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Since Apple introduced iTunes 9 several months ago, we've received a fair number of complaints about two particular bugs. So far no one, not even the first and second levels of Applecare support, has been able to resolve them.
iTunes password-saving problem
iTunes won't remember your password--even when you check the box asking it to do so.
Previous versions of iTunes allowed you to save your iTunes Store password on your desktop by checking the box as shown in the adjacent picture. Now, iTunes 9 teases us with a dialog box offering this option, but when you attempt to save the password by checking the box, iTunes fails to remember the password. Although there have been many suggested fixes--and we even suggested some of our own ideas--none of these has worked permanently.
It should be noted that we received the largest number of complaints about this issue then any other so far. It is clear people like to use this feature, so hopefully Apple will fix it soon.
App update problems in iTunes
iTunes offers Scanner Pro 1.1.0 for sale, but offers up 1.2.0 as an update on our iPhone and later in iTunes.
App updates in iTunes 9 are hit or miss and another sore point for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The problem manifests itself randomly when updates appear in iTunes. Regardless of whether you are updating one or multiple apps, the apps that actually update appear to never do so. You can sit and watch iTunes go through all the motions--download the app, sync it to your iPhone, etc. However, the apps never vanish from the iTunes app update list and they stay there persistently between iTunes sync sessions. Repeated attempts to update lead to the same updates listed over and over again until in some cases they finally disappear from the list.
Even the iPhone version of the App Store isn't immune to the confusion.
It's completely unclear as to whether the problem is with iTunes, the App Store, or the iPhone. In some cases the device or the store had completely different versions of the same app for sale (Scanner Pro 1.1.0) versus a free update (Scanner Pro 1.2.0) available for download. Our results were completely opposite to what the second level Applecare support person had in terms of available versions. It's clear that whatever the problem is however is again completely in Apple's hands, since no amount of troubleshooting resolved this issue either.
Update to iTunes needed?
Apple introduced iTunes 9 less than three months ago with some new features, but at the same time introduced some annoying bugs like the two described here. It's unlikely that we'll see another release of iTunes before the end of this year, but hopefully Apple is paying attention--an incremental iTunes update to fix these bugs would make a great present for the holidays.
Apple on Thursday released an update for the iPhone SDK, bringing the current version of the SDK to 3.1.2.
The new SDK 3.1.2, which now includes Xcode 3.2.1, is available in versions that are compatible with Leopard and Snow Leopard for iPhone and iPod Touch developers.
The update, according to information we received from a developer, contains general bug fixes for the SDK and Xcode. Dashcode is reported to now support the creation of Web applications that are optimized for Safari on the iPhone, PC, and Mac.
If you've seen and used this new update, please tell us about your experiences with it in the comments.
(Credit:
Apple, Inc.)
(Credit:
Apple Inc.)
Last week, Apple released iTunes 9.0.1, which addresses a number of iPhone syncing issues as well as making some performance and stability improvements.
During our first hands-on look of iTunes 9, we noted two problems with podcast episodes being listed in random order and being unable to arrange certain apps based on their being checkmarked and therefore set to sync to the iPhone or iPod Touch in question.
Later, we discovered more problems with syncing in general, including wrong episodes being synced to playlists containing podcasts, podcasts failing to sync, etc. Smart Playlists, according to users, were generally messed up and did not behave as expected.
iTunes 9.0.1 has addressed all of these issues with the exception of the Smart Playlist problem. Podcasts are now properly synced, podcast episodes display in the correct order, and you can arrange apps regardless of their sync status.
The temporary workaround for new or existing Smart Playlists that no longer work as they used to is to uncheck "Live updating" in the settings.
Uncheck Live updating for a Smart Playlist workaround.
(Credit: David Martin)iTunes 9.0.1 also addresses other issues, including performance issues that can lead to iTunes freezing or unexpectedly quitting, problems browsing the iTunes Store, and improved app syncing for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
The update is available from Software Update or via direct download from Apple's downloads page for both Mac or PC.
(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. Of course, make sure that you back up your phone before restoring.
