Apple Acknowledges iPhone Reception Woes

After multiple reports of spotty reception around the globe, Apple acknowledged Tuesday that the iPhone 3G has connection problems.

A company representative told the Associated Press that the latest firmware update, 2.0.2, "improved communication with 3G networks."

The official did not say what specific issues the update addressed, nor what improvements users can expect.

When Apple rolled out the 2.0 version of its software for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch in July, it enabled new features like access to Apple's App Store, increased security, and enterprise capabilities.

But message boards quickly filled up with complaints that the updated version led to crashes, "bricked" handsets, slower applications, a lag in the virtual keyboard, Internet connection issues, and spotty call reception.

"This has been unbearable," read one complaint on Apple's iPhone discussion board. "I am running the Edge phone with the 2.0 upgrade. I can't call people, I lose contacts, and very important information (such as passwords for different OSs, databases, and app servers), I am losing important voice mails."

Additionally, complaints were coming in from around the globe on different carriers and networks, indicating that the issue may be device-specific or software-specific. The 2.2 firmware hasn't appeared to fix all the iPhone's bugs, as some users are still reporting issues with reception and launching applications.

These problems may have even caught the attention of Apple's CEO Steve Jobs. According to a report from Apple Insider, a reader received a personal e-mail from Jobs regarding a bug that locks users out of their third-party applications.

"This is a known iPhone bug that is being fixed in the next software update in September," Jobs allegedly wrote.