I am thinking about installing the iPhone 3.0 beta OS on my iPhone, but it is my personal cell phone.
Are there any limitations in the beta OS that would affect the phone's normal usage?
+3
A:
No 'limitations' in that you can continue to use it to make calls, But if it's your only phone you should think carefully. It's a beta and it is a risk, you need to be aware that something may go wrong.
I have had it installed for a few days. E-Mail, Phone, Texting all works fine. It's a tad slow sometimes but that's it. However it may bugger up later and my experience may not be the same as yours. Thats why it is in Beta.
As with all Beta software, Install at your own risk.
Also, Are you a signed up iPhone developer? You cannot access the beta otherwise...
Damien
2009-03-20 15:02:05
Yes, I am an iPhone developer and have a few apps released. I have never worked with the beta stuff on real hardware though. Understand about the possible beta issues, just didn't want to be surprised by limited functionality.
Dana Holt
2009-03-20 15:10:04
Yeah, I have not experienced limited functionality other than bugs. Maybe buy an iPod touch so you can have your application ready for the official release?
Damien
2009-03-20 15:24:55
I think I will pick up an iPod Touch to try it out. Thanks for the info.
Dana Holt
2009-03-20 15:48:51
+8
A:
My advice - don't do it. Only even consider 3.0 Beta on a brickable development device. Here's a few reasons why:
It's Beta in the traditional sense (not the Google sense) so it's not done yet. It's testable, sure, but not all the new features are complete or functioning right and it's all subject to change.
Officially it's a one way upgrade. You can't go back. Now clever hackers have figured out difficult ways to downgrade and you may be able to work through it. Or not.
Not all software in the App Store is ready to run on 3.0. There seems to be some bugs in MediaPlayer at the least. In other words, it's not completely backward compatible yet. So reports are that Pandora, TED, Facebook and other popular apps are crashing.
And finally, there will be more beta releases - it's underdevelopment. So be prepared to spend time with more upgrades, bug reports, and potentially a dead device. In the 2.0 beta cycle there was a period of time where the beta expired and there was no new release available shutting down devices for a bit.
So yeah, don't upgrade your only device to 3.0 unless you love skating away on the thin ice of a new OS.
All that said, I'm in the dev program and have 3.0 on a Touch and it's slick. It will make many many happy developers and ever more happy customers. And I've only scratched the surface of the new SDK.
John Fricker
2009-03-20 15:13:36
Thanks for the info. I did not know it was officially a one-way upgrade. I think I will pick up an iPod Touch to try it out.
Dana Holt
2009-03-20 15:38:04
+2
A:
OS 3.0 is usable enough with the following caveats: - battery life is VERY poor - the rom is slow in some cases
The one-way upgrade needent be an issue assuming that eventually you will upgrade to real 3.0 (or even a susequent beta.
The upgraded Xcode is also buggy.
Roger Nolan
2009-03-21 08:05:42
A:
Is it usable? Yes.
Is it pleasant? No.
As mentioned above, battery life is poor, voice mail is sketchy to say the least, and the responsiveness of the UI in general is sluggish.
Downgrade (except for the baseband) is possible, but time consuming and needlessly difficult, and requires a Windows machine or an out of date OS X install.
I would not do it. If you need 3.0 features for your application, start developing now, use the simulator, and wait for a more polished release of the OS to test on actual hardware.
mmc
2009-03-31 21:41:27