However, some issues--chronicled below--persist:
Podcasts are listed in random order for some users who are reporting that podcast episodes are not being displayed properly by date. We encountered this problem in one out of seven podcasts on a test iPhone 3GS. This bug has been confirmed by Apple, so look for a fix in a future firmware update.
Podcast sort bug.
(Credit: David Martin)Random freezes or shutdowns are a major complaint for users after upgrading. The problem is the source of heated discussions within a huge Apple discussion thread containing nearly 900 posts. The problem seems to manifest itself whenever the iPhone goes to sleep, the user locks the display, or just randomly. When the user next tries to use the phone, he or she will find it completely unresponsive--the display remains blank and pressing buttons won't wake it. The only recourse for the user is to perform a reset as described above.
Battery life is another major complaint for users after upgrading and one we've encountered ourselves. So far, none of the usual fixes have resolved a problem some are claiming happens even when the iPhone is idle. Regardless, we've noticed on our own iPhone 3GS that battery life is significantly poorer after upgrading to iPhone OS 3.1. It isn't unusual to commute home at the end of the day with 25 percent or less battery life.
Apple is clearly aware of the battery problem and is actively trying to resolve it by engaging iPhone users in a study. Participating users will receive a special BatteryLifeLogging.mobilecongfig file that will capture Powerlog files from the iPhone when syncing with iTunes. The user sends the log files to Apple via e-mail or http://bugreport.apple.com. Hopefully with enough input, Apple will find the root cause of this problem and issue a fix in a future firmware update.
In the meantime, we suggest that you look at our guide to getting the most out of your iPhone battery for suggestions on improving battery life.
Slow or sluggish performance is a complaint from some users, blaming the problem on MobileMe syncing. According to a post by Skid on the Apple forums, you can resolve the issue by performing these steps:
1. Launch the Settings App
2. Go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars
3. Go to your MobileMe account
4. Turn off contacts and calendars
5. When prompted, delete them from your iPhone
6. Reset your iPhone by holding down the sleep and home buttons until the Apple logo appears.
7. Perform steps 1-5, but this time turn contacts and calendar syncing on.
If the above steps do not resolve the problem, another alternative is to delete your MobileMe account from your iPhone, perform a reset, and set up your MobileMe account from scratch.
Unknown error (-50) was an error we encountered when syncing from iPhoto to our iPhone 3GS on another computer. According to Apple, all we needed to do was sync using iTunes 9, which we had not installed on the second computer. After upgrading to iTunes 9 the problem disappeared.
A problem with Exchange is a source of complaints about the OS 3.1 upgrade manifested by 2G and 3G iPhone models failing to connect to Exchange 2007. Details about the issue can be found in the article, "Apple explains iPhone OS 3.1 Exchange changes."
Bricked iPhones caused by the OS 3.1 upgrade failing to apply was a source of complaints by some unhappy iPhone users. Fortunately, there is a fix for most "bricking" incidents: take the following steps to do a factory restore of your iPhone:
1. Press and hold Sleep/Wake and Home until the iPhone resets.
2. When the Apple logo appears release Sleep/Wake, but do not release Home until you see the prompt to connect the iPhone to iTunes.
3. Connect your iPhone to its USB sync cable.
4. iTunes should launch. If it doesn't, launch it manually.
5. Perform a restore of your iPhone's firmware, settings, apps, and media.
A handful of other common problems were reported with the OS 3.1 update for Wi-fi, the compass, and other small items. We've covered many of these in the posts "Major, minor iPhone upgrade problems and how to fix them," and the follow up post "More major, minor iPhone upgrade problems and how to fix them."
If the above fixes don't help with your OS 3.1 issue, consider following the Apple iPhone Troubleshooting Assistant before investing your time in calling AppleCare or visiting the local Genius Bar.
Tell us about your iPhone OS 3.1 upgrade problems in the comments.
One of my biggest complaints about flat-fee GPS apps for the iPhone is the lack of real-time traffic updates. That's about to change.
Navigon AG, the developer of the Navigon MobileNavigator app, announced Wednesday that live traffic capability, called Traffic Live, for its GPS phone application is coming soon. This feature will be available in October for the North American version of the application.
