iPhone Atlas

(Credit: Apple, Inc.)

Apple's iPhone Configuration Utility 2.1, released last month, isn't designed as an end-user troubleshooting tool--it's really meant to help enterprise users create configuration profiles for device deployment--but it provides three functions that can be very useful for troubleshooting or security.

1. It can uninstall applications directly from the host computer, which can be useful for removing stubborn apps that cannot be deleted directly from the iPhone. Some third-party applications can cause systemic issues, which can be resolved through their removal via a host computer.

2. It allows easy access to the iPhone's console log, which shows application and general system errors, successful or failed attempts to connect to networks, and much more. These logs can prove invaluable for pinpointing otherwise elusive issues.

3. It offers an alternative way for businesses using Microsoft Exchange 2003 or 2007 to Remote Wipe an iPhone without the need of having a MobileMe subscription. However, access to Exchange Management Console (2007), Outlook Web Access (2007) or Exchange ActiveSync Mobile Administration Web Tool (2003/2007) is required to initiate the wipe.

(Credit: David Martin)

Additionally, according to Apple:

Configuration profiles are XML files that contain device security policies, VPN configuration information, Wi-Fi settings, APN settings, Exchange account settings, mail settings, and certificates that permit iPhone and iPod Touch to work with your enterprise systems. For instructions on how to use iPhone Configuration Utility, see the iPhone and iPod Touch Enterprise Deployment Guide, available for downloading at http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/

The iPhone Configuration Utility 2.1 is currently available via Software Update or as a direct download for Mac OS X or Windows.

(Credit: David Martin)

(Credit: Apple Inc.)

Some iPhone Atlas readers, and posts on Apple's Discussion boards, have reported additional problems--some large, some small--after upgrading to iPhone OS 3.0 or the iPhone 3GS. The following procedures will solve a number of the reported problems.

• Reset your iPhone by holding down the Sleep and Home buttons until the Apple logo appears.
• Restore your iPhone: In iTunes, click the Restore button under the Summary tab. Restoring the phone will erase contacts, calendars, photos, and other data on the phone, but will restore automatically backed-up information including text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, etc.

Yet, even after performing these steps additional issues have persisted. For more detail, read on.

Sound issues
Though listed on discussion boards here and here, I've also heard sound distortion when making a call, listening to the other phone ringing, and receiving an incoming SMS text message at the same time. The second sound, Glass (my SMS tone), has a buzzing noise as it plays.

An theAppleBlog report has mentioned an audible whine on recorded iPhone 3GS videos. There does not appear to be a fix for this at this time, so I'm hoping that Apple addresses it via a software update.

Here's the video from theappleblog.com Web site and a direct link to the isolated sound here.

A suggested short-term workaround is easy enough to implement; some people might even learn to live with the problem. Prior to recording a video, either plug in your headphones or manually place the iPhone into "silent" mode by moving the ring selector to vibrate. The entire post is worth reading as it includes more examples and the steps to recreate the problem on the iPhone 3GS.

Wrong or "changing" icons
Apple's discussion boards here, here, and here are reporting a problem that I've encountered as well. In my case the problem occurs when I remove apps from the iPhone using the delete feature in Springboard and then install new apps.

The newly installed apps can inherit the icons from the apps that were deleted from the same location. This is a known bug documented under Apple Bugfix 6906853. The only fix that I've been able to find is to reinstall the apps affected by the bug and hope it does not happen again. Hopefully, Apple will get this really annoying bug fixed soon.

Last week we covered a number of other issues with iPhone OS 3.0 and the iPhone 3GS. Check it out for additional troubleshooting advice.

Tell us about your iPhone OS 3.0 or iPhone 3GS upgrade problems in the comments.

A number of complaints regarding the iPhone 3GS' battery have surfaced on Apple's discussion board since the handset's June 19 launch. Given Apple's promises of a faster and longer lasting iPhone, it's understandable that 3GS users, particularly those who have made the jump from the previous models, have higher expectations.

Preliminary battery testing on our iPhone 3GS review model showed positive results, but we won't know the whole story until CNET Labs finishes its tests. Until that time, I can offer tips on making your iPhone battery last. They can be used individually or in combination to best suit your own needs. Some of these ideas are even recommended by Apple and some of them we've mentioned on iPhone Atlas before.

