“Complaints over dropped calls and choppy Web connections on Apple’s iPhone 3G have sparked a wave of debate in the blogosphere over the root cause of the problems. Two well-placed sources tell BusinessWeek.com the glitches are related to a chip inside Apple’s music-playing cell phone. The sources add that Apple plans to remedy the problems through a software upgrade rather than through a more disruptive step, such as a product recall,” Peter Burrows reports for BusinessWeek.
MacDailyNews Take: Good news! This is the best case scenario for all involved: Apple, Infineon, and iPhone users.
Burrows continues, “The news reinforces analysis by Richard Windsor of Nomura Securities, who said in an Aug. 12 report that the problem involves a communications chip made by Munich-based Infineon Technologies. Faulty software on the chip causes problems when the iPhone needs to switch from wireless networks that allow for faster Web downloads to slower ones, the people say.”
“One source says the problem lies squarely with Infineon’s technology, which is fairly new and untested in high volumes outside a lab setting… glitches may also stem from Apple’s software or the AT&T network. Part of the role of the Infineon chip is to check whether there’s enough 3G bandwidth available in a given area. If 3G isn’t available or there isn’t enough bandwidth, the iPhone will be shifted to a slower network. One source says Apple programmed the Infineon chip to demand a more powerful 3G signal than the iPhone really requires. So if too many people try to make a call or go on the Internet in a given area, some of the devices will decide there’s insufficient power and switch to the slower network—even if there is enough 3G bandwidth available,” Burrows reports.
“According to this person, the problems are only occurring in areas of high iPhone density. These include the San Francisco Bay area, Boston, and certain overseas locales. The reason the problem has gotten worse in recent days is because of the steep increase in iPhone activations in these places. The more people who are trying to use a given piece of gear, the more likely they are to get bumped,” Burrows reports.
More details in the full article – recommended – here.
Bring on the update!!
This is another reason Apple needs to be doing own chip design and not rely on apparently less than competent outside designs. Infineon may want to be known going forward as Inferioron.
“Infineon may want to be known going forward as Inferioron.”
Or Interferon.
Yet again, the power of the iTunes hub. A simple download and sync and everything is fixed.
Verizon folks have to go to their store and get their $299 visual voicemail installed for them.
Nick Fury – I like it!!
I don’t buy it. It’s just talking about switching between edge and 3g. That shouldn’t cause dropped calls or the other problems that people are having. There’s more to it then that. Let’s face it, Apple is never completely straightforward with their customers about problems with their products. Can we say MBP? I had to dump my MBP for a Macbook because the MBP is so buggy.
There is something seriously wrong with the 3g phone and Apple doesn’t want to recall them. My 2g iphone operated much smoother and was more responsive then my 3g. I have to restart my 3g at least once or twice a day.
I have a feeling that we’re going to hear that there is no problem from Apple on this except a simple software update. However, Apple’s next revision of the iphone will have the hardware fix that’s needed and all of us 3g users will be stuck with having to pay for the fix by upgrading to the new iphone. Apple won’t recall the 3g.
Greg,
While I agree that Apple has always held their cards close to the vest, and they have always been hard to convince to actually hold a recall, I disagree that there is a SERIOUS problem with the 3G iPhone that would require a recall itself.
I’ve got one that I bought on the 11th like a lot of other folks, and after doing a total restore that afternoon to get the updated version of 2.0, I have not required more than two reboots in the time since, at least one of which seemed to be the result of a problem with a third party app.
I am willing to wait to see what Apple comes up with – they are usually, in my experience, pretty good about finally getting their ducks in line eventually.
@Greg M…
The iphone uses its 3g connection (or E) for its calling. Which completely explains the problem. This is the reason you can still get e-mail and surf the web while you are talking on the phone.
I am more hopeful they fix the problem of slow contacts access and search with the next update. I consistently have to wait between three to five seconds when trying to find a contact. Even when you go to the phone and then select recents, favourites, contacts the thing just sits there waiting. I have 2.01 and it didn’t really fix the problem at all.
Ahh yesss, 3G, the holy grail sought by many to be the end all for fast downloads.
Seems the infastructure is not quite up to handling the load and will push you back down to Edge?
So, if you live in the country, there is no 3G.
If you live in a major metro city, too many people might be using it and 3G is overloaded.
The bonus for all this 3G goodness is half the battery life.
I’ll stick with Edge and Wifi.
This doesn’t strike me as good news, necessarily. If the article is to be believed, there’s a problem on the chip that Apple is going to fix with a software patch? That certainly sounds like a hack to me as opposed to an actual fix–I don’t see how a software patch could really “fix” a hardware glitch.
