Has iOS4 Ruined the iPhone 3G?
Since the release of iPhone 4 and iOS4, the tech world has been caught up either praising the new device to death or parsing Antennagate into oblivion.
But while so many have been focusing on the glory and flaws of Apple’s newest product, my attention has been squarely on an old one: my trusty iPhone 3G, which is now 2 years old – and is signficantly crappier, thanks to the iOS4 update.
After the initial update, my 3G was so slow as to be almost completely unusable. Basic tasks like checking email or opening a browser could take well over a minute to complete – unless, of course, they crashed first. Using Maps was essentially pointless, and more demanding apps like Evernote were basically rendered useless. Prominent blogger Waxy suggested doing another full system restore after installing the upgrade and that did solve problems. And then, with the release of iOS 4.0.1, some similar improvements were to be found.
But it definitely isn’t perfect. App response is still sluggish. Trying to listen to music and browsing the web at the same time is often an exercise in frustration, and often results in both the browser or the iPod app crashing. Everything is slower. Overall, the device has gone from being a smooth, slickly-functioning device to feeling like an overtaxed, nearly obsolete piece of tech. Searches across the web reveal this to be a seemingly common phenomenon.
This would, of course, not be a problem if one could downgrade back OS 3.1.3. I know I for one wouldn’t miss the few updates iOS4 gives 3G owners to get my regularly functioning phone back. Alas, Apple doesn’t let you. And most users will find the process of downgrading quite onerous, particularly on a Windows box.
So it seems that Apple, whose focus with the iPhone has always been a smooth user experience, has slipped up on this one, simply in allowing the iPhone 3G to have the update – or refusing to allow a downgrade.
But lest we get ahead of ourselves, tell us Techi readers: Has upgrading to iOS4 ruined your iPhone 3G? Or it it just an isolated few cases making a mountain out of a molehill?
YES. I gave up on trying to use the Google Maps app. Even sending a freaking SMS is sluggish. This is pure garbage.
With you 100% Navneet:
I’ve had the iOS4 installed on my 3GS phone for a couple of weeks now and I haven’t had any issues. The good thing is I get some of the new features without having to risk it all with a new iPhone 4.
Yes, my 3G doesn’t run as smooth as it used to. But, I’m understanding. It is just like upgrading an older computer to a new OS. You are going to suffer some because you are using older equipment. All computer based devices are like that.
I’ve got all the problems listed on this page. Ios4 has definitely ruined my iPhone 3G. It should never have been available for the 3G and is obviously a ploy to force us to buy the iPhone 4. It’s made a device which was a pleasure to use and made it glitchy and frustrating. It takes move about a minute to enter settings and the predictive text struggles so much. To listen to Steve Jobs talk about how it’s aim to make Apple customers happy, I just laughed. Well we’re a huge bunch of thousands of loyal, often early adopters, and we’re not happy with our ruined phones.
I will not update to iPhone 4 on principle – I’ll get an android phone – this is so obviously a blatant attempt to force Iphone 3G users to upgrade.
At the very least Apple need to offer an easy downgrade to ios 3.1.3 and a big sorry for the all hassle caused.
Sent from my iPhone