Browser fix delay frustrates Sprint Instinct users

After it was announed that the browser fix for Sprint Instinct phone would be delayed by another week from the previously planned date, a large number of Instinct users have vented their frustration in the Sprint's buzzaboutwireless/instinctinsight forum. As of this writing, there were over 100 posts made by mostly upset users. Here is the announcement with the big outcry (in a Sprint moderated forum so expect some censorship):

"While initial information had listed Sept. 17 as the date the firmware upgrade (MR-3) would be available, the new release date is Sept. 24th.

We apologise for this delay, but we are commited to doing this the right way and releasing a reliable, working update to our Instinct customers.

If we have any further information, we will follow up here.

Instinct Admin Team"

While the Instinct phone has been selling like hot cakes because of massive advertising campaign, many of the users have experienced serious deficiencies in the phone software. The user frustration arises from the fact that many of the users are now past their 30-day trial return period and are locked in a 2-year contract with Sprint and it has been almost 3 months since the phone release but the problems are still not fixed (despite some attempts by Sprint and native app vendors issuing certain updates and promises for more). These problems include browser crash on many popular websites, TV application crash, Navigation application crash or lock-up, phone unresponsive momentarily at unexpected occasions and email connectivity errors.

I have two de-activated Sprint Instinct phones sitting on the table. My wife and I used them for about 2 months and after many frustrating experiences, we decided that our time was worth more than dealing with those issues.

I also looked at the possibility of fixes from Sprint in the near future and came to the conclusion that it will be very challenging for Sprint to fix those crashes because they seem like memory leak or memory related issues, possibly at the firmware or Java virtual machine level (because it is not just one single app that has the problem; many of the apps crash or become unresponsive). They could also be from a slower processor or insufficient memory. The app code would have to be seriously optimized to work in an environment like this.

I replace my PDA/smartphones every 2 years and didn't think that waiting 3-6 months (or maybe even longer) for everything to be fixed to my satisfaction was worth my time while I was paying mandatory Instinct data plan rates without proper value return.

On top of that, one of the Instinct units had a touch screen sensor failure and I had a very frustrating experience getting it replaced.

So I went and got 2 iPhones and I have been very happy (mostly) with my phone since. iPhone 3G is light years ahead of Instinct in its current incarnation but the well publicized iPhone problems are true. If call reliability is important to you, don't get an iPhone. I have had the "call failed" message a number of times on my iPhone 3G and had to call the person again. And it doesn't have the turn-by-turn navigation yet. It only has google maps with GPS. And some apps do crash occasionally. But it has thousands of apps (many great ones for free) and it is unlikely that Instinct browser will ever be as good as iPhone's safari browser (webkit engine based which will also be the engine for Google's android phone browser). I also had occasional network issues with AT&T's 3G network.

So basically, iPhone is on the wrong 3G network in US. Sprint should have had the iPhone and it would have been an even better marriage. But iPhone is such a great device overall that AT&T's network issues and other problems are much more palatable than the frustration with the Instinct phone.

With T-mobile's Google android phone launching soon, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Sprint Instinct users jump ship. According to the Wall Street Journal:

"The first mobile device powered by Google Inc.'s "Android" mobile phone software is expected to sell for $199 and will showcase the Google brand, people familiar with the matter say, a departure from the standard practice of listing only the manufacturer and wireless carrier on handsets...

The carrier [T-mobile] plans to unveil new data plans in conjunction with the device that will be "aggressively priced," the people said."

I am waiting for my last Sprint bill with $400 ($200 x2 lines) added for early termination fee (ETF) before I sell the two Instinct phones to recoup some of the ETF costs. I do not regret getting the iPhones at all. They are far superior devices albeit with a more expensive carrier (text messaging costs extra) and inferior 3G network than Sprint's. However, the ease of use, far superior browser and tons of free apps and games more than make up for these limitations.

I would have stayed with Sprint if there was an announcement from Sprint with a firm date of Sprint's Google android phone. The last announcement from Sprint that I saw regarding the android platform was a while ago (but the rumors say before the end of this year). With Instinct, I think Sprint bet on a wrong phone but according to Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, "Samsung is making as many as they can, but they still sell out. Our employees still can't get them."

I guess Instinct marketing campaign is working better than the phone itself but some users vouch that they did not experience the problems that my two Instinct phones and hundreds if not thousands of Instinct early adopters have experienced.