With its typical lack of fanfare, Apple has released the iPhone 2.0.1 software, just three weeks after the release of the iPhone 3G and 2.0 software. The release notes were short even by Apple standards: “Bug fixes.” Great description for the 249.2MB download. iPhone users know the drill: plug it in, fire up iTunes and click “Check for updates.”
There has been a fair amount of kvetching on MacRumors, TUAW, Gizmodo and elsewhere about iPhone 2.0 software, calling it buggy and unstable. For what it’s worth, after three weeks with the 3G phone the only thing I didn’t like was the 3G. I rarely had any bars and it frequently dropped calls. Plus, the battery ran dry very fast. When I disabled 3G, the phone stabilized. No more dropped calls, good, clear audio, and longer battery life.
Of much greater concern is the numerous reports of cracks appearing in the plastic around the phone. With the 3G design, Apple shifted from a mostly metal back to an all-plastic back, and people are finding cracks around places like the phone jack, volume buttons and other parts of the case.
Apple has not formally acknowledged the problems, so it remains to be seen how this is handled. If these cracks worsen and the phones fall apart, will there be a recall/replacement? Or will they pass the buck and say users are abusing the phones? This could get very interesting. Or ugly.
Be that as it may, I love the phone and don’t want any other.