The new Traffic Live feature offers real-time traffic updates for the GPS app.
(Credit: Navigon)This is going to be the third major update for the app. The first and the second updates added the capability to dial up a point of interest from within the app and also added a text-to-speech feature. When available, this third update will make the application the most complete GPS navigation app for the iPhone.
However, there's a catch. As expected, this upcoming update will not be free, rather it will cost another $25 via an in-app purchase, on top of the current $90 price tag for the app itself. (For the first four weeks after its release, however, the Traffic Live feature will be available for an introductory price of $20.) The good news is it's a one-time fee, meaning you won't have to continue to pay to use this feature.
The other GPS application that also offers real-time traffic is the AT&T Navigator,, which doesn't have built-in maps (meaning you will need to have a live cellular data connection to download maps in real time, which can be unreliable) and costs a monthly fee of $10.
According to Navigon, the new Traffic Live feature will provide precise traffic information by using real-time speed data from over 1 million drivers across North America, including commercial fleets such as trucks and taxis, as well as regular drivers with GPS systems. The feature also uses information from traffic cameras, speed sensors, and conventional traffic messages coming through a radio network.
When the new feature is available, the Navigon GPS app will automatically include the traffic information when calculating a route, and provide onscreen alerts indicating new incidents and congestion along the current route.
This is going to be the most exciting update for the app so far. Make sure to check back in October, as I will do another road test of the app to see how this Traffic Live feature pans out.
(Credit:
Matt Hickey)
So Apple on Friday released an update to the iPhone OS (3.0.1) that takes care of an SMS vulnerability. It's a fairly important patch, and usually when Apple updates the iPhone OS, jailbreakers have to wait until the Dev Team comes out with a new version of jailbreaking software before they can update.
But according to the iPhone Dev Team's Twitter, this is not the case with the 3.0.1 firmware. In fact, the current versions of redsn0w and ultrasn0w work the same with the 3.0.1 firmware as they do with the 3.0 firmware that came out a few weeks ago. In short, the jailbreaking software already works. I checked with the Dev Team community and had this confirmed. "Restore to 3.0.1, run redsn0w, select the 3.0 file... Bang zoom."
So go ahead, iPhone hackers, and secure your devices soon. You don't have to worry about losing Cydia and other rogue apps.
(Credit:
Apple, Inc.)
Apple has updated a support document that details MobileMe enhancements for an iPhone running iPhone OS 3.0. The updates include the following features.
Mail
On an iPhone or iPod Touch, a user can search all messages including those stored on the MobileMe "cloud" (server). You can search in the From, To, and Subject fields.
Gallery
- iPhone 3GS users can publish videos to a Gallery album.
- If no Gallery albums exist, an album is automatically created when publishing a photo or video from the iPhone.
Push Contacts and Push Calendar
- There's an option to merge existing contacts and calendars on first sync from iPhone/iPod Touch.
- Deleting a MobileMe account or turning off contact and calendar sync on iPhone/iPod Touch allows users to keep a copy of the data on the device.
- iPhone contacts that sync with MobileMe maintain ringtone associations.
Details regarding Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe are included; we've covered both topics previously.
Apple has a complete list of MobileMe service updates since August 2008 .
(Credit:
Mark/Space, Inc.)
The latest update for Mark/Space's The Missing Sync for iPhone, a popular phone-syncing utility, has fixed the app's compatibility with iPhone OS 3.0. Released this week, version 2.0.2 also adds syncing support for transferring voice mail and voice memos between the iPhone and a Mac.
According to an e-mail sent to users, the app is now completely compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, thus eliminating problems that the prior version had with syncing new notes, text messages, or call history. Now they can be imported into a SMS Log, Call Log, or Mark/Space Notebook.
Mark/Space describes the new features as follows:
- New in Version 2.0.2, The Missing Sync transfers iPhone voice mail and voice memos to the Mac to give you an archive of voice messages and notes. You can organize and play the content in Mark/Space Notebook, a full-featured note-taking application for the Mac that is included with The Missing Sync.
