iPhone 3G - Apps no longer working

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Level 1

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iPhone 3G - Apps no longer working

Hey! I have had my iPhone 3G (8GB) for about a year now after inheriting it from a family member. It was working great at the start; I could virtually get any app I wanted without it asking to update or anything (like it does now...) and the apps were working fine once I got them. Over the year I've had it I have been extremely limited with the number of apps I can have, since most of them require IOS 4.3 or higher now that the iPhone 4S/5 has been released. Although this is a little annoying, I do not mind this because I still have the existing apps on my phone that didnt need my phone updating at the time.

However, I have recently changed my network from O2 (Pay as you go) to a contract on 3. I had a bit of trouble activating the SIM into my iphone but it is sorted now. Now, since I have put the SIM card in, none of my apps have worked. Well, some of them do, like the compulsory ones (e.g. weather, camera etc) but none of the ones which I, myself downloaded (e.g. Temple Run) have worked. I tap on them, it takes me to a black screen for a few seconds as if the app is about to open, and then kicks me back to the home screen. This is the same for every app on there.

Is there anything I can do to help fix this? I know that iPhone 3G's are quite old now and that updates dont often support 3G but I just want my existing apps back! I cannot delete and reload them since most of them have updated and I am unable to get them back as it requires IOS 4.3 or higher. The offer for that is available when I connect my iPhone to itunes, but when I try to start the update, I am told that I do not have an internet connection. When I do.

I am thinking about purchasing a new iPhone, although what is the point in buying an iPhone 4 if in a couple of years the same thing will happen because it is old?

What should I do?

Beth

iPhone 3G, iOS 4.2.7

Posted on May 9, 2013 9:11 AM

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Answer 1

May 9, 2013 9:15 AM in response to BubblyBeth

Try a reset: Simultaneously hold down the Home and On buttons until the device shuts down. Ignore the off slider if it appears. Once shut down is complete, if it doesn't restart on it own, turn the device back on using the On button. In some cases it also helps to double click the Home button and close all apps from the tray before doing the reset.

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,347 points

May 9, 2013 9:18 AM in response to BubblyBeth

You mention that you had some difficulty getting the device activated on the new network, what did you have to do? Was a restore in there somewhere? You also identify another problem, and that is the lack of Internet. Is that just when you are trying to do something in iTunes, or is it all the time?

I understand your frustration about app support, however that has nothing to do with Apple, it is the decision of the app developer to no longer support the older iOS. If the apps are on your computer, you should be able to delete them from the phone and resync them from the computer without it trying to update, unless you have already updated them in iTunes.

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