Reset iPhone
In addition to resolving signal strength problems, resetting an iPhone can fix a faulty battery indicator and end applications that are improperly consuming the battery. Hold down the home and sleep buttons simultaneously until you see the white Apple logo indicating that your iPhone has restarted.

Restore with original settings
You can restore your iPhone by launching iTunes and selecting the Restore option on your iPhone's Summary page. This process will erase your iPhone's software and data, including all settings. You can restore them later via iTunes.

Drain the battery completely
Instead of charging it midway through a battery drain, add more juice only after the battery dies completely. A full drain may reset circuitry that prevents a full charge from occurring, despite indication of a full charge.

Force quit applications
If an application quits unexpectedly and you begin to notice poor battery life, relaunch the application, then force quit it by following the directions in this post. This can eliminate problematic or hung processes that might be draining the battery.

Lock your iPhone
Make sure that your iPhone goes to sleep automatically when not in use. You always can press the Sleep/Wake button, but even better is the Auto-Lock feature in the General section of the Settings menu.

Auto lock screen

(Credit: David Martin)

Applications
Apps that keep the display from dimming or shutting off and that prevent your iPhone from sleeping can reduce battery life. This is particularly true for apps that use location services and push notifications. You can turn off Location Services in Settings > General menu. You'll have to deactivate Push Notifications for each app individually, also in the Setting menu.

App Push Notification settings

(Credit: David Martin)

Location Services toggle

(Credit: David Martin)

Push and Fetch

(Credit: David Martin)

Toggle e-mail account on/off

(Credit: David Martin)

Delete e-mail account

(Credit: David Martin)

Airplane mode
Even it you're not flying, use the airplane mode while listening to music, watching a video, working in your favorite productivity app, or whenever you don't want to be disturbed. Also, since constantly seeking a cellular connection also drains the iPhone's battery, the airplane mode is useful if you're in an area with poor cellular coverage.

Airplane mode

(Credit: David Martin)

Reset network settings
Restarting your phone will delete any stored Wi-Fi passwords, DNS settings, and more. And in some cases it also can resolve signal strength issues. Find it in Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Reset network settings

(Credit: David Martin)

Turn off Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth
Be sure to turn off these features when not in use. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and set Wi-Fi to Off. Go to Settings > General > Bluetooth and set Bluetooth to Off.

Toggle Wi-Fi

(Credit: David Martin)

Toggle Bluetooth

(Credit: David Martin)

Turn off 3G
The iPhone's 3G radio consumes a lot of juice so turning if off will save power. Go to Settings > General > Network and toggle Enable 3G to Off. You'll be able to make and receive calls and access some data while 3G is off, though your iPhone will run on the slower EDGE or GPRS 2G network.

Enable/Disable 3G

(Credit: David Martin)

Adjust brightness
Dimming the screen definitely can extend battery life. Go to Settings > Brightness and drag the slider left to lower brightness or right to increase brightness until you reach your desired settings. Turning off the Auto-Brightness settings also will help.

Brightness settings

(Credit: David Martin)

Turn off the equalizer
Just like on the iPod, this feature can reduce battery life. Go to Settings > iPod > EQ and select Off. Yet, since EQ settings in iTunes migrate to the iPhone, you'll have to override those settings and set the iPhone to Flat. Go to Settings > iPod > EQ and select Flat.

iPod EQ settings (Credit: David Martin)

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iPod EQ options (Credit: David Martin)

More help
If you're worried about your iPhone 3GS being defective, according to HardMac there is Apple's Procedure for Users Experiencing Short Battery Life with the iPhone 3G S. Also, if you're still experiencing severe battery problems after trying some of these tips, it might be time to take a trip to your local Apple Genius Bar.

Personal experience
So far, my personal experience has been that my iPhone 3GS lasts a bit longer than the iPhone 3G, particularly after I tuned the iPhone 3GS' features to meet my personal needs. Yet, it still doesn't last more than a day with heavy use, unlike other smartphones.

One typically intense day started at 100 percent battery capacity at 5:00 a.m. The battery then dipped to 80 percent at 9:30 a.m., 64 percent at 12:30 p.m., 39 percent at 3:30 p.m., and 25 percent at 6:30 p.m before showing the 20 percent battery warning at 8:30 p.m. With my iPhone 3G, I used to get that warning prior to 6:30 p.m. And after tweaking my iPhone 3GS using the tips below, the battery showed 49 percent capacity after 15 hours of heavy use. That's not bad for smartphone battery performance.

