Glad to know I'm not the only one having this issue!!

Started out with my iPhone 4s dropping to 1x data instead of 3G or loosing carrier data all together.  Then it would stick on Searching with no voice or data what so ever.  This would happen about once or twice a month for the last 4 months.

I was able to pull my phone back from the brink of brick-dom with either a re-activation (*228 opt 1 on Verizon) or a network settings reset.  In a couple of cases I did have to do a factory reset and reload of apps.  Painful!

But not this time.  Now, when I try to do a factory reset, it fails on the very last steps of firmware update, throwing the UNKNOWN ERROR (3).  Phone is stuck in recovery. 

My wife's S4 was purchaced at the same time, so if it's a hardware flaw, her phone likely has this issue too.  She never upgraded off of 6.x and has never had the error 3 failure.  So maybe it's 7.x that exposes this flaw? 

My phone is less than a year old so I'm hoping Mother Apple will help me out with it. 

Thanks for letting me vent!

Some news,? May be upgrade Help ? ios 7.1???

7.1 ios Is not for us Guys!!! Everybody thanks !:(Apple  is not Our Side!!!

Hello kennethyoung

I'm Vietnam

Ipad4 I get from customers, restore error 3

This ipad is under warranty, to May 9, 2014

Stores where I live no warranty by AT & T ipad,my Ipad was hanging cable

What can I do for this ipad to AT & T or not.

Iphone 4s - stuck in recovery - error occurred (3) when I try to restore from ITUNES - I spent 4 days trying everything and anything to get it to restore.  Last ditch effort I tried FREESER - put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, it didn't work in DFU mode but did in recovery mode.  Awesome

I have the same issue on an iPhone 4s - its still an issue and I had to face it twice!  These are the steps that I have done:

1. Attempted to upgrade to iOS 7.1 over wifi. It said 5-6hrs remaining! This was the first sign of the troubles to come.  I have done the iOS 7.1 upgrade three times (on a 5s, another 4s, and an iPad 2 wifi) all finished in less than 20mins. This upgrade over wifi did not push through and the Connect to iTunes picture appeared on the phone.

2. Connected to iTunes and started the restore to factory settings. Then I encountered the Error (3). I got around this Error (3) after doing the following:

     a. Changed the USB port - still error

     b. Changed the cable - still error

     c. Changed the computer - at first still error

     d. Waited overnight - Worked!

However, my phone was always "Searching...." for signal. And the way to fix it was to do another restore. And now I'm always getting Error (3). I've tried all of the steps above, even on another computer. And even on a Macbook. Still the same.

This is very frustrating Apple. This is a very expensive premium device - an all we get now is very expensive Paperweight.  PLEASE FIX THIS!

I think it , I am another person with error ( 3) **** time I decided to update my device has only a year and 3 months, but I call they say I have to pay for the repair . The phone I bought it second hand and I lost the ticket after so long without problems not thought it out to use .. I'm desperate , is a iphone 5 , I need to use it every second, and can not , technique freezer has not helped me although I expose my experience:

After 40 minutes, I decided to connect it being inside the fridge, I despaired waiting about 20 minutes and cogia enough charge to start restoration , so I did it in DFU mode , for here I saw a ray of hope for a person who commented that in DFU mode has not worked and so itunes restoration if , immediately I'll try without dfu mode and tell them , thanks to all who contribute data and experiences , especially the teacher of teachers, the semiconductor kennethyoung dedicated to the cause , Thanks

Hi Kenneth,

After all that is said and done, does ios 7.1 fix the error 3 problem?  I think we need to know what bug fixes it does before we install it.

I'm not a 100% but I believe it is a hardware error - most cases an overheat of a device - I was sceptical also - but I placed my IPHONE 4s in two plastic bags and put it in the FREEZER for 30 minutes, tried to RESTORE in DFU mode - FAILED....then tried RESTORE in RECOVERY MODE  and SUCCESS.

Greetings from Denmark

for a week ago I updated a IPhone 5 and I got stuck on error 3 ;-(

I have tryed everything, and nothing works.

I have called Apple dk and they havnt heard anything about error 3 and they want me to call the phone provider where it is purchased but the say that they cant do anything becource it´s out of warranty.

I will try the freeser to night to is if that works

Dennis

Had this on new iPhone 5s error 3 was mentioned by apple over the phone as an unknown hardware problem (so I am waiting on a new one from phone supplier this will now be my third iphone 5s in less then a week wether it's coincidence but both were fine until update to latest ios and were on charge over night. First fine dead in morning back of phone was warm no power, 2nd signal fine put on charge over night in morning searching for signal. Was unable to turn of find my iphone to restore. Apple told me to put in restore mode then got error 1669 then error 3 then error 1669 again. So I'm waiting for number 3. I did ask phone supplier if I could keep the first one that went faulty as a mug warmer but as I would pay full price I changed my mind on that one.

I'm glad that this solution works for you, really, really happy, suddenly do not have a brick, Luck

Hello Guys,

iPhone 5s - failed to updated it from 7.0.6 to 7.1 . Tried all possible fixes like different USB ports, computers, lightning cables - no effect. Freezer fix didn't help as well (note: freezer fix is very usefull and helped me for another iPhone). I feel that reballing or reflowing is needed according to the logs. If BB chip has no contact it usually generates this error :/

Hi kennethyoung,

Your freezer solution worked!!! Although I had a slight variation and put it literally on the airconditioning vent. It may have been a thermal runaway issue on one of the semiconductors causing the Error (3). But somehow I got past that point. I also have the logs of one of my failed runs when I did it on a friends Macbook.

But I'm getting a different error now -

We're sorry, we are unable to continue with your activation at this time.

Do you have an idea how to handle this? I've tried several times and with 2 different wifi connections, still no good.

I want my iPhone 4S back in action .... pleaseeee help!

Hi all

Denmark here again..

The freezer trick did not work :-(

so now I have a bricked phone, that is over the warranty.

Apple will not do anything and the telephone provider will not do anything be cource it´s out off warranty.

***** becource its only 1,5 year old..¨

Dennis