Unlock your iPhone, miss your messages
You have no notifications, you network tart
Apple's notification system for the iPhone won't work on devices that have been unlocked to run on different networks, much to the annoyance of developers who are being left to explain the situation to customers.
Powerybase, authors of NotifyMe, have gone public with their frustration. The company reports that 80 per cent of its support requests now come from the five per cent of users with unlocked iPhones, which do not support the push functionality on which NotifyMe relies.
Push notifications are addressed using an identification code issued by an Apple server, a process which fails if the iPhone is being used on an unsupported network. Some users have reported that an unlocked iPhone on the official network does work, so it seems it's routing to the unsupported network that causes the problem rather than the unlocking process itself - the iPhone Dev-Team who created the unlocking process is aware of the problem, and apparently working on a fix, but it's not going to be an easy one to bypass.
The NotifyMe description on iTunes makes it pretty clear that "Due to Apple's limitations, unofficially activated iPhones are not fully supported". But the company admits that not many customers bother to read the small print in a product description.
Not that Powerybase is blaming Apple; it accepts that Apple has a right to make money, and is in league with the network operators to do just that. However, the company has appealed to Apple to return a zero sequence or similar, so the application can present an error to the user, rather than just locking up as it does at present.
The fact that push notifications have to be cleared by Apple's servers is unsurprising, demonstrating Apple's long-term commitment to its customer relationships, and if it won't work for unlocked handsets that's probably just a happy coincidence. ®
COMMENTS
Crufty App???
Yeah, it's called OSX.
No really, as much as I hate Apple, the iPhone does seem quite responsive but I am particularly fond of the construction quality. Good material solid build. Great smartphone platform, mediocre phone quality. Good device, but not perfect and not for everyone. The Apple lock-in, my way or the highway rules are just too tough for me to swallow.
I currently own a HTC Dream, Android OS. Again, not perfect but pretty good or good enough. Considering the alternatives, Windows, Apple, Symbian, Rim... I'll settle for good enough.
>By Francis Fish Posted Sunday 19th July 2009 19:56 GMT
> Suspect some crufty app is eating the memory and it starts swapping.
Slow iPhones
I've found turning it off and on fixes it. Suspect some crufty app is eating the memory and it starts swapping. Still like the phone but the missus just got a nice Android one and I like the look of it (the f-off big "google search" works for me). The lock in and lack of Linux support are really beginning to get on my tits. Finally got cut and paste with the last upgrade.
Oh, and the Android phone came with *a cover* to protect it. Not brilliant but at least something. You have to buy one for your iPhone - probably the first thing most people do, in fact.
I must admit I couldn't go back to an "ordinary" phone now, but Andriod will have come a hell of a long way when my O2 contract is up ... already looks pretty good, and it supports google calendar out of the box.
@Big-nosed Pengie
>> If you don't like it, don't buy it. But if you buy it, don't fucking whine
The number of jail broken iPhones shows there are plenty of people who don't like it but buy it. Myself being one. I can see where you are coming from with the don't whine sentiment - but then again moaning is the national pastime here in the UK - so if you (we) don't like it ...
Jeeeeeezuz!
I have no problems with people who like Apple's products. Everyone knows that if you buy Apple, you don't own it - it owns you. Fine - it's a condition of sale and they've never made any secret of it. If you don't like it, don't buy it. But if you buy it, don't fucking whine
@Rob 63
You have NO clue dude. I work in the mobile industry, and I can tell you that Apple is in bed with NO one operator. Originally, Apple senior execs had an in with Vodaphone execs (went to uni together or something similar), and they were both VERY near a worldwide deal for global Voda rollout of the iPhone in all Voda countries.
Voda then demanded too much compensation and terms in their favour, and as a result Apple put the iPhone deal up for bid in each seperate country. In the UK, O2 simply offered more to Apple - probably because they were flush with Telephonica cash and backing, or because they saw the long-term potential better than Voda. In other countries other operators offered more, and hence the iPhone is on other carriers, or unlocked where law demanded it.
If anyone is at "fault", it is Voda, who blew a great opportunity with a whole lot of greed. Oh, you probably need someone to blame, and you are probably a Voda customer...sorry.
