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iPhone 2.0 Firmware and the Slow Scroll

Posted July 14, 2008 10:47 PM by Gregory Ng
Categories: Problems 

Lately it seems like time has stood still. I have been frozen in time. I am a statue. I am watching paint dry. Actually, its more like I am trying to pull up my contacts to populate a “To:” field in an email.

For as fast as the 3G iPhone is network-wise, it is slow as molasses when it comes to basic tasks like opening and closing applications and pulling up contacts!

It appears that other people have noticed this as well:

“I have the same experience - a lag like 2 - 3 seconds before the contact list load completely. The flick is jerky unlike the original iPhone and iPod touch. It also took a while for the cursor to appear when I tap on the contact’s search bar.”

There is no question that features-wise the iPhone 2.0 software packs a punch. But to what sacrifice? If you peruse the Apple discussions forums, you will see a seemingly endless list of complaints of slow and lagging behavior. This includes slow key response, slow flick scrolling, and the aforementioned slow contact list.

Anyone else experiencing this slowdown?

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Comments

  1. I have the original iphone with 2.0 software and i also notice a lag, i ahve hated the lag from day one though. Apple needs to cut or speed up the lame ass animation and have things load faster. if im in my text and all of a sudden need to call 911 theres a good 4 to 5 seconds to go home then phone then keypad and send. thats bullshit.

    Posted by Ryan on July 14, 2008 11:25 PM

  2. In iTunes, right click your iPhone and choose “Backup” to backup all your personal settings.  Then go to the first tab “Summary” and select “restore”.  This will download the latest firmware for the iPhones released the same day as the iPhone shipped (note, the firmware on the iPhones in the store was released weeks ago as these were the ones supplied to the manufacturers during assembly.  When complete, restore from the same backup to return all your personal settings.

    This firmware fixes most of the issues mentioned here—I was at the point of returning my phone thinking I had a faulty one with such slow sluggish response—even the scrolling was jerky.

    Posted by Michael Olivero on July 14, 2008 11:58 PM

  3. I did this and it’s still jerky. I bet Michael Olivero over there, works for Apple. raspberry

    Posted by Eli V. on July 15, 2008 12:47 AM

  4. Yes, I found this jerkiness very annoying since I was used to the smoothness of the original iPhone. It seems like it is busy doing something else (MobileMe syncing perhaps)... Also, I find that MobileSafari and other original Apps crash more often. I have had to reboot my new iPhone 4-5 times already (got on Friday 7/11). It is clear that Apple rushed this 2.0 firmware out the door!
    Hopefully, these problems will all be fixed with the next update. Please!

    Posted by Scott Pendleton on July 15, 2008 1:44 AM

  5. people people. First would it kill you to wait a few seconds for something? Geez what do you have going on that’s so important. Two according to ATT and Apple you’re supposed to reboot your phone at least once a day.

    Posted by Ted on July 15, 2008 6:23 AM

  6. There are many forums where people are describing issues with the brighter colors, jerkyness, etc.  No I do not work for apple, just trying to provide clear instructions for people to update their firmware since iTunes is not detecting it automatically yet.

    In the General -> About, you should see:

    Version 2.0 (5A347)

    If you see Version 2.0 (5A345) then you still have the old firmware and will continue to have these sluggishness and random errors.

    Posted by Michael Olivero on July 15, 2008 7:16 AM

  7. I know the spell checker seems a little slow.  If I text fast enough, I can beat the checker.  Seems like a flaw to me hah.  This didn’t happen on the old software.

    Posted by Ace on July 15, 2008 7:18 AM

  8. No problems here.  Just timed it and my full contact list comes up in under 2 seconds (which I don’t even notice), scrolling is fine, and the cursor appears in the search bar in about 1 second the first time I try to search and immediately every time after that.

    I’m running 5A347.

    Posted by Thomas Aylesworth on July 15, 2008 8:56 AM

  9. I found that my contacts started acting much better after I turned exchange server push off for my contacts.

    Posted by Mike on July 15, 2008 9:32 AM

  10. When you say “reboot” do you mean hold the power button in until the red slider bar shows?  I’ve also noticed that video podcasts get several seconds out of sync if you don’t start and stop them.  If I fast-forward to the end and then restart it, it seems to be in sync again…very odd.

    Posted by uwec86 on July 15, 2008 12:29 PM

  11. I should have typed “do” start and stop the video.  If you let it run start to finish it works fine.

    Posted by uwec86 on July 15, 2008 12:45 PM

  12. yes by reboot i mean turn your phone off and on.

    Posted by TED on July 15, 2008 4:15 PM

  13. Turned Push Off and to Manual (else Push seems to still stay “On”) and my contacts are fast just like before the firmware 2.0 upgrade.  Thanks for the tip!

