iOS 7.1.1 - has Apple lost their mojo?

[pugilato]

Just downloaded the latest iOS update (7.1.1). Just clicked update and let the phone do its thing, as usual. Except this time it went into a full phone restore. Oh crap. This has been a whole thing, having to connect to iTunes. Then iTunes says it can't recognize the phone cause it needs to be restored. But the phone wont let you restore... After a while of panicked moments, I think the thing is back online. Haven't used Windows in a while, but this whole process reminded me of the whole hassle that it was to install things on the computer.

I am finding that since Steve Jobs' untimely death, Apple is getting sloppy. My iPhone 4s overheated and then would not take a charge which forced me to buy a new iPhone. The tech guy who helped me told me that iOS 7.0.3 (or whatever) keeps all applications on the phone open simultaneously which the 4s was not designed to handle. So you have to double click the home button and swipe off any applications you aren't using.

I'm also more than a bit ticked off at their charging me $30 for the thingy that allows me to connect the 5s (with the smaller connector) to all my stuff (that had the bigger connector).

WTF, Apple. Someone, help me restore my faith in the fruit.

[attachthumb=#]

 

[jimmylittle]

I don't think it has anything to do with Jobs.  The iPhone 4 (the last iPhone under Jobs) sold 9 million units in it's first year.  The latest iPhone 5S sold 9 million units in its first weekend.  When you're dealing with that kind of scale, you're bound to have a few duds. 

Let me say, I'm also a developer, so I may be biased. 

I have owned every iPhone and iPad ever.  I get the new one and hand down the old one to a family member.  I have never had an issue with any of them, hardware or software. I have the same problems others do, like the battery issues in the iOS 7.0 release, but 7.1 fixed it. 

Sorry you're having issues, but I don't think it's part of a bigger issue.  Your tech guy that told you to close the apps by swiping them off the app switcher screen is misinformed.  The software shuts down apps as they need memory.  Most of the apps you see in the app switcher are already shut down anyway. The screenshots are just there to make it easier to find them. That being said, if you are having battery issues, closing network heavy apps like Skype, Facebook, and the like will help, as those do background refreshes even if the app is suspended.

As far as the connector goes, the big one was 11 years old and had to go, if you ask me.  The hole in my phone was always full of sawdust, and cleaning it was always scary because there were a lot of little pins in there.  The new one has a tiny hole with no pins.  Much easier!

 

[wow]

I am finding that since Steve Jobs' untimely death, Apple is getting sloppy. My iPhone 4s overheated and then would not take a charge which forced me to buy a new iPhone. The tech guy who helped me told me that iOS 7.0.3 (or whatever) keeps all applications on the phone open simultaneously which the 4s was not designed to handle. So you have to double click the home button and swipe off any applications you aren't using.

Sorry bro, but check your calendar. Both the iPhone 5 and IOS 7 were developed under Steve's watch. His demise is unrelated to your issues, and vice-versa.

I'm also more than a bit ticked off at their charging me $30 for the thingy that allows me to connect the 5s (with the smaller connector) to all my stuff (that had the bigger connector).

It's called progress. It's no different than Festool/Tanos coming out with a systainer that's somewhat different than the former one. It has some benefits, of course, but it also has some limitations like the fact that fewer mini's fit inside some models than used to. It's a compromise, but generally a favorable one. It happens to every product - if it survives!

Apple. Someone, help me restore my faith in the fruit.

If you REALLY want to help, join the developer program and become a beta tester. You don't have to be software expert or anything. The cost is $99, and via feedback reports you'll have DIRECT ACCESS to the people who write the code and make the decisions. Here's the link:

http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/

 

[JesseMcCormickIV]

i have the new iOS on an iPhone 4 and i am not usually able to do it over wifi but this one i was able to.  i have not had any problems with it yet. sorry that you are having any problems are you using a mac or a pc for back up.

 

[NHSP759]

I don't even have a laptop any longer. I have the Ipad 4 and the iPhone 5s and I'd both updates over wifi....no problems. This coming from a guy who was a die hard Droid guy with nothing good to say about iOS products. After about five months with the iphone I am hooked. But I digress, no problems doing the newest updates over wifi. I was told the 4 and 4s did not have enough memory for the newer updates but looks like the verizon guy was wrong!

 

[nclemmons]

Updated an iPad, iPhone and iPod to 7.1.1 with no issues. 

Sorry you were having to reinstall everything.  That takes some time.

Hope it got back to normal.

To Apple's credit, I was moving my iTunes library from one computer to another and had issues with iCloud.  Called the support line and it was seamless as they looped in a desktop, cloud, and mobile person on the call to resolve some issues with authorizations. 

in contrast, I made 7 calls to Comcast this week with three house visits trying to get my on-demand working.  Every time someone could not handle the issue they transfer me to another 'specialist' and I have to reauthenticate with name, email, SSN 4 digits, address.  What a joke and lousy customer experience.

Like a night-and-day experience to compare the two.

 

[Theshipstore]

I load exit up on 3 iPhone 5 and 3 iPads thru wifi with no problems at all,, the problem seems so strange to me, wish I had an answer to give to help out

 

[tjacks66]

I am a dedicated Apple user and left Microsoft after years of problems, mainly software. Unfortunately, I can honestly Apple has gotten worse since Jobs died. There is a noticeable increase in software problems on iOS - shutdowns, freezing,etc. that was never there before. It's noticeable because there rarely were ever these kinds of problems before. Innovation is absent or takes years to happen now.

I think the biggest impact of Steve being gone is the loss of his ingenuity and perfectionism - people at Apple were driven to perform and not "disappoint" him, and you can see that is now gone. I would be afraid to be on his bad side - not so now with Cook. Jobs created things that people didn't even know they needed until Apple made it. They lost a genius.

