3G and iOS4.2.1

schweb said:

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Keep in mind that iPhone 3G’s hardware isn’t as fast and it’s RAM is literally a quarter of iPhone 4′s so if you think you're ever going to see a major improvement, you're kidding yourself.

That would be like me saying, why didn't 10.5 give a huge performance boost to my ancient iBook G3?

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Yeppers - Apple changed the playing field of phones with the iPhone. Phones today are going through the cycle of ever improving hardware and software that can make use of that hardware.

We're seeing what we saw during the 90's in computers... Everything doubled speedwise every 12 months or less during that decade. Processor speeds doubled, GPU doubled, the amount of memory you needed doubled... A 12 month old computer during that time frame and you couldn't even launch the new game that just came out much less play it.

If you're going to be in the smartphone market today, you've got to learn to live with it or get out of it and go back to that Nokia that does nothing but make and receive phone calls. Or, back to the smartphones that what you get is all you're ever going to get - no upgrades coming, no new features coming... It'll always work exactly the way it did the day you brought it home with whatever features it had and that's it.

schweb said:

Actually a lot of 3G owners are saying things got a little better with 4.2.1. So I think your expectations are just a little whacked honestly.

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I did a few moire tests and I still stand by my post above. I wonder if some of the people who are seeing no improvement need to start over and install from a fresh install?

When 4.1 cane out the difference was quite noticeable here compared to 4.0 or even 4.0.2. Anandtech did a test on the 3G when 4.1 was released and his numbers matched what I was seeing. 4.2 from what I can see here after a day of testing, has cured the last few issues I was having with 4.1 including the pause in typing when the keyboard first popped up. I am not getting any delay here now with 4.2.1. That and the few applications that took longer to launch also seem much faster and close to IOS3.

Don't know what else to say. I know what I am seeing and experiencing for sure! That lag especially when typing drove me crazy when I was on the move and trying to update data really fast.

I hope Anandtech does another 3G test comparing IOS3 to 4.0.2 and 4.1 and 4.2.1.

dtravis7 said:

Baggss, just a note, since the 4.2.1 update my 3G is the fastest it's been since 4.0. I would say it feels just as fast with everything I have tried as with IOS 3 on it.

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My wife says hers feels faster but not as fast as iOS 3. As was pointed out, there seems to be inconsistency. This could have to do with the footprint of iOS 4 on the phone, what's on the phone app or storage wise, if there are any unknown system corruptions etc. Even feeling fast though, the fact is that the 3G is just old at this point, in the same way that my Quad G5 is old. Sure it works but sometime in the near future (the G5 has reached this point already) the software is going to leave the hardware behind. It's already been done for the original iPhones and the 3G community is going to have to face the reality as well. Fighting it isn't going to make it work any better.

Baggss, trust me, if I could afford an iPhone 4 I would buy it! I am just glad for now Apple got IOS4 working good enough so I can put that off till I have more $$$ if you know what I mean!

schweb said:

Actually a lot of 3G owners are saying things got a little better with 4.2.1. So I think your expectations are just a little whacked honestly.

Keep in mind that iPhone 3G’s hardware isn’t as fast and it’s RAM is literally a quarter of iPhone 4′s so if you think you're ever going to see a major improvement, you're kidding yourself.

That would be like me saying, why didn't 10.5 give a huge performance boost to my ancient iBook G3?

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Baggs, I was expecting 4.2.1 to improve the slow downs that 4.0 caused. It was supposed to make the 3G usable again like it was before I went to iOS 4, so I was NOT expecting a miracle and for it to be a screaming machine after 4.2.1. I was just expecting something, anything, but I got noting.

I know the 3G is older and slower than the 3Gs and 4G so no need to tell me what I know, and I really dont think my exceptions are "whacked" like you stated.

when I do get a new phone, I will be sure you are the first to know

james515 said:

Baggs, I was expecting 4.2.1 to improve the slow downs that 4.0 caused. It was supposed to make the 3G usable again like it was before I went to iOS 4, so I was NOT expecting a miracle and for it to be a screaming machine after 4.2.1. I was just expecting something, anything, but I got noting.