    Posted by dp on July 15, 2008 5:21 PM

  14. Oh YES!!! Same exact problems, and today, the bluetooth was acting weird too.  Huge delay on search.  Thrilled it’s finally in there, but I echo…much slower.

    Posted by emotpix on July 15, 2008 5:50 PM

  15. I’m running Version 2.0 (5A347) and I still have many of the problems noted above.  A reboot made the contacts a bit smoother, but not as nice as before.  Oh well.

    Posted by socpsy on July 16, 2008 6:13 AM

  16. i dont have the slowness issues, but my touch screen has started acting wonky with increasing frequency since my upgrade to 2.0 (5a347 here, on an original iphone, purchased in April) The only thing that fixes it is a reboot - and I don’t mean once a day. 4, 5 times a day is a bit excessive - I have an appointment over the weekend to have it looked at

    Posted by drb on July 16, 2008 7:52 AM

  17. My new iphone has the same annoying delay (about 5-6 seconds) when I open contacts.  My ipod touch was fine for a year, but now has that same issue now that I upgraded it to the new os.  Ted, no the delay will not kill me, but it is very annoying to sit there staring at my iphone waiting to use the contacts list as it sits locked up doing…well, whatever it’s doing.  The whole experience of the iphone is awesome, so therefore such annoyances are all the more pronounced.  I can’t imagine a fix would take much—just resort and prioritize whatever transactions are occurring to favor the user experience.  After all, if I didn’t mind a pda having annoyances, I would have stayed with WM.

    Posted by Paul Herman on July 16, 2008 1:43 PM

  18. Same issue w/me too - original iphone, did the 2.0 software download sunday evening, and HUGE delays on contact selection and scroll. someimes over 10-15 seconds as the unit freezes completely, then plays catch-up.

    i turned push off, set to manual, and did hard reset (power button + home button for 5 seconds).

    granted, i have lots of contacts (5000+) and was never an issue with the old iphone version.

    any other ideas?

    Posted by wnichls on July 16, 2008 10:47 PM

  19. you have 5000 contacts? You actually call all those people?

    Posted by Ted on July 17, 2008 4:56 AM

  20. Fanboy, er, I mean Ted:

    Like many others here, my iPhone 3G, AMAZING as it is, does not have the same responsivness, smoothness, and stability of the original.

    Now, presumably the issue is with V2.0, which I’m sure Apple is currently addressing.

    Apple is not going to fix anything people are not complaining about, so the louder we squeak, the quicker we get oiled.

    Don’t be so defensive. We all love our iPhones, and want to see the experience improve without taking too many steps backward.

    I’m curious if anyone’s compared both the old and new iPhones running the same build of v2.0.

    Posted by David on July 17, 2008 1:17 PM

  21. My first gen iPhone was really smooth until I upgraded to 2.0.  Got the 3G and it is just as laggy and my 1st gen (with 2.0).  i’ve upgraded both phones to 5A347, but the lagginess continues.  Makes me just wanna return the 3g and revert my 1st gen to the previous firmware.

    Posted by JESS on July 17, 2008 8:04 PM

  22. Anyone have any guess as to how quickly Apple will come out with an update?

    Posted by dale on July 18, 2008 7:36 AM

  23. maybe an update would allow us to play bejewelled and listen to music at the same time!

    Posted by Ted on July 18, 2008 8:09 AM

  24. yes, this 2.0 firmware update blows.  I’m not going to buy the new one for a few months, so it’s like I have a slower iphone now than before and I’ll I get is to be able to save images on the web and download a few apps for the iphone, woopity dooo!

    Posted by Bradlee on July 18, 2008 8:31 AM

  25. I experienced some of these same problems and eventually realized they were related to the number of contacts I had synced to the iPhone. (When I turned on push syncing, it transferred all 5,000 contacts to the phone, slowing things to a crawl. I eventually figured out how to work around this issue. Here’s a link to the fix I used:)

    http://www.thecotas.com/2008/07/fixing-my-iphone-syncing-problems.html

    Hope it helps! /Jim

    Posted by Jim on July 18, 2008 10:19 AM

  26. Don’t be fooled, 5A347 is just as laggy. If you are a snappy typer, you will routinely outtype the autofill. Also, even the blips that correspond with typing will lag. This is the most obnoxious aspect for me, as typing with a seemingly random series of blips (designed to enhance typing) is not acceptable.