 

[NVA_WW]

I had the same issue on my iPad 3.  No issues with another iPad and 2 iPhone 5S.  I was also disappointed when I got the error, but I believed it was a hardware issue.  I've been thinking of upgrading my iPad and I thought this was just Jobs telling me to do it now  . . .

 

[tjbnwi]

I am a dedicated Apple user and left Microsoft after years of problems, mainly software. Unfortunately, I can honestly Apple has gotten worse since Jobs died. There is a noticeable increase in software problems on iOS - shutdowns, freezing,etc. that was never there before. It's noticeable because there rarely were ever these kinds of problems before. Innovation is absent or takes years to happen now.

I think the biggest impact of Steve being gone is the loss of his ingenuity and perfectionism - people at Apple were driven to perform and not "disappoint" him, and you can see that is now gone. I would be afraid to be on his bad side - not so now with Cook. Jobs created things that people didn't even know they needed until Apple made it. They lost a genius.

The biggest difference is, Steve Jobs could and would bet the entire worth of Apple on a project. He was not beholding to the shareholders because he did not care what they thought. It is/was this be dammed attitude that brought Apple back from the brink of extinction. No other CEO will be able to get away with that type of "guidance" of the company.

All of my iOS devices update fine over WiFi.

Tom

 

[Kev]

I've noticed some instability in Safari on OSX lately. Hanging, etc.

Out of character for Apple [sad]

 

[woodguy7]

3 ipads & 2 iphones all updated fine over wi fi.  I couldn't be happier with Apple & don't think i would ever go back to PC or Android.

 

[pugilato]

It just seems to me that they have become sloppier than usual. A bunch of iOS updates. Updates that take you places that I am not used to with Apple. The restore was to the last backup, over two months ago... I thought it backed up every time it was plugged in and connected to WiFi. So I have lost everything since then. Sheesh, a little warning and I would have backed up the thing manually.

 

[bkharman]

It just seems to me that they have become sloppier than usual. A bunch of iOS updates. Updates that take you places that I am not used to with Apple. The restore was to the last backup, over two months ago... I thought it backed up every time it was plugged in and connected to WiFi. So I have lost everything since then. Sheesh, a little warning and I would have backed up the thing manually.

No offense to anyone, but you should ALWAYS back up before any update, windows, Mac, android, iOS, anything that you have the potential to lose anything.

I run a highly effective DevOps (Agile) software company and we tell each and every customer "look, we have very solid software and there is a high probability that everything will be fine, but do you want to risk any type of loss if it doesn't go right?  This is why people pay for insurance...  In case $h!t happens!"

Generally, backups are thought of in hindsight, but we make it policy that we will not install anything without the proper backup in place, it is just not worth it.

That being said, apple has several backup options for iPhone and iPad users. Most common (what I use) is to have it back up to iCloud every time it has wifi and connected to power.

I have been working with Apple (both as a customer and a vendor) for over 12 years and I can say that they haven't been putting out crap code, the volume of changes they put into 7.x is the main culprit. There is an extensive list of items to cross check against every item, even with diligent QA, things will be missed. I guess I am sympathetic as I know what these .1 and .1.1 releases entail...  Hundreds of thousands of man hours each time. I don't expect perfection...  Just look at the TS 55r

 

[jimmylittle]

Unfortunately, I can honestly Apple has gotten worse since Jobs died. There is a noticeable increase in software problems on iOS - shutdowns, freezing,etc. that was never there before.

The real reason there is a noticeable increase in software bugs is not because of Jobs.  Remember the first Maps?  That was Jobs.  Remember the perceived (but not actual) signal problems with the iPhone 4?  Jobs.  iPod socks? Apple HiFi?  Jobs.  People forget that things went wrong under him, as well. 

The real reason the software has more bugs is that there is just MORE in the software.  The same iOS does a lot more stuff than it did 3 years ago.  Everyone complains that iOS is too limited, and we want to do more with it.  Then as features are introduced, we complain that there are more bugs.  That's the tradeoff.  More features just means more complexity, and more issues getting to a stable platform.  Blame the company if you choose, but it isn't because Jobs is dead, it's because the company keeps moving forward.

 

[bkharman]

Unfortunately, I can honestly Apple has gotten worse since Jobs died. There is a noticeable increase in software problems on iOS - shutdowns, freezing,etc. that was never there before.

The real reason there is a noticeable increase in software bugs is not because of Jobs.  Remember the first Maps?  That was Jobs.  Remember the perceived (but not actual) signal problems with the iPhone 4?  Jobs.  iPod socks? Apple HiFi?  Jobs.  People forget that things went wrong under him, as well. 

Remember Ping?

 

[Paul G]

I've got a iphone 4 and 7.1 was a huge improvement in both features and general usability, haven't pulled the trigger yet on the latest update, just need to back things up first. I barely scratch the surface of what I can do with it.

 

[bkharman]

For most folks, 7.1.1 will help a lot with battery life. I used to get down in the 30% range towards the end if the day. Since the upgrade, I have been over 50% most days now.

Have heard reports of even better results as well. I am on iPhone 5.

 

[Dave Hale]

Talking about customer service nightmares made me remember this app: FastCustomer

You pick the company and it walks thru the service menu, handles the wait time then calls you back when a live person is on.
No. More. Being. On. Hold.  [eek]
Companies pay them to make accessing their service menus easier, so it's free for us.
I use it at least once a month, works perfect. I've used it to call me back on cell and my office number.
Festool isn't in there, but we all know why.

Oh yeah, forgot. Android/IOS/or Text