Q: Mysterious random total shut downs following 3.1 update

I have been having a similar problem since updating to 3.1. The screen turns black and the phone becomes completely unresponsive to any input. However, I've noticed if I spam the buttons enough (including the silent/ringer switch) eventually the phone comes back without a hard restart. Sometimes it takes 5-10 minutes, sometimes it takes less. I saw a user suggest I reset all my settings so I'm trying it as I type. I'll let everyone know if I have success with this method.

Can we get an update to fix this crap????? My Phone Does the Stupid 3.1 Shut down 3-4 times a day its really ******* me off !!!!

No luck resetting all settings. I just did it about 45 minutes ago and my phone has already bricked on me. I really would like to see Apple release a fix for this soon, seeing as a lot of people are having the same issue. The worst part is I know I'm getting data/texts/etc. because I can hear the interference coming through my speakers, but then my iPhone just sits there. I'm usually pretty patient about this stuff considering all electronics have issues at times, especially with the release of new updates. But this one completely shuts down my main connection to the outside world. Not to mention I pay $100 a month for said connection. PLEASE FIX SOON APPLE!!!

The fact this is taking so long to fix shows how difficult it is.

If you can't wait, downgrade to 3.0.

If your phone is in warranty, get a genius to do it or give you a new phone. I did yesterday with a phone 3 days out of warranty.

If you bought one in the first 3 months, look online for ways to downgrade.
It's easy with a pc.

The irony is not lost on apple.

Thanks Philby123...did just that...

I can add my name to the list. Since I updated to 3.1 my phone has been blacking out regularly.

The timing of my blackouts is interesting - my phone only ever goes into coma when it is in my pocket. It never goes comatose when sitting on a desk - I'm getting quite paranoid and pressing home all the time to make sure it wakes up.

When sitting on my desk I've never had it fail to respond to a button press. When taking it out of my pocket after I've walking for a while it is more 50/50. I wonder if there is something in that? heat? light sensor?

Also - my partner (who is lazy with updates and is still running 3.0) has had no problems at all.

After the 3.1 Update I also experienced this problem. Mine did this many times. After the 4th or 5th time I notice that when the phone started to "respond" (not 100%), it took snapshots of the wallpaper on my phone and stored it in the photos library. Each time I pressed the home button or the power button it did the same thing. I guess I will have to restore the settings after I do a back-up.

Is the latest iTunes 9.0.1.8 a fix to this problem?

After no help from apple or O2 (apple on phone and O2 shop),
I found the only way to get my phone working was to load 3.0.1 back on the phone and change the base band back to version 04.26.08.

The main reason you cannot make calls / send texts / maintain a decent if any reception is because of the updated baseband they installed with 3.1. Bricking etc is to do with the 3.1 OS.

The only way you are going to make calls is by jailbreaking your phone and reverting the baseband back to version 04.26.08.

There are places on the internet that advise you of how to do this.

Hopefully apple will bring an update out soon to repair this so people wont be forced to jailbreak their phone.

I advise you to wait for apples update but, if you cannot wait, this was the only way that i could get my phone working again (for now that is!).

No, in fact my iPhone 3G was working OK with 3.1 until I installed iTunes 9.0.1.8 - then the comas started happening.

Mine just locked up and after a restart none of my apps are working. Will have to restore when I get back home.

Since 3.1 update I'm having to reset the phone at least 4 times a day - the only time I know that it needs reseting is when I can't send a text, make a call or don't receive push notifications - as soon as its reset then all my texts and notifications come through for a while.

I had the problem with none of the apps working. Someone said to install a free app. This fixed the problem.

I can't take it anymore. I put my sim card in another phone until Apple can get this fixed. I can't use a phone that will never wake up and only have 5 hrs of battery life. More importantly, my phone is not getting phone calls when people are calling me. My wife called my phone 6 times yesterday afternoon and so she was angry when she got home because she thought I was ignoring her. The fact was that my phone did not ring once to let me know she called nor showed any missed calls. It bricked up last night so I had to do a hard reset. Once the reset was finished I was flooded with voicemails and text messages from the past 3 days. I'm so frustrated! I am still paying for the iphone plan without being able to use the phone. I just wish Apple would release a fix or let everyone downgrade 3.0.1

Sorry if I confused you, I don't use voice mail. So, if the phone isn't ringing, that call is lost.

I any event, I am surprised Apple is acting as if it is a hardware failure. Clearly, it is not. I very much doubt it is a settings problem either given that the symptoms are so similar (not to mention the disturbing conclusion that you apparently can configure your phone into malfunction). I have had the exact same problems as others described: Not receiving calls, a comatose phone wakes up after a few minutes, taking screen shots when pressing either home or lock button (not both at the same time). Seems more like a virus. Come to think about it... I have had the coma symptom pre 3.1 software, but then it only lasted for a second or two.

great. misterious lockdowns and now the 'none of the apps working' problem here as well, since I installed the newest iTunes and synced

Hey, Apple people, this is getting worse and worse...