Keefer Madness

iPhone 2.0 Software – My Take a Few Weeks Into 2.0

// July 31st, 2008 // Apple, Computers

The iPhone’s second major release was oft hyped and many waited with baited breath for its release a few short weeks ago here in the summer of 2008.

So here are some random thoughts and opinions on the current state of the iPhone 2.0 software and the applications that came with it – most of which have already been said before:

1. 2.0 needs a 2.0.1 or some other decimal place version. 2.0 is a straight up beta, albeit a wide beta. But it’s slow, buggy and lacks Apple’s normal polish.

2. There are a ton of apps, with a ton of redundant apps. Like everyone else, I’ve downloaded a bunch of them and just as quickly gotten rid of them. I applaud all the developers, but a lot of these apps aren’t worth the space they take up. That being said, there are a ton of great free apps. The saying, “you get what you pay for,” doesn’t always hold true.

3. Updating and syncing needs some work. A lot are complaining of how long it takes to backup and sync, but that doesn’t bother me as much as the syncing and upgrading problems. If I delete an app from my phone, I don’t want it added back at the next sync. There’s gotvto be a way that it can look and utilize the latest add or remove request to know whether to add or delete a given app.

4. The more apps I add (IM, Twitter apps, etc.) the more I despise typing on the iPhone in “vertical” mode. More apps need the landscape keyboard (read: all apps). This only is further solidified as I type this post on the WordPress app, making many corrections. Gimme the landscape keyboard everywhere!

5. I don’t fault the developers at all with Apple’s NDA and the developers’ hands being tied, but now it’s time to get bug fixes rolling. Apple needs to do as much as the developers in getting applications whipped into shape.

6. Allow for more customization: themes, the ability to add custom sound notifications for text messages, emails, etc.

Even with all these complaints, the 2.0 software is a step in the right direction. I’m thankful that the software was made available to the first iPhones, as well as the latest and greatest generation.

But Apple does need to continue to fix bugs, make the software faster and continue to add new and useful features. They need to support the developer community, documenting the hardware and firmware and giving third parties the full access Apple’s own has. Remove the NDA and let the dev community talk to each other to improve the apps.

All in all, the apps make the iPhone so much more useful. They’ve just got to make the whole experience more stable, more efficient and more flexible.