Are you experiencing problems with your iPhone battery? Got some tips to share that might help conserve battery life? What kind of activities do you do on your iPhone that deplete the battery faster? Let us know in the comments.

(Credit: Apple, Inc.)

• Reset your iPhone by holding down the sleep and home buttons until the Apple logo appears.
• Restore your iPhone: In iTunes, click the Restore button under the Summary tab. Restoring the phone will erase contacts, calendars, photos, and other data on the phone, but will restore automatically backed-up information including text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, etc.

However, some issues chronicled below persist:

Visual Voicemail wasn't accessible by many users from their iPhone 3G S after restoring from a previous model's backup. Users are required to reenter their voicemail pins when prompted by the iPhone 3G S. If you've forgotten your pin, you can reset it by taking the following steps:

• Log onto AT&T myWireless
• Click on Phone/Device
• Click on Reset Voicemail Password
• Press the Submit button

A text message is sent to your phone with a new Visual Voicemail password.

Passwords previously saved for numerous applications were reported lost in the transfer to the iPhone 3G S. Users had to reenter passwords for a number of apps, including (but not necessarily limited to) AIM, LogMeIn, Loopt, MySpace, Palringo, Sirius XM, Tweetie, and Wallet. (Wallet's database had to be recovered from MobileMe). The password recovery problem is likely attributable to the hardware change from a previous iPhone to the iPhone 3G S.)

Compass has to be reset periodically when it struggles with interference, which happens often enough that iPhone 3G S users are complaining about it. Apple offers some information about calibrating Compass on its Web site, as well as in a support document, iPhone 3G S: Re-calibrate Compass. These explain that the recalibration isn't always necessary; sometimes you need to just ignore the recalibration messages while Compass self adjusts.

Compass calibration message

(Credit: David Martin)

The iPhone 3G S' Oleophobic screen coating is rumored to be incompatible with screen protectors, so we called several Apple stores to investigate and were told this isn't true. The sales associate said that we could come into any Apple store and purchase a screen protector for the iPhone 3G S. Protectors for the 3G should also work on the 3G S.

Duplicate Contacts are being reported by a number of users on Apple's discussion boards. We stumbled upon a nice explanation for and solution to this problem in this article: "About duplicate contacts and calendars on iPhone [OS] 3.0," via Mac OS X Hints.

Find My iPhone remembers all your devices, including the old iPhone that you just turned off when you upgraded to a new handset last weekend. MobileMe does not appear to support a mechanism that will allow you to remove the tracking of an iPhone or iPod Touch from Find My iPhone. We contacted Apple through MobileMe support via online chat and asked about this.

According to Apple tech support, removing a device from the list involves sending the device a Remote Wipe command. MobileMe will then attempt to send this command for up to two hours and if unable to contact the selected device, it is deleted from Find My iPhone. This information is contrary to the Apple support document, "MobileMe, iPhone OS 3.0: Troubleshooting Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe" which states:

Previously-owned iPhone/iPod Touch appears at me.com/account
If your iPhone/iPod Touch was configured with your MobileMe account, it may still appear when you log in to www.me.com/account, even if you no longer possess the iPhone/iPod Touch. Currently, a device is removed from your account page list only after it is successfully wiped. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Note: we think the last sentence points out that Apple is aware of this bug in Locate My iPhone and will announce a fix later. Following the advice given in the online chat wasn't successful. Nearly 12 hours later, the old iPhone 3G status is still pending a remote wipe in our test. We hope Apple will release a fix for this through the MobileMe Web site.

Wi-Fi connectivity and signal strength complaints have also cropped up after the iPhone OS 3.0 update: some users complain that their phones drop them from Wi-Fi unexpectedly, others that they can't connect at all. Some users have been able to resolve their connectivity problems by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings, while others complained that this simple fix does not work. In the latter case, a restore might be necessary.

Settings > General > Reset

(Credit: David Martin)

Troubleshooting tips

Force Quit has changed in iPhone OS 3.0 for the iPhone 3G S but remains the same for older iPhones that do not support Voice Control. In order to force quit an application, you must:

• iPhone 2G/3G: Press and hold the Home button for a few seconds until the app quits. (Valid for iPhone OS 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.)
• iPhone 3G S: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the "Slide to power off" screen appears, then press and hold the Home button until the app quits (usually within 6 seconds).

