even worse predicaments. "All my downloaded applications crash within 5 seconds of being opened," said another person. "Restarting the phone and reapplying update has done nothing to fix it."

What does iPhone OS 2.0.2 fix? Both typing and scrolling, which were plagued by extreme lag and slowness prior to this update, are now operating at acceptable speeds for many users, but not all.

"[The update] didn't improve my 3G signal, or my signal in general for that matter," said a poster. "And I still am getting the keyboard lag."

iPhone OS 2.0.2 can be installed by attaching your iPhone to your Mac or Windows computer then clicking the "Update" button. Based on current reports, however, the benefits may not outweigh the risks.

Originally posted on iPhone Atlas.

[Shaymojack]

I updated my iPod touch last night, and while I obviously can't comment on any reception, I haven't noticed any crashing or major lag. One thing they still haven't fixed is that the default view on some of my pictures is zoomed in a bit for some reason..

[mcspeakeasy]

this just sounds like extreme b1tching and moaning

[mitchellsoft]

I'm taking mine back this evening. I'm done. I hope someday they (Apple and AT&T) can fix these issues. More bars in more places is just false advertising.

[Adam Burrell]

IMHO most of these stories are prime examples of irresponsible journalism. These bloggers are doing nothing more than scanning a support forum and reporting what they find there among a group of people who's sole purpose of posting is to get help with issues. Of course you're going to find people with issues there. It's not representative of the vast majority of iPhone owners who don't have a problem with their phone.

This kind of hack reporting is what separates the "blogosphere" from truly professional journalism.

[LiveDowntown]

I have about 15 friends with old and new iPhones. Only ones with the origal are not having problems. I can be trying to make a call, and get no service, while 5 friends with iphones get 4 bars. I did the update yesterday and now 3G won't work at all. 100% of the apps will not work/open, purchased ringtones will only vibrate, and it erased all my music and will not let me load it on again. I went to Apple store and they agreed that there are some real problems with a large percentage of new iPhones. Of course, they are out of iPhones and have to order me a replacement. They do not have loaner phones anymore either. When it works it is the best thing in the world, but it only work s about 40% of the time.

[Lancelot9201]

If you knew what you were talking about you'd know that this issues has gotten so big that two 3G threads got shutdown & removed by Apple because they became to large, this is what got everyone's attention - this is no small issue & it effects 1,000's of people..

[Plotkin35]

Again, people are forgetting that unless they're adding new towers or adding the G3 equipment to the existing towers, then all the patches in the world aren't going to help reception issues. Plain and simple.

[tanh68]

I experienced the same damn thing that has been reported after updating to 2.0.2. This has been unbelievable experience with the iphone 3G. I wish I was still in the return period because it would go back right away. I gave up in using 3G on my phone. The phone was sold as 3G but can't never use it. False advertise by ATT and Apple. Shame on you guys.

[tanh68]

irresponsible journalism? I experienced the same problems that Cnet is reporting. I am glad they are reporting the same thing that I am seeing or else I would have thought that I was the only one. I think you work for Apple right?

[bubblebathgirl]

I agree with mcspeakeasy ... and pretty much anyone saying that this posting by Ben Wilson on CNET was useless. Get rid of it please.

[tanh68]

It is easy to accuse others as "extreme ******** and moaning" when you don't have the same problem and especially when you work for Apple or ATT and try to deflect any problems that other users might have.

[societyvictim]

just updated my iphone to the 2.0.2 and it seems to be working the exact same. i never have had the problems you all are talking about with the reception thing...guess being in a small town helps either it be because no one is on the network or that there are not big buildings to block my signals. i just hope my maps will work better... thats the only thing that sucked about the phone was that i would try to locate myself and it would work.

[Tough-Guy]

I have seen just the opposite so far...my 3g reception seems to have improved...I am not sure why at this point since most have seen the opposite. I went from 1-2 bars in my home to 5 now even though according to ATT, my home is not in a 3g area (out by about 4-5 miles)...I still see a lag in the contacts so...hopefully they will come out with a major update to address all issues which I think is due in Sept.

[tanh68]

This is what I went through

1) Before the update, did a Backup; This took over an hour and never completed; reboot the PC
2) Try to do a backup again; Took over an over again and never completed; reboot the PC
3) This time I said "F$%$"..did an update of the firmware without backup. The update was successful. The firmware is now 2.0.2. Very happy and decided to switch to 3G. Got no bars..Again got no bars...After awhile it switched to Edge instead; Basically I tried inside the house, outside the house, all I got is 1 bar to 0 bar. Each time 3G is on it switched to Edge afte awhile. I lived in a neighborhood where there is good 3G connection. How do I know that because my damn brother's Blackjack II has solid 3G bars and is able to access the network just fine.

So is this extreme whining?

[MarsB]

I couldn't agree more. Seriously, now CNET is quoting a discussion forum as the authoritative source on the problem.

Why don't you guys do your own research and make up your own minds for a change? Over the years I've started reading less and less of your crap, as most of it is completely devoid of any objective findings. Completely and utterly crappy journalism... this is something that I expect from a high school newspaper article (and that's insulting said articles)!!!