- Save to your Mac favorite and noteworthy voice mails, such as cute messages from the kids and birthday and congratulations wishes. You can archive voice messages to help track client and customer conversations for business purposes.
- Transfer voice memos recorded on your iPhone to your Mac and organize them with text notes in Mark/Space Notebook. This is great for students, seminar attendees, and conference goers.
We downloaded and tested the new version and saw only one issue: he Terms of Service in the installer contained the word "beta," which makes us wonder if the update was final software. At the time of this writing, we could not confirm.
Are you experiencing problems with this application or other applications that interface with your iPhone on your Mac or PC? Did the 2.0.2 update resolve any problems you experienced with the older version? Let us know in the comments.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Updated at 12:15 p.m. PDT
While the majority of commenters on CNET and around the Web are reporting success in downloading iPhone OS 3.0 Wednesday, there were scattered reports of problems.
My colleague Stephen Shankland, a CNET News reporter, tried several times to download the OS update around 12 p.m. Pacific to his iPhone and received the same error message, pictured above, each time.
CNET News Poll
A handful of CNET commenters reported problems accessing iTunes. "I see that the upgrade is now available, but four times the message I get after a couple of minutes is that the download has 'timed out,'" said one reader, and another reported, "Same issue here, cannot connect to the iTunes store to activate so the phone won't work."
A quick perusal of Twitter showed a smattering of people with the same issue.
This, of course, is a repeat of what happened last year, when Apple's iTunes servers couldn't withstand the barrage of traffic when customers tried to update to iPhone 2.0 software at the same time new iPhone 3G buyers were attempting to activate their phones.
Anyone else having problems with the update today?
Update 12:45 p.m. PDT: Reader Michael Samstag wrote in to say his iPhone was rendered unusable when he tried to install the update. "It has the 'connect to iTunes' message and will only allow emergency calls," he says. "I signed up for the 'Apple callback' for tech support and they called back and put me on hold for 20-minutes. Then the call got disconnected and now the earliest callback time is between 6:15 p.m. EDT and 6:30 p.m. EDT. So, I'm looking at having no cell for a minimum of three hours, probably longer."
Gizmodo is also hearing reports of phones "bricked" from the update. We're still waiting for comment from Apple.
Update 1:05 p.m. PDT: We're also getting feedback about general sluggishness and intermittent problems accessing Apple's Mobile Me service. But it sounds like the situation isn't as bad as last year. That was when the simultaneous launch of the iPhone 3G and Mobile Me wreaked havoc on across Apple's servers and related Web services.
Update 2:26 p.m. PDT: My colleague Stephen now reports success in installing the update--after 30 tries over the course of 2.5 hours. Samstag, the reader who earlier reported his phone had been bricked by the update, also says it's working now.
Seems like things are getting back to normal now.
iClarified reports that iPhone users began to receive an AT&T carrier settings update on February 7 in iTunes. This was confirmed when we clicked the Check for Update button in iTunes.
According to the report, "So what is in the update? After extracting the .ipcc file, we saw two new images. Both for AT&T's upcoming 3G MicroCell we wrote about here. The images will most likely be used to indicate if you are on the 3G MicroCell "Network.""
These images appear to be the ones that would be used to let you know if you are connected to a 3G MicroCell or not. They would more than likely appear next to the signal strength indicator that normally reads "AT&T 3G" in the US.
Carrier updates are described in this Apple Knowledge Base http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1970. Basically they are:
iTunes 7.7 and later has the ability to update the carrier specific settings on iPhone with iPhone 2.0 software or later. Carrier settings updates are small files (about 10k) that are downloaded from iTunes to be installed on your iPhone. The carrier settings can include updates to the default APN (how iPhone accesses the carrier's cellular data network), special dialing codes at Settings > Phone > [Carrier] Services, default settings for Stocks, Maps, Weather, and other items.
We covered the 3G MicroCell here previously. We are not exactly sure who will be willing to pay a monthly fee to improve AT&T's service. However if you've been waiting to fix the problem yourself it looks like you won't have to wait much longer.
