september 13, 2008
I like hearing that phrase from software companies. Let me say it again:
"We'll release it when it's ready."
Not, "We'll release it because our divine leader said that we'll release it on this day."
After using the iPhone 2.1 software for a day and change, this is what the iPhone 2.0 software should have been. Sure, the backups are still slow, but they are not painfully slow anymore. Installing software is faster. The system is snappier. There have been no crashes or instant-deaths yet. The keyboard is usable again. Battery life is definitely better. And my phone does not run hot anymore. This is what Apple should have released to the public in July.
Apple should have released iPhone 2.1 as iPhone 2.0. Instead, Apple released a half-assed, sloppy piece of crap two months ago and tried to pass that off as production ready software.
What I envision going on inside of Apple was: Steve Jobs took to the stage and announced iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software. He gave a date to the public, which he shouldn't have. Then he went back to the office and yelled at all the engineers to get things done by then.
Engineers, of course scratched their heads, burned the midnight oil and rushed the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software out the door -- all the while getting berated and beaten to a bloody pulp by the almighty Steve Jobs. The software was rushed, there was no testing and half the features were not optimized for general consumption.
And this is how Apple has gotten a black-eye for the crappy iPhone 2.0 release. They are still dealing with MobileMe and iTunes 8 (which apparently BSODs Windows Vista boxes).
Come on Apple, repeat this chant after me: "We'll release it when it's ready."
If you continue down the path of half-assed releases, I will wait until "Service Pack 1" before upgrading any working system. Or, I'll just save myself the headache and switch to a Blackberry when my two-year contract is up with AT&T.
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