    Hope 2.0 speeds up to 2.1 quickly

    Posted by UCBerzerkeley on July 18, 2008 12:38 PM

  27. Well it’s been 1 week since I have upgraded to 2.0 Just like everybody I am experiencing the same issues. Slow contacts scroll, slow typing. What I am waiting for, and I bet it’s going to be a decisive factor in this whole 2.0 app store, slow firmware ordeal is the Pwnage tool from Dev Team. Having the ability to switch between 1.1.4 and 2.0 at your convenience and have both the App Store and the Installer App on your main screen will considerably fix alot of the new firmware bugs.

    Or how about 1.1.4 with both installer and the app store?

    Posted by Ollie on July 18, 2008 1:59 PM

  28. Is it just my imagination or is the volume controls messed up? I have a first gen phone running 2.0 software. The 537 software or whatever it is. When I mute the phone then unmute I still have go to setting and readjust. There’s also other times it seems funky.

    Posted by Ted on July 21, 2008 6:34 AM

  29. I know what you’re taliking about with the volume problems. Funny thing is that I droped my phone accidentaly and now it sounds louder and I dont have to go readjust the settings like I did before.

    I dont recommand you start throwing your iPhone around though raspberry

    Posted by Ollie on July 21, 2008 9:08 AM

  30. LOL ok thought it was just me.

    Posted by Ted on July 21, 2008 11:56 AM

  31. Hello.

    I love Apple products and recently made the switch. Now everything i have is Apple. The iPhone is amazing, and when the new one was released, i actually queued for the first time in my life for something. I have to say I am very disappointed that Apple who always in the past launch a product that is solid, has got caught up in the profit fever and ‘done a Microsoft’ product launch where full tests have not been done. For many the iPhone 3g is their first experience of Apple who claim quite rightly that their computers do not crash and are better to use.

    This has not done Apple any favors at all. A real shame. My new iPhone is so slow that it can take me ages to make a call when i need to quickly and taking a picture, is often far to late. SOmetimes my music sticks like a scratched CD, and SMS freezes. Apps make the phone restart, and the GPRS can sometimes take 10 mins to find me even in central London. Come on Apple we love you, but this is not on.

    Posted by Tim Ferris on July 21, 2008 12:16 PM

  32. Hello,

        I have been informed that there will be a new update but they arent sure when to put it out. it depends on programmers, how long they will test it then release the new update. SO what i was gonna to say is i have the same issue, theres a couple of site that can help u (included hacker, anyone who are an expert on hacking and testing) they are very informative so i recommanded you guys to check out couple of sites of thiers, just start with google then do some web search. they can tell you how to downgrade the iphone firmware, BUT… DON’T install their web application because if u do, then u cannot have the iphone exchanged (replaced), if u guys have apple care warrenty dont put the hacker web applications just used the one that apple gave you. i had this issued before and it sucks that i had to pay another 500 dollars for the new first gen. =(

    Posted by Mike on July 22, 2008 12:57 AM

  33. Good advice but do you think that we should have to do this? How about the normal guy on the street who has no idea about softwear and just wants a great phone. I am one of thouse and have to say I nearly threw my iPhone in the river on the way to work as I typed a long email then it crashed and I lost the lot. So angry. I am swapping back to nokia till these issues are fixed. Absolute rubbish I regret buying it

    Posted by tim ferris on July 22, 2008 1:05 AM

  34. don’t regret buying them, u got to have patient with it and also I understand about the fusturation, go to this site I hope it’s useful to you if u want the downgrade but, u won’t have the web app. Anyways go to this site http:/sleepers.net/news/?page_id=216 read carefully.

    Posted by mike on July 22, 2008 1:13 AM

  35. it only works great with the first generation iphone and trust me i would just give the iphone a more time to get use to the 2.0 and just leave it but if it kept crashing i would restored it then set it as a new iphone, that also works. so basically i have own 7 iphone so far and the 3g is too horrible i like the first one because it has more hardware than the 3g, the only thing that 3g has is gps and it did replaced some hardware but the apple would not tell nor even mention it, ( thats the reason it was lighter weight) anyways 3g has more missing hardware and the first gen is the best one available so thats why i dont have the 3g anymore i test it i mean the 3g is fast but the bills are going high unexpected sometime and u have to renew ur apple care i mean repurchase it, its stupid. i would wait a year to get the 3g only if it gots some improvements so try the site i gave u and try to stick with ur iphone for a while .

    Posted by mike on July 22, 2008 1:32 AM

  36. people people! The iPhone is barely a year old so there will be growing pains. Yes it’s a pain when it crashes and you lose that long email. Trust me I know. But it’s still a great phone. Try restoring it. If that don’t work call apple. Or swap it out.

