The Apple rumor mill is churning, but this week it’s about software fixes instead of new products. News reports are raising expectations of yet another iPhone software fix in September.
Apple was not immediately available for comment.
What is known is that Monday’s software update 2.0.2 didn’t fix connection problems — in fact, it created new issues for some iPhone users even as others are wrestling with MobileMe foul-ups that make receiving e-mail on the handset sketchy.
Applications Still Crashing
The software fix Apple released Monday was reportedly related to a chip inside Apple’s music-playing cell phone. BusinessWeek reported last week that Apple was working on a remedy through a software upgrade. Apple declined to offer details about its iPhone 2.0.1 update, other than saying it included “bug fixes.”
But applications are still crashing. Apple has set itself up for failure because it’s vetting all of the applications on its App Store to ensure the software doesn’t contain any bad code, according to Mike Disabato, a wireless analyst at the Burton Group.
“I’ve got three applications on my iPhone right now that don’t work. Apple killed the Netshare application. Why did that do that? Is Apple enforcing AT&T’s terms of service? I didn’t sign a contract with Apple that allows them to do that,” Disabato said. “Let me buy what I want and it’s my problem if I run afoul of AT&T!”
Apple is becoming the gatekeeper for all things iPhone, which is what the company wanted, Disabato continued, but it’s backfiring.
Software or Hardware?
The failed software fix is causing some observers to wonder if the problem runs deeper — right down to the Infineon chipset. Apple hasn’t commented on the possibility, perhaps because of the implications. If Apple focuses on the software-fix story, analysts said, the company is only expected to issue another software fix. If it’s…