I know the 3G is older and slower than the 3Gs and 4G so no need to tell me what I know, and I really dont think my exceptions are "whacked" like you stated.

when I do get a new phone, I will be sure you are the first to know

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If there is no improvement in speed from 4.0 to 4.2.1 there has to be something wrong with your iPhone. If that were true, I would be seeing things (a stopwatch never lies) and Anandtech who measured the difference is seeing things. There is something going on and I think Baggss nailed it in his reply.

BTW you quoted Schweb but kept saying Baggss. It was Schweb who said what you are replying to.

baggss said:

Multi-Tasking was never advertised to work with the 3G, only the 3Gs and 4. You can JB the phone to get it if you like.

Frankly, there is no point in upgrading that I can see. My 3G slowed way down with iOS 4 and I knew it wasn't going to get better. That's why I went and bought a 4.




You don't have to like it, but the fact is the 3G is simply outdated. Period. Technology has moved on much as it will have for the iPhone 4 by the time my current contract is up. It's inevitable and Apple is on a pretty clear repetitive cycle. Every 24 months your current phone will be outdated, amazingly that matches up (more or less, especially if you put any forethought into when in that cycle you made your iPhone purchase) with AT&Ts contract cycle. You can accept it, explore your options, make an educated choice, or you can whine like a 12 year old girl. It is what it is.

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My issue is not with the tech itself, being outdated etc. My 3G is the only piece of tech that I won that's more or less out dated. My problem is getting forcing the hand to switch, screwing people over in this particular case, and not caring about it. So then yes, I will "whine like a little girl". I'm not making any attempts to rally against Apple, boycott the iPhone's etc. The way Apple dealt with 3G (and to some smaller degree 3GS users) was in very poor taste, doesn't mean that I'm never touching an Apple product or again or giving up my mac.

Your argument about new and old tech is irrelevant here, because Apple's behavior is what's in question, and THAT is what it is regardless of phones apparent age.

How are they screwing anyone over? You bought a phone, it delivered what it promised to deliver. You can't be upset because an old piece of hardware can't get all the benefits of newer software releases. No tech works that way, sorry. I think you're just being unrealistic.

TheGreatApple said:

Your argument about new and old tech is irrelevant here, because Apple's behavior is what's in question, and THAT is what it is regardless of phones apparent age.

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So you're mad at Apple becasue you made an uninformed decision? That's mature. How is your lack of forethought Apples fault? Do you get mad at the company that made your car because the price of gas went up after you bought it, it doesn't get as good gas mileage as the newest models do it and it costs more to operate?

Did you research before upgrading? Did you wait a week or 2 and see what other were saying? Did you do anything besides just hit that "Update" button? Didn't think so. Whine on....

schweb said:

How are they screwing anyone over? You bought a phone, it delivered what it promised to deliver. You can't be upset because an old piece of hardware can't get all the benefits of newer software releases. No tech works that way, sorry. I think you're just being unrealistic.

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I disagree.

I bought a phone and it delivered.

Then Apple brought out an update and did not indicate the 3G could not cope with it. So I updated and the phone is worse than it was (i.e. unusable).

They brought out a 'fix', which fixed the phone so much it no longer gets a data connection. Orange (my data provider) have confirmed everything is setup correctly but still it is a WiFi iPod Touch which also works as a plain ordinary phone, not a proper smartphone. I get a 3G signal, but no data connection.

It is basically scrap anyway and has been replaced by an Android, so I suppose I might as well try 4.2 on it. However, there is no way I am going to risk losing £600 by letting it near my iPad.

Enjoy your Android...lol

Nighthawk4 said:

I disagree.

I bought a phone and it deliver. However, there is no way I am going to risk losing £600 by letting it near my iPad.

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Paranoid much?

It'll work fine on your iPad since it is significantly newer hardware that your old 3G. A friend of mine updated his 2 month old iPad yesterday and seems to love 4.2.1 on it.

Android? Ok, enjoy THAT.

dtravis7 said:

Baggss, trust me, if I could afford an iPhone 4 I would buy it! I am just glad for now Apple got IOS4 working good enough so I can put that off till I have more $$$ if you know what I mean!

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I feel you. I was lucky to be able to upgrade when I did and am looking for an opportunity to update my wife's phone too.