Mobile devices Toolkit

Apple issues iPhone 2.1 software to squish bugs

Tom Krazit CNET News.com

Published: 15 Sep 2008 11:48 BST

Apple has released version 2.1 of its iPhone software, promising a wealth of bug fixes for a device that has suffered a number of problems.

Chief executive Steve Jobs had promised the iPhone update in a speech made on Tuesday during a launch event for next-generation iPod music players, saying: "This is a big update, and it fixes lots of bugs."

The company's software update page says the update will lead to:

A decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls
Significantly better battery life for most users
Dramatically reduced time to back up to iTunes
Improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
Faster installation of third-party applications
The fixing of bugs that cause hangs and crashes for users with lots of third-party applications
Improved performance in text messaging
Faster loading and searching of contacts
Improved accuracy of the 3G signal-strength display
Alerts being repeated up to two additional times for incoming text messages
The enabling of an option to wipe data after 10 failed password attempts

Read this

Photos: Cracking open Apple's iPhone 3G

Investigating the inner workings of Apple's smartphone...

The page also instructs iPhone owners to use the latest version of iTunes to perform the update.

The iPhone 3G has generally won acclaim for its design and the range of third-party applications that can now run on the device, although some users have said they miss features such as copy and paste and voice-command dialling. Network-connectivity troubles and other issues have also tarnished the iPhone 3G's debut.

Credit: Apple stomps bugs with iPhone 2.1 software release from CNET News.com