Apple releases iPhone Software v2.1

[AppleInsider]

Apple early Friday morning released the much-anticipated iPhone Software 2.1 Update recently billed by company chief executive as a "big update" that fixes "a lot of bugs."

What it fixes

A page dedicated to the release on Apple's website details a dozen major enhancements including:
Decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls.
Significantly better battery life for most users.
Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes.
Improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts.
Faster installation of 3rd party applications.
Fixed bugs causing 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.
Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages.
Option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts.
Genius playlist creation [Illustrated by one reader] .
How to install



Before installing the update, make sure you are using iTunes 8 [Download Link], then connect your iPhone to your computer.
When iTunes opens, select your iPhone under Devices in the Source List on the left.
In the iPhone Summary pane, click Check for Update.
Click Download and Install. Do not disconnect your iPhone until the update has finished.
Security fixes

iPhone Software 2.1 also patch six security vulnerabilities.
An application may be able to read another application's files.
Multiple vulnerabilities in FreeType v2.3.5.
mDNSResponder is susceptible to DNS cache poisoning and may return forged information.
Predictable TCP initial sequence numbers generation may lead to TCP spoofing or session hijacking.
An unauthorized user may bypass the Passcode Lock and launch iPhone applications.
Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.
Other fixes

Some of the other enhancements and observations reported by readers thus far:
No sign of background push notification or turn-by-turn GPS support.
The texting memory leak problem seems to be fixed.
Apps are running a lot faster.
No scrolling lag, faster launching of SMS app.
New "3G" logo in the menu bar sans box.
Updating applications keeps their icons in place on the home screen.
App syncs still sluggish compared to media syncs.
Readers are encouraged to share their own discoveries in the AppleInsider forum thread for this article.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[ghostface147]

Installed it and it is much faster overall. I miss the old 3G logo, which they replaced without the box. I also noticed that while my radio signal is still around -95 to -101, it shows as 4-5 bars. Before 2.1, it showed it as 1-2 bars. No scrolling lag, faster opening SMS and Safari seems snappier

[Rot'nApple]

Please, lets agree to use another adjective to describe iPhone software update 2.1 then "snappier".

Remember, that was the term used to describe iPhone software update 2.0.2 to correct all the "bug fixes", and we know how beneficial that software update was in fixing all the "bugs".

Lets not jinks it by have 50 posts saying "its snappier" is all I'm saying.

[iCarbon]

oooh, snappier!

[clymans]

I give it two snaps up!

[justflybob]

Around the world and back snap!

[hittrj01]

Let's just hope people are at least happy that Apple's release notes actually describe what's being fixed this time around, instead of just saying "bug fixes".

[teckstud]

I am eating a ginger snap as you all download and install 2.1.

[brianus]

Do app icons keep their place when the app is being updated now?

Also, do you have to re-sync your entire library when upgrading?

[vandy1997]

To commemorate snappy firmware 2.1, I will be having red snapper for lunch!!

[Famlee]

oh snap

[john.gunter]

I'd like to say that I'm a long time listener, first time caller ;-)

iPhone's Contacts application loads and performs so much quicker than before the v2.1 software update that I felt compelled to register and share the good news!

[plumber4549]

Overall the firmware seems faster, But I just dont get why apple wont do little thing to make people happy how hard would it be for landscape texting and mms? The proformence improvments are nice and for sure welcome, but comes up just a little short for me after the mess from the get go with the 3G iphone. You would thank apple would drop a few extras on us for our troubles!

[irnchriz]

Originally Posted by teckstud

I am eating a ginger snap as you all download and install 2.1.

Damn, now i want some ginger snaps.

Must go to shops..

[Famlee]

having a turkey, ham and swiss sub with mango snapple while 2.1 dl's

[ahmlco]

Update also fixes the Emergency Call bug that would let you into a locked phone.

[dacloo]

[Dogcow]

I thought this update was supposed to include push notification features?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by irnchriz

Damn, now i want some ginger snaps.

Must go to shops..

There are good! We have a box ot the office- I swear. Stopping at 4.

[irnchriz]

Originally Posted by Dogcow

I thought this update was supposed to include push notification features?

A couple of weeks back they dropped the push and improved a-gps out of this build. Looks like they wanted to fix the bugs and performance before adding anything else major in.

[irnchriz]

Originally Posted by teckstud

There are good! We have a box ot the office- I swear. Stopping at 4.

If you stop at 4 thats major willpower. I love em with a big glass of milk and would snarff a whole pack of them.

[dagamer34]

Where is push notifcation support?

[jparker]

Ok... how about some real useful info huh!?

