Jump to content
The Inquirer-Home

Apple not to blame for iPhone problems

Wired sings from Apple's hymn sheet
Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 08:30

WHILE MAN PLUS DOG is fairly clear that the shonky Apple Iphone is losing its network connections due to a dodgy immature chipset, Wired has rushed to defend the fruit-themed gizmo maker.

It conducted what it is calling an unscientific test of the network that the Iphone has been using across the world. It claims that in Germany and the Netherlands, which have a solid, mature 3G infrastructure, Iphone download speeds have been 2Mbps on average.

However in the US speeds have been really slow because AT&T have been sticking 3G gear on 2G towers. This means that there are huge holes in coverage, Wired claims.

It said that the average speed US speed of 990Kbps isn't bad, considering that 1.4Mbps is the rated max download speed. It's better than EDGE, Wired hacks say.

Now while we don't think that Wired are the sort to cut and paste a press release from the Apple PR department, the logic of using average download speeds to measure phone faults is dodgier than a Leeds 'its turnip not chicken' korma purchased after 2am on a Saturday.

Users have been complaining that they have been losing connection while they were not moving and complaints have been coming in from all over the world, including Germany.

This seems to point to the dodgy Infineon chipset, which has a long history of being pants but re-assuringly cheap.

Even the Sultan of Smug Steve Jobs himself has acknowledged the problem is with his 3G toy and not the networks that run on it. We are surprised that the likes of Wired (and Gizmodo) are so keen to let him off the hook. µ

L'INQ
Gizmodo

Share this:

Comments
hmmm

Great. Jobs uses cheap crap in his hardware now.

posted by : Evil Muppet, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Spain

I have 6 iPhone in my family and 3 more of friends. In Spain the 3G network is quite Mature and no one of us has any problems. The download speed is 3Mbits average, 5 máximum of the theorical 7.2 in Spain.

posted by : enostrum, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
pass the parcel !!!



FFS it doesnt stop um selling it when they know fine well its not goin to work as it should in certain areas does it ??

when are the dumb furkers that buy these shiny toys going to get the message !!!!!

Orange has actually employed actors to wait in line outside their shops in poland for the iminant release of the itoy in poland, talk about spin, it oughta be illegal for taking advantage of the ishinytoy buying retards, it probably is :O)

posted by : psychochief, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Please translate

For the benefit of those on the pond's western shores, would someone please translate:

"...dodgier than a Leeds 'its turnip not chicken' korma purchased after 2am on a Saturday."

Thanks,
ScottJ

posted by : Scott Jordan, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Apple is to blame

Simply put. Problems with the iPhone ARE Apple's fault. It's their product.
Blaming the problems on a chip in the phone tells me their QC stinks the big one.
In the rush to get these devices on the streets, they are either didn't catch the problem at the factory, or are ignoring it. 
Software you can do the release now patch later bit to some extent. Hardware? Now you have a major problem thousands of faulty devices with no easy fix except to replace them at company expense.

I'm pretty sure Apple knew of the problems with this "immature" chip. Anyway you look at it, it's still their fault these chips made it in to the iPhone.

Your product, Your design, Your choice of components. Step up Apple!! Say "Ooops" And tell your customers what you are going to do to correct the problem. It's not like you got a bad shipment of chips, you got what you ordered.

I for one expect better from your company.
(Mainly cause I'm used to seeing better)

LoCatus...

posted by : LoCatus, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Less bile, more research needed needed

Seems Nick Farrell needs to take a little more time before posting anything at all on matters related to Apple...

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/26/orange_admits_to_capping_3g_speeds_in_france.html

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/26/new_blackberry_suffering_same_3g_connection_drops_as_iphone.html



posted by : Raymond Wiker, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
For ScottJ - translation

Very suspect. Here's an example (worksafe)
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/2/27/ubercon-sketchbook-inadvisable-cuisine/

posted by : Roboteye, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
You are mistaken

Sorry, Nick, but you are simply wrong on this call. The problem is in the network, not the device, which works perfectly well in areas with a mature 3G infrastructure capable of handling all the traffic you can throw at it. Do a little more research and you will see that the consensus is shaping up that no-one was prepared for the huge spike in 3G traffic generated by these phones. Add to that mix the very late AT&T 3G intro here in the States (it takes way more than three months to tune a 3G network) and you have instant disaster.

posted by : Sredni Vashtar, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
@ Scott Jordan

"...dodgier than a Leeds 'its turnip not chicken' korma purchased after 2am on a Saturday." 

dodgy [colloq.] meaning: Chiefly British. risky; hazardous; chancy Evasive; shifty. 
Unsound, unstable, and unreliable. 
So risky as to require very deft handling. ripe. rotten in the state of Denmark

Leeds: a city in West Yorkshire in North England. During the Industrial Revolution, Leeds developed into a major industrial centre for the production and trade of wool which can be used to pull over ones eyes. Leeds notably hosts the Help the Aged Abbey Dash, though it is not entirely clear where to or why. 

A Turnip in the UK, is not a Swede to be tossed. Turnips are members of the mustard family with large root heads. They should never be confused with a rutabaga, which should only be used on an inhabitant of Sweden. 
That is, of course, if one is not chicken, or may make a swift getaway in a courgette. Turnip meringue may often draw flies, but so does sugar swedes.

Indian cuisine is quite popular in Britain; many restaurants prepare and hold food from lunch, perhaps buffet, until dinner/supper. Korma: a mixture of spices, including ground coriander and cumin, combined with yoghurt or coconut milk kept below curdling temperature; temperature heterogeneity is difficult if the mixture is left to stand.

2pm on Saturday maybe anybody's holiday. 

Ergot:
the logic of using average download speeds to measure phone faults is 
[Chiefly British]+[wooley-dash]+[swede-tossing]+[yoghurt choking to chicken].

Well, I tried this once, but something run a foul, or fowl. Oh cobblers! I cocked something up, and now it tastes like codswallop!


posted by : Kharlston Macsingh-Pateli, 26 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Skanky Apples fall from tree

Well, it's hit the main stream internet media site, Slate: 

http://www.slate.com/id/2198535/?gt1=38001


posted by : Rich Wargo, 27 August 2008 Complain about this comment
think again

"This seems to point to the dodgy Infineon chipset". This does not appear to be true... AT&T Blackberry's on the same bandwagon. 

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/26/new_blackberry_suffering_same_3g_connection_drops_as_iphone.html

posted by : cantbe, 27 August 2008 Complain about this comment
FAO Scott J, a translation for you.

Scott, here is the translation:

"...dodgier than a Leeds 'its turnip not chicken' korma purchased after 2am on a Saturday." 

Roughly translates to:
"... not the product I asked for, in a major city, at an Indian restaurant, after 2am on a Friday night / Saturday morning, probably the staff were trying to take advantage of my drunken state"

Something like that.

He should have gotten a pigeon kebab with rat burger in Donnie down the road.

posted by : interested_party, 27 August 2008 Complain about this comment
Advertisement
Subscribe to the INQ Newsletter
Sign-up for the INQBot weekly newsletter
Click here to sign up Existing user
Advertisement
INQ Poll

Browsers

Who will win the next round of browser wars?