[matttx]

I find it more than amusing to watch all the Apple fanboys trying to grasp at anything they can to discredit the stories that reflect negatively on their beloved Apple. Karma's a *****.

[Desertmtn]

Couldn't agree more with you Mattx. The people on this forum that have a "quit whining, get over it" mentality are either: 1. Not technically sound enough to back up their statements or 2. devoted Apple fanboys who can't stand having anyone talk bad about their beloved company and their products or 3. both 1 and 2. I have an iPhone and living in a metro area and don't get anywhere near the reception from AT&T's 3G network that I had with either Sprint or even TMobile for even voice, yet alone data, signals... Apple and AT&T need to quit pointing fingers at each other and fix the issue, because eventually more and more people are going to get tired of both of them long term. Pathetic.

[IowaNinersFan]

God forbids you say anything negative about Apple or their hero, Jobs. We all know Apple makes products that "just works."

[Delorean2006]

the quick fix actually did improve my 3g service, where i would get 3 now im getting 5, also where i should have been getting 5 all along

[PDubs]

This is why I'm still on 2.0.0 or whatever the initial firmware was when I bought the thing a few weeks ago. iTunes has offered me 2.0.1 for a while now, but everyone else has offered me reasons NOT to do it.

[flyingelvis--2008]

@tanh68

If it was responsible journalism where is the Blackberry, Treo, and Windows Mobile reports of all of their issues?

Treo is a complete joke. Have you ever seen an update for the Treo that was easy to do? I have friends that still have the 650 and they can't figure out how to update it.

Have you tried Windows Mobile? OMG worst software ever!

It is bad journalism if he is not reporting all of the issues with all of the other phones. It would be like bashing McCain and never bashing Obama.

[ender21]

That's like saying it's bad journalism that a sports writer covering the Yankees only writes about the Yankees and not ALL MLB teams.

This is a column updating those with info regarding the latest iPhone firmware update, and widespread reports of problems therein. I'm sure there are plenty of blogs all over the blogosphere you can find reporting issues with the BBerry and Treo. Are those blogs covering the iPhone too?

[bigmc6000]

I think the title of this article is pretty misleading. I've seen about half of posters say their signals have increased and aren't having problems anymore so I think it's, not surprisingly, another lack of journalistic integrity on the part of CNet to say, flat out, that it doesn't fix 3G problems when the fact is that it fixes it for a number of people. Seriously CNet, get your act together and stop "link baiting" with misleading articles like this...

[Lipmonger]

McSpeakEasy... I think that this is hardly a case of extreme ******** and moaning. If this was 1999, I would say you are probably correct. However, over the course of the last 3-4 years, cell phone technology has vastly improved. What used to be a sketchy service that required walking around rooms to find the "good reception spot", has become a very stable network that allows users to move freely (by foot, car, etc.) without extensive connection issues. Aside from hiking far out into the mountains, or driving far into the eastern plains of Colorado, I have received stellar reception on my AT&T cell phones in recent years across the Front Range and in Downtown Denver. This excellent performance extended to my 3G Samsung Blackjack (just to point out this experience is not reserved to EDGE networks). This has become the standard that I, and probably many others, have set for cell phone performance.

So when users go from having relatively good to great cell phone reception, down to poor or substandard experiences, it is far from extreme ******** and moaning. The Apple iPhone 3G does not live up to the standard set by previous phones on the same network, and is not what people have come to expect from cellular devices in general.

There is a problem with the iPhone 3G, and it is glaringly obvious. I am assuming you either do not own an iPhone, and therefore cannot speak intelligently to the problems many of us are experiencing, you are one of the lucky ones to have received a flawless iPhone, or you are just an Apple fanboy upset that folks are launching verbal attacks at your computing heros. Regardless, I can assure you that the reception problems reported are very real, and require fixing.

I have not seen a "NO SERVICE" display on a quality cell phone in downtown Denver for YEARS. To see it repeatedly throughout a single day's work on my iPhone 3G is unacceptable. I have experienced more dropped calls in the last 4 weeks than I probably have in the last 4 years. My patience is wearing thin with Apple at this time, and I hope for their sake, and the class action lawyers waiting in the wings, that they take this problem seriously and fix it as soon as humanly possible.

[lbytesxk]

I love my iphone and I wouldn't trade it for anything but I gotto say that the 3G problem is real. I live in an area where according to AT&T I should have 100% 3G coverage. However it has been spotty from the get-go but since the update areas where I had 2-3 bars on 3G now I have NO SERVICE. However all my apps about 10-15 have no problems with the OS update so I guess I'm lucky there. As for the 3G I'm now running on EDGE, the reception is still clear and have max bars, it is easier on the battery too, the only thing sucks is that my web pages load considerably slower unless I'm on wi fi which I'm connected to most of the time anyway. Face it people, this is the age where false advertising is the way business' go most of the time, from commercials where SUV's climb the Himalayas to maps and bold statements of massive 3G coverage nationwide. Lies and more lies.