I'm installing now... current state of my iPhone is:

- all third-party apps crash on launch
- iTunes reports all my music is there and synched... iPhone says "nope. no music"

I got tired of trying to fix this, as most of my backups are also hosed.
I've removed from the iPhone most of the apps (down to about 20...)

Let's see if it fixes everything outright... or if I need to restore from scratch
(Hey how about synching NOTES! )

-- update in awhile...

-jason

[stevetim]

app syncs are still turtle slow compared to music syncs. Why can I transfer 4 gigs of music quicker than 250mb of apps on the iphone?

[json]

Faster overall. Possible to scroll webpages while they load. Faster loading times for web pages. Had no problem with reception before so I haven't tried it. Updating applications keeps the icon in place (and seems faster).

Remaining problems:
- Contact application still takes alot of time at startup before letting me scroll the list.

- Swedish word corrector still very buggy, many words get extremely weird suggestions and it does not seem to learn very well either. Well, hopefully they have received my bug report....

[Maury Markowitz]

Originally Posted by plumber4549

Overall the firmware seems faster, But I just dont get why apple wont do little thing to make people happy how hard would it be for landscape texting and mms!

Are you sure you want MMS? Really really really sure?

I mean, if everyone had a phone that could display pictures in e-mail (or their Facebook app), why would we need it in the first place? Then we could just e-mail them to people, regardless of whether or not they're on a phone or a computer, and be sure they can receive them. Better yet, we wouldn't have to pay the freakin' carrier $4.99 for the privilege!

I realize old standards die hard, but let's do all we can to kill this one.

Maury

[xitzjustalex]

This update was available before 7 AM. The iPhone 2.1 Software Update is 231.00 MB.

Changes in iTunes after update:
NEW capacity bar category in iTunes: Apps (Green)

iPhone 2.1 Software Update: [ Installation Guide ]

[Maury Markowitz]

Battery life? Battery life? Battery life?

Maury

[hittrj01]

Originally Posted by stevetim

app syncs are still turtle slow compared to music syncs. Why can I transfer 4 gigs of music quicker than 250mb of apps on the iphone?

Because music is just a bunch of files that are able to be accessed, the apps are actually getting installed and becoming part of the operating system. I agree, it should still not be THIS slow, but there is still a lot more going on when you install apps than a simple file transfer.

[cdawg92]

Phone is definitely more responsive. Contact list comes up nice and quick. Backups are also much faster now and that is one thing I was really looking for in this update. Wow, Safari is really responsive. Gmail comes up alot quicker now, did they improve the javascript engine? Never really had a problem with 3G here in Atlanta so can't tell if calls are better. Will have to play some more.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by Maury Markowitz

Battery life? Battery life? Battery life?

Maury

You'll have to wait a day or two before anybody can tell you about the battery life "improvements".

[ApplePreacher]

Well The Bugs Seem To Be Fixed! So let's start complaining about something else like it stops my toaster from toasting my bread just right...lol. Kudos Apple!

What will be nice is when Push is put through and a few other little apps come along that will make life a little easier like voice recognition, GPS turn by turn commands just to mention a couple. I am sure it won't be long before Apple comes out with those.

And by the way, for all you idiots who say iPhone users are lab rats for Apple, You must have short term memory. Microsoft has been doing it for over a decade and are still doing it with Vista.

Now that Preaches

[jego]

Hopefully the iPhone version won't have the Standby battery drain issue the touch currently has.

[Mr Underhill]

Originally Posted by irnchriz

Damn, now i want some ginger snaps.

Must go to shops..

Just taking a sip of schnapps while downloading v2.1

[DyingSun]

I don't understand the feedback being given about the Contacts application lag. Is it still there or not? Some say it is, some some it isn't. That doesn't make sense (it's even mentioned in the features list). So how is it really?!

[jparker]

Originally Posted by jparker

Ok... how about some real useful info huh!?

Let's see if it fixes everything outright... or if I need to restore from scratch
(Hey how about synching NOTES! )

-- update in awhile...

-jason

Well OK!

Install went flawlessly.

First check: Music. CHECK!

It's all there - no re-synching... (DRM wrapper stuff fixed...? If that was the problem)

Second check: Apps. CHECK!

removem worked fine.
GoSkyWatch worked FINE.

OK! It has been a rough few months... but this bodes very well!

(btw - I'm on a first gen iPhone)

[Kasper]

Originally Posted by json

Possible to scroll webpages while they load.

You could scroll while loading in 2.0.1 -- just checked.

K

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by jego

Hopefully the iPhone version won't have the Standby battery drain issue the touch currently has.

What is the issue?

[Bram100]

Just installed 2.1 but cant find the genius function. Any clues?

[bdkennedy1]

Wow. Look at all those surprises in there.