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Steve Jobs: iPhone 3G reception issues affect 2% of total units shipped; software update coming soon

Monday, August 18, 2008 · 3:00 pm · 24 Comments

A MacRumors reader claims to have received a response from Apple CEO Steve Jobs after emailing in a complaint regarding iPhone 3G connectivity issues.

Arnold Kim reports for MacRumors, “According to the email response which is addressed from Steve Jobs, the 3G connectivity issue affects 2% of iPhones shipped and is fixable through a software update. The email response was as follows.”

We are working on some bugs which affect around 2% of the iPhones shipped, and hope to have a software update soon.

Steve

Kim reports, “Steve Jobs (or someone acting on his behalf) has been known to provide brief responses to select emails addressed to him.”

Full article here.

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Comment Feed

24 Comments

Yup

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:05 pm · Reply

Thats pretty cool that Steve (or someone pretending to be him) gave a response.
Greg M

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:06 pm · Reply

Cool if you can trust what Steve says. He has lied about products before and will again.
MikeR

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:11 pm · Reply

GregM
I suppose Steve Ballmer hasn’t?
MikeR

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:12 pm · Reply

Steve Jobs doesn’t say much, which is okay with me. What has he lied about?
Think

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:19 pm · Reply

If this is true, then good news. At 3 million sold, (I don’t know current numbers) 2% is about 60,000.

That’s the problem with very successful launches, even 2% can be an large amount of phones.
bll

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:24 pm · Reply

Steve lied about Greg M… and that’s the truth.
R2

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:25 pm · Reply

This is bullshit. There’s going to be a recall and it will be a disaster for Apple. It’s going to be breaking news on CNN, Fox and MSNBC when they announce it.
bizlaw

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:33 pm · Reply

@R2:

What makes you so sure there will be a recall? If the hardware is fine, then a software update should be able to fix the problem. A much better solution for users than returning their iPhones and waiting for a new one.

If it is a hardware problem, and only affects 2% of iPhones, then Apple will take the opportunity to make a good PR face on this, perhaps by offering an Apple store or iTunes gift card.

No matter what happens, it won’t be a disaster for Apple. The company knows how to take a bad situation and turn it to its benefit.
Hmmmm

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:34 pm · Reply

I don’t buy the 2% number at all. It seems pretty unlikely that I’m affected as well as all of my friends (in 3 different states) by something as random as a 2% problem.
DanielM

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:38 pm · Reply

@GregM

“He lied…”

To say somebody “lied” is quite an serious accusation. Perhaps you better look up the definition first, and if you so believe such, perhaps you could enlighten me.

With supportive references, please.
Ashley Grayson

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:39 pm · Reply

@Hmmmm

“I don’t buy the 2% number at all. It seems pretty unlikely that I’m affected as well as all of my friends (in 3 different states) by something as random as a 2% problem.”

That’s the joy of random. Sometimes you do get a hundred 7s in a row.
Chaz Legwarmer

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:41 pm · Reply

DanielM thinks I’m sexy. And that’s the truth. I am hot. Like FYE-ORE!!
Anonymous©

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:44 pm · Reply

IF, there’s a recall, it’ll be a simple hardware exchange. And, that’s a big “if”.
wannabe

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:50 pm · Reply

Contrary to what people seem to believe, it’s very common to see a hardware problem that can be resolved with a software workaround. In many cases the performance hit from the workaround is negligible or even nonexistent.

As an example, I’ll submit the numerous CPU bugs that have emerged over the years (affecting processors designed by every major chip manufacturer). The general public is never aware of 99% of these because the workaround is quickly implemented in software and rolled into OS updates.
Say what?

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:52 pm · Reply

I don’t think I buy it. A small portion of the phones having as issue suggests hardware, not software. Like one piece of the hardware being produced by a different vendor than the others.

If we are all running the same software, why would a software update fix the issue? It’s not like we have peripherals connected that are causing problems.
gum is good

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 3:59 pm · Reply

I like gum. But not bubble gum. Juicy fruit is good. But not real good. Best gum tastes yum.
DMania

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 4:12 pm · Reply

No way… Everyone I know that has the 3G is having problems.
G4Dualie

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 4:16 pm · Reply

R2 is becoming quite the drama queen… your response sounds a bit hysterical and shrill and I don’t understand that. Usually your posts are metered and balanced and you obviously give some thought to what you write, but not today.

Only those directly involved with this operation — who have the means to measure ALL the feedback — can appreciate the scope of the problem. They’re conducting trend analysis even as we speak and when they are better able to understand the problem, they’ll issue a fix.

Until then does anyone doubt SJ is being briefed regularly? Seriously though, the decision to move forward doesn’t have to come from the CEO and I’m sure the person in charge of this has a handle on things.
R2

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 4:19 pm · Reply

I digress.
treestman

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 4:41 pm · Reply

@Hmmmm,

“It seems pretty unlikely that I’m affected as well as all of my friends (in 3 different states) by something as random as a 2% problem.”

Sadly, a lot of people who think they have “the problem”, do not. They’re going to find out the hard way when a fix is distributed and they still don’t get the kind of access they want.

@Say What?

“A small portion of the phones having as issue suggests hardware, not software.”

Firmware is software. There is a lot that “hardware” can do — rightly or wrongly — that is controlled via the firmware. Whole features can be turned off, or on, or modified. The idea that a firmware upgrade can fix this issue is not only reasonable, it’s likely. I’d be shocked if a recall were necessary.

Apple’s biggest problem gets back to my reply to Hmmmm above. There are people convinced their reception isn’t good enough, so they must have “the problem” (as if varying reception on a cell device never existed before). When “the fix” arrives be prepared for numerous people — likely within minutes — to claim it doesn’t work.
dolita

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 5:35 pm · Reply

no feckin way it’s 2%. more like 40%!
BC Kelly

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 5:50 pm · Reply

“Steve Jobs … has been known to provide brief responses to select emails addressed to him.”

Really ?

Ok, what is that address ?

steve@apple.com ?
stevejobs@apple.com ?
sj@apple.com ?
hisroyalsteveness@apple.com ?

or, ya gonna love this one:

donotfsckwithmymobilemelaunchoriwillhaveyourassforlunch@apple.com ?

BC
elgruga

Monday, August 18, 2008 - 8:53 pm · Reply

I have an iPhone 3G. Its great.
NO problems at all. Excellent d/l on 3G, no dropped calls, no slow apps, everything actually – JUST WORKS!

Therefore, NO-ONE is having problems. OK? Good.

Now STFU.

<b> @ Dolita – you sir, are a frickin’ moron. Got that? Good.
@R2

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 7:18 am · Reply

you’re a bitter and twisted little dell user arn’t you?