Apple iPhone Update Fixes Bugs

Apple has pushed out a software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and the 3.1.2 version fixes multiple nagging bugs that may have come from the last firmware update.

The company released the 3.1 version in September, which added features such as the ability to access an iTunes ringtone store, better application management, improved video editing capabilities, and improved Exchange support. But some users have also reported that the firmware significantly increases power consumption, and a problem where the device could not be restored from its sleep mode.

"Phone seems to randomly lock up and requires a hard reset to get working again," said one 3.1 iPhone user on Apple's support forum. "I'm going to try and downgrade to the previous firmware to see if that solves the issue."

Apple said the latest software update resolves the issues of the iPhone sporadically not waking up from sleep, as well as bugs that cause occasional crashes during video streaming. It also addresses an issue with the cellular connection that required users to restart the phone.

The update does not enable U.S. iPhone customers to share the smartphone's cellular data connection with a computer or laptop, a feature known as tethering. While the operating system is technically capable of tethering, AT&T has not enabled the feature yet and has not specified when this would be available or how much it would cost.

The wireless operator took its time rolling out MMS support for the iPhone because it wanted to make sure its network could handle the traffic.

To get the latest firmware, users need to connect their devices to iTunes and check for updates. The latest software is available for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and the iPod Touch.

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