@Greg
I live in an area of no 3G service so I haven’t had a chance to notice any problems there, Edge service seems unchanged (if slightly better reception). The thing that bugs me, that is present on both iPhones, is the e-mail lockup. After a while it refuses to check e-mail, either automatically or by command, and I have to restart the iPhone in order to get it back up and running.
As I said I’ve experienced this on the first iPhone and the 3G iPhone, so it’s not hardware. I didn’t experience this on the first iPhone before v2 update, so it’s something with the updated software…
Ampar = Nick Fury
My understanding was that the iPhone 3G used the GSM network for voice calls, and the 3G network helped to support the calls for increased clarity and reception. I don’t think the calls are 100% handled by the 3G chipset here in the US. Perhaps in Japan where there is very little GSM and fantastic 3G coverage.
Regardless, a good friend of mine calls me often on his iPhone 3G (to my original iPhone – you can have it when you pry my cold dead fingers from it’s lovely aluminum body!!!), and we constantly get dropped calls. It’s driving him nuts right now.
You guys are agreeing with me
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> I have the slow contacts problem, dropped calls, signal strength jumping up and down (while standing in the same spot), and email lockup that requires me to restart the iphone so that it will check my email.
I did not have these problems with my 2g iphone. The 3g does give me slightly better reception and that makes a big difference in lower signal areas. That is when the signal strength isn’t bouncing around.
There is something seriously wrong with the 3g. It has more features but is a step backwards in reliability from the 2g. I hope they can find a fix that doesn’t involve a recall
I still stand by my statement that if Apple finds that it’s a hardware issue they will come out with a revision (marketed as an upgrade) instead of a recall and we’ll be stuck having to pay for the fix ourselves.
@haribo
its called a firmware update
all hardware, at least in the digital world is controlled by software. How do you think they fix the mars rover from a bazillion miles away
It is useless to blame Infineon. People buy the iPhone from Apple and ATT, not Infineon. I don’t know one iPhone owner who has paid a penny to Infineon. It is Apple’s and ATT’s responsiblity to ensure it works right BEFORE they sell it to the public. That is one of the things they are being paid to do. Somebody in Apple needs to wake up! First MobileMe, now this. Not so good.
I just think the software wasn’t ready…I’m hoping 2.1 will take us to Nirvana.
The slow contacts and email lockup problems are due to the 2.0 software, not the device, since they also occur on my 2G iPhone.
What is important here is to note that it often takes “shouting and screaming” about problems to get the attention of developers, including and especially Apple.
Many people here assume Apple can do no wrong. It seems they’re doing more wrong all the time these days so apologizing for them and kowtowing to them won’t help.
They need to be held to the standards THEY created.
Hmmm…
These chips are used in other phones without such problems.
“Our 3G chips are, for example, used in Samsung handsets and we are not aware of such problems there,” Gaugler says.
This would suggest to me that the problem is not in the chip but in the software Apple created for using the chip, which would make sense considering that someone is reporting that there will be a software fix.
Apple is notorious with their product fixes. Remember years ago it took someone put a video on the web before Apple came out and provided a battery replacement service for the then-new iPod?
Well maybe they think they can fix a bad design on the 3G chipset with a software fix. We will see. But this whole “press leak” in the Newsweek smells like someone is in serious denial and drag their legs to provide a prompt and thorough resolution to this nagging issue. Only a lot of negative publicity will wake them up.
@haribo>/b>
You dont understand the subject, so best not to make a comment.
<b> @Greg M
Stop making pronouncements – you arent the Pope, and you arent any kind of authority.
Do yourself a favor and TAKE the FRICKIN iPhone into an Apple store and have someone LOOK at it.
Whats the point of posting your idiot rants here?
As for the MacBookPro beig buggy, STFU and go away, you anecdotal moron.
@Welland
There is zero real evidence that Apple werent already putting a battery replacement program together.
I seriously doubt that a video on the web is going to make Apple introduce a new program.
MDN is attracting some illogical crap today.
WTF?
There are a FEW iPhones having reception problems – maybe.
(Yes, a a couple of thousand is a few)
I have the 3G, and it has been mostly perfect. Multiple millions are NOT having any problems, so lets try to keep this in proportion, shall we?
You guys talk as if Apple was releasing crap – that is NOT the case, is it?
So there may be another firmware upgrade. So what?
Get on with your lives and quit whining.
@ Greg M
“I have the slow contacts problem, dropped calls, signal strength jumping up and down (while standing in the same spot), and email lockup that requires me to restart the iphone so that it will check my email.”
All that can be explained by the iPhone switching back and forth between G3 and G2 transmissions. A simple software patch could make the iPhone ignore the software-on-chip instructions and use new software parameters for switching.
Firmware can be fixed without chip replacement.