    Posted by Ted on July 22, 2008 5:16 AM

  37. What a mistake! why did i upgrade my phone now works like a over run pc. The speed of the iphone was one of the things that blew me away even a nokia has a small amount of delay time. What a total mess apple have made how can you launch a product and upgrade that works as poor as this everyone is having the same issues and they MUST have had this when testing it. Apple technical support are apparently not aware of this problem and my phone must be faulty yeah right all 500 thousnad iphones what a load of cobblers. Apple how can you release such a rubbish upgrade how can i go back to 1.4? im not waiting until september. the delay when typing is driving me nuts and as for the contacts i’ll end up hammering my finger through the touch screen soon the amount of times i have to press it to get where i want.

    Posted by dave on July 22, 2008 10:07 AM

  38. I went into the apple store today in London and spoke to 5 different members of staff about the problems, they all said it’s the first they have heard and no one else has said there is a problem. Have they all been briefed not to admit it?

    Posted by tim ferris on July 22, 2008 10:14 AM

  39. Yes Tim, it is a conspiracy against the world created by Apple to enslave us and then conquere the world and Steve Jobs’s brain will be put into a jar and frozen untill we have the technology to bring him back to life so he can rule the world once again…WTF?

    Posted by Ollie on July 22, 2008 10:52 AM

  40. no need to dramatic it’s quite common for a corporate company not to publicly comment on problems as it stops sales. It’s to much of a coiencedence that every one at apple say there is no problems and that no one else has even mentioned it to them when the Interne is full of grumpy iPhone owners woldwide

    Posted by tim ferris on July 22, 2008 11:11 AM

  41. hey tim I feel that anger.  The iPhone 3G/2.0 has been a Curate’s Egg, “something that is partly good and partly bad, but as a result is entirely spoilt.”

    Posted by jennyp on July 22, 2008 3:14 PM

  42. I have the worst of both worlds—original iPhone and 2.0 OS.  So I don’t get the benefit of 3G + a regressive user experience.  I Apple needs to generate a fix for 2.0’s sluggish response time as a top priority.  Sure, I will get iPhone 3G eventually but I use the features affected 2.0 90% of the time - and 10% for web browsing.  3G may be the sizzle but OS performance is the steak!  JUST FIX IT JOBS!

    Posted by mrgp on July 24, 2008 7:51 AM

  43. I was eager to try the 2.0 firmware on my 1st gen iPhone. However, it made my phone slow and unresponsive. I felt like I’m back in the days of Windows Mobile. So now I’m back on 1.1.4 (with some struggling to remove the new baseband) and could not be happier. The phone is fast and snappy again.

    Posted by HJK on July 26, 2008 10:08 PM

  44. I guess it’s all a trade off. I have the same set up- first gen phone with. 2.0. I don’t find it that bad. How much free space do you have on your phone. Apple says U should at least a gig free.

    Posted by ted on July 26, 2008 10:20 PM

  45. I have also found that my iphone freezes up for about 15 seconds when I delete an email. I now only delete from my computer. Like just about everyone else, I suddenly noticed how slow my iphone was when I updated the software. I am considering a new phone if this doesn’t get fixed within the next 6 month.

    Posted by James on July 28, 2008 6:36 AM

  46. Dumb question…maybe.  Is there an apps download location in 2.0 like on 1.1.4 where one can “preview” or “demo” applications for an extended period?  Is that what Cydia is for or are the App Store applications “free for demo”?

    Posted by Fire 'n Ice on July 28, 2008 8:30 AM

  47. People! I just fixed the slowness of my iPhone after the 2.0 update.
    After several resets on iTunes, nothing seams to work, so I did a factory reset on the phone itself instead of iTunes and on iTunes I erased the backup file. It takes a while but its working great now. Before this, it was just a useless phone with internet that I could not even see my contact list without waiting 8 seconds to load. try it out. It worked for me.

    Posted by PaYo on July 28, 2008 11:53 PM

  48. same here guys n dolls. SLOW is the word. I’ve had my iPhone since fall 07 and I have always had the freezing, reboot issue. Not a new problem. The now creepy crawly loading of my contacts when dialing and when trying to send text msgs to multiple people while at the same time it defaulting to typing field makes it even take longer.

    I’ve had it crash 2-3 times a day when receive calls I can’t hang up.

    2.0…..how do I go backwards. I have really enjoyed my iPhone for almost a year and now it’s like carrying around my compaq laptop with all the advertising still left on it.

    A little arrogance and lack of patience on Apples part.

    Please fix so I can be cool again. :^)

    Posted by Rhinonrg on July 29, 2008 8:17 AM

  49. I found this only happens when my iPhone is jailbroken, if I don’t jailbrake it, it works perfect. Does anyone else have noticed the same?

    Posted by Luis on July 29, 2008 8:02 PM

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