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Did you upgrade iTunes? Just a thought.

This is smurf.  An hour and a half of attempting to activate my phone, and I keep getting that (-4) error...

Same thing is happening to me.

It did finally manage to update my phone and I got functionality back but every time I plug my iPhone into my computer it tries to access the itunes store and never brings up my sync window. However I have still managed to sync my iPhone by rightclicking on the iPhone under the "devices" list on the left and select sync. It works but I cannot change my sync options.

I'm currious, why does it need to access the iTunes store if I just want to sync my phone to my computer?

I understand that the activation servers have gotten swamped and some of them have gone offline. This is proving to be a problem for folks with the original iPhones trying to update to the 2.0 firmware, in some cases "bricking" the phone.

It might be a good idea to hold off trying to update the firmware for a few days.

Aldarion wrote:

Serves Apple right for mandating in store activation... now with the bad press they are going to loose more business than they would have to the big bad scary BLACK MARKET!

Apple stock DOWN $4 today... with brisk sales it should have gone UP $4!

Thanks Apple.... Your having to control EVERYTHING really made for a better user experience!

Interesting theory.  I had thought the in-store activation was mandated by ATT because they are subsidizing the phone cost now.  But your theory of Apple's need for control plays much better here.

bratboy wrote:

I don't see why it would necessarily be an Apple thing....couldn't you activate the unsubsidized iphone at home?

For the new iPhone 3G, there are (as yet) no unsubsidized sales. And no, unlike the original iPhone, activation for the iPhone 3G has to be done at a store.

For me 3G is only part of what I want. Now I'm waiting for a 32 GB (or more) model.

Aldarion wrote:

Czachorski wrote:

Aldarion wrote:

Serves Apple right for mandating in store activation... now with the bad press they are going to loose more business than they would have to the big bad scary BLACK MARKET!

Apple stock DOWN $4 today... with brisk sales it should have gone UP $4!

Thanks Apple.... Your having to control EVERYTHING really made for a better user experience!

Interesting theory.  I had thought the in-store activation was mandated by ATT because they are subsidizing the phone cost now.  But your theory of Apple's need for control plays much better here.

You seriously can't say Apple doesn't try to control EVERYTHING associated with it's products. Which I agree with during conception and production phases... but once the iPhone is in MY hands (bought and paid for) Apple's control should stop (unless I choose to update, which I didn't and saved myself a lot of grief).

It appears that in this case, Apple didn't control everything, since ATT controlled the activation procedure.

AT&T handles service & activation, alway has. Apple handles hardware and software. Last time AT&T allowed Apple to act as an activation middleman. This time AT&T decided that was against their best interest.

Apple definitely underestimated server load (again). Not surprising as every time they bump it it up customer traffic exceeds predicable growth. AT&T definitely underestimated activation setups again. Not surprising as that whole industry has their heads up their collective asses.

bratboy wrote:

No need to get upset about it. 

What "control" is truly being exerted?  (I thought people were able to finish the itunes part of the activation at home?)  The whole reason for the in-store activation is to insure a contract is signed (like with any other subsidized cell phone).

That's what I understood too.  I would think that if Apple had their choice (or control) they would prefer the at-home activation, as it results in faster turn around in the store and a better end user experience.

It would be nice if Apple and ATT could pull their heads out of their asses and stop underestimating demands, as Sci pointed out.

Last edited by Czachorski (2008-07-11 7:08 pm)

I waited to do the 2.0 upgrade until yesterday evening. Evidently the crush of people upgrading combined with the crush of people buying new phones crashed the iTunes servers. I read on Cnet and on the NYTimes sites that it was a disastrous day at Apple Stores.

But by 9:30 PM last night, everything was working again. My update to iPhone 2.0 went fine, and by 10:30 I was using my phone as an iTunes remote.

i did a download only of the software.    Then I did the install. 

Late last night I decided to gamble and download the 2.0 update. Everything seemed to go smoothly until the phone went to try to sync. iTunes lost my phones "name" and wouldn't let me set new preferences to what items to sync with. iTunes said it was missing a file to be able to complete? It also looks like it has lost some of my 'Camera Roll' photos that were taken with the phone?

I went to bed pissed at Apple for letting me down. Got up this morning to try and sync. This time after a few error messages and other hassles it finally seemed to be syncing all my correct stuff? Had to do a restore to my iPhones "backup" file through iTunes. 252 items takes awhile.

The only applications I have to play with are the CroMag Rally game and the Pandora app. If anybody has a recommendation for Space Monkey I might get that one as well?

It's done now. I'll do some fiddling and report back.