Apple has recently updated the following support documents that might also be useful if you encounter problems with your iPhone:

• "iPhone Basic Troubleshooting"--some iPhone basic troubleshooting tips.
• "Troubleshooting applications purchased from the App Store"--Try the following troubleshooting steps on your iPhone or iPod Touch in order to resolve an application's issue.
• "Troubleshooting iPhone and iPod Touch contact and calendar syncing via USB on Windows"--If you're having difficulty syncing your contacts or calendars to iPhone or iPod Touch with iTunes for Windows via USB, this article can help. Note: this article does not apply to wireless syncing with Exchange ActiveSync or MobileMe.

Some users also might consider following the Apple iPhone Troubleshooting Assistant before calling AppleCare or visiting the local Genius Bar.

Tell us about your iPhone OS 3.0 or iPhone 3G S upgrade problems in the comments.

Several iPhone users are experiencing visual feedback lags when attempting to type messages on their iPhones. Symptoms include key animations not activating when keys are touched. The issue does not appear to be for a specific letter or area of the keyboard and is generally considered intermittent, though many users report a consistent problem while typing in the SMS application.

Apple Support Discussions user Delapidator relays their experience with this issue:

"On the iPhone keyboard. You know when you touch a key on the keyboard and as you touch the letter it pops up but larger? Well, occasionally when I'm typing certain letters don't do it. The letter itself does go into the message body or whatever I'm typing into but it just doesn't pop up big to say that the letter has been typed. Not always the same letter, although certain letters do seem to suffer this problem more often than others. S and I are [the ones] that this happens to quite a bit. On the other hand sometimes they all work just fine?

I know it's not a really big problem coz at least the letters are working but sometimes if you're looking at the keyboard and not what your typing you think you haven't touched the letter and keep on touching it and it ends up looking a bit like ttttttthis! lol."

1. Be sure your iPhone is updated to the latest software--currently iPhone OS 2.2.1.

2. Reset your iPhone. Hold the top button and the home button until the iPhone turns off and the Apple logo appears.

3. Plug your iPhone into your computer and restore it. Be sure you back up all your data, as this will wipe your iPhone clean and restore it to its factory settings. When the iPhone restarts, choose to restore from your backup.

4. Restore and reboot as a new iPhone. Follow the same restore procedure as above, but when the iPhone reboots, choose to restore as a new iPhone. This will create a new backup--effectively deleting all your settings and some of the information on your iPhone. Of course, anything you have backed up on your computer (music, movies, contacts, calendars, etc.) you can restore to your iPhone. Text messages, statistics, and other settings will be lost.

5. Though highly unlikely in this type of situation, if the problems persist after completing the above procedures, your issues could be hardware related-- perhaps related to the touch screen located under the glass face of the iPhone. Take your iPhone into your local Apple Store or to an Authorized AppleCare Technician to have it checked out.

Apple Support Discussions thread describing iPhone keyboard lagging issues.

Several iPhone users have experienced problems wherein their phones will display an error claiming repair is needed on the device, disallowing use.

Apple Discussions poster Xraycovert writes:

"Abruptly, my new iPhone began, and continues to flash, a REPAIR NEEDED message on the screen. I can only access an SOS."

While for the most part this error does indicate a problem with the phone will need to be fixed, in some instances this error message is being shown erroneously. There are several things users can do to try to fix the problem before contacting Apple support or taking the phone in for servicing. If these fixes do not work, users can contact Apple at 1-800-MY-APPLE or go to a local Apple store.

Potential Fixes

Reset the phone Press the Sleep/Wake button for several seconds until the red slider appears, and then slide it to turn the phone off. Then press the Sleep/Wake button again to restart the phone. The Apple logo will appear when the phone starts up.

Charge the phone This may be due to the batteries not being charged enough, and it is recommended to turn the phone completely off and plug it in to charge it for at least 30 minutes. Then try starting the phone up again by pressing the Sleep/Wake button.

Restore iPhone software This procedure will erase the iPhone contents, so be sure everything is backed up before proceeding (even though there is an option to do this before the restore begins). To restore the iPhone software, first connect the iPhone to your computer and then in iTunes select the device and select the "Summary" tab. Then click the "Restore" option and in the dialogue box choose "Back Up" to ensure the data is safe. Then click "Restore" in the next window and the phone should automatically reset. Finally, when the phone is working again, it will require activation where the phone's data and settings can optionally be applied from the backup made before the restore.

Users who have updated to iPhone OS 2.2 are facing some significant issues, including problems with third-party apps, Internet connection issues, problems deleting email and more.

Third-party Applications broken Some third-party applications will no longer function properly under iPhone OS 2.2 due to API changes and other modifications. These include a number of applications that make use of CoreAudio. These applications will generally need to be updated by their developers. However, you can try uninstalling then reinstalling applications for problems that do not involve API or other strict compatibility problems.

"Could not Connect to Internet" Some users are encountering an inability to connect to the Internet over cellular networks after the iPhone OS 2.2 update. In some cases, this issue can be resolved by switching from 3G to EDGE (or, for carriers other than AT&T, the appropriate GPRS network).

"SIM card not inserted" or PIN lock Some users are receiving an error message indicating that the SIM card is not inserted, or that a PIN lock is in place when none should exist.

The SIM recognition issue can sometimes be resolved by removing the iPhone?s SIM card, then connecting it to your computer and restoring. iTunes may then reload the iPhone software successfully, after which you can re-insert the SIM card and attempt synchronization with iTunes.

If you get the PIN lock message, try the suggestions in this tech note.

Kilometers instead of miles in Google Maps It appears that Google Maps for the iPhone now displays kilometers instead of miles for various countries. You can temporarily resolve the issue by selecting 'USA' in International settings, though this obviously introduces other problems for users outside the U.S.

Problems deleting email Some users are unable to delete emails from certain accounts, especially AOL accounts after the 2.2 update. This problem can generally be resolved by navigating Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > (Your account name) > Advanced > Deleted Mailbox, then setting for the "On My iPhone" Trash for a POP account, or "On the Server" for an IMAP account.

App Store extremely slow The App Store is extremely slow after the iPhone OS 2.2 update for some users. This may be a server-side problem that Apple will resolved shortly.

Feedback? http://www.iphoneatlas.com/contact.

Several users have reported an issue in which the iPhone 3G's screen suddenly goes black, as if the sleep/wake button has been pressed. When this problem manifests, users generally need to press the sleep/wake button twice, effectively putting the device into a locked state then unlocking it.

In some cases, this issue is caused by obstruction of the proximity sensor, generally caused by a case or errant hand. Many users experiencing the issue, however, have neither of these interference factors.

Sample posts from this Apple Discussions thread include:

• "Mine has exhibited the exact same behavior. I have reset a countless amount of times. And performed a restore to get build 7 also. Overall, it doesn't impact my use of the phone. So I'm hoping it gets resolved with the next firmware build."
• "I just bought iphone 3G for few days, and it's having the same problem as you do. The screen keeps going blank even when there's no case block the sensor and even with built-in apple apps such as setting."

Workaround This issue can generally be resolved by turning off the Password Lock (PIN) function in Settings.

Feedback? http://www.iphoneatlas.com/contact.

Several users have reported an issue in which the iPhone 3G fails to find and or connect to otherwise valid WiFi networks. A sampling of reports from this Apple Discussions thread:

• "My laptop can find my router network fine. I reset my router and iPhone but my iPhone still cant find any routers. I reset the network settings too. If I try to put in the name and password manually it just says 'Joining InsertNetworkNameHere' Over and over, with no results."
• "Suddenly my iPhone 3g can't find any wifi network. I have restored factory configuration but still the same. Yesterday my iPhone could find 4-5 wifi networks including my own now not even one."
• "My brother and sister have iPod touches and theirs each work fine on my home network. I got an iphone last Tuesday, had to get update to start, won't connect to my home network."

An Apple support document entitled "Unable to use Wi-Fi with iPhone or iPod touch because there's no Wi-Fi address listed for the device" has a list of potential solutions, though most have proven ineffective for readers. Among the listed fixes:

• Reset network settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Setting)
• Erase all settings (Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings)
• Restore the iPhone

Users posting to the aforementioned thread have had little success with any of these fixes.

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know at http://www.iphoneatlas.com/contact.