Back in July I dumped my iPhone for a new Evo from Sprint. I have enjoyed the phone (yeah the battery life sucks) and services (LOVE the mobile hotspot functionality!) however there has been a single persistent problem that has been causing me grief and it’s time for Sprint to step up and fix it.
When Sprint made the Android 2.2 update available I installed it on my relatively new Evo… I had it just a few weeks. Immediately following the update I started getting “android.process.acore” error messages and a force close message where the app I was using would, well, force close (how very Mac). Sprint replaced the handset 3 times and each time following the upgrade I started getting error messages.
The last time it was replaced I told the Sprint store to just update the software and provision the handset and I would pick it up… still generating the error messages. Clearly this is not a problem with apps I may be running as the last update was done on a virgin handset by Sprint and it’s still happening.
The local Sprint store told me today that a software update that has not been previously disclosed and for which no details are available would resolve this issue, however, not surprisingly I guess, a date has not been made available.
Out of frustration I called Sprint technical support and an indignant support rep told me 2.2 was “defective” and nobody should update to it and if I hard reset my phone it would go back to the old version. Anyone who has done the hard reset knows it does not roll back the ROM to a previous system software update, and to my knowledge the only way to do this would be to root the phone and install the earlier RUU file with the appropriate utility. Irrespective of technical details, an unpublished fix that consists of going back to an earlier version of the software really isn’t a fix at all.
Sprint needs to step up, there are other people having this error messages post 2.2 and it does render the phone impaired, for example if when writing an email you get this message the email app is shut down and your message is gone with it.
PS- Apple hardware/software has problems but the defining aspect of their customer support response is that they take ownership for fixing what isn’t right.
I have an EVO and did the 2.2 update when it was pushed. I have never experienced the likes of what you have described. My daughter also has an EVO with 2.2 and has not had your problem. I have never seen mention of it on any of the forums that i follow.
http://www.bing.com/search?setmkt=en-US&q=evo+android.process.acore+error
maybe we aren’t in the same forums?
7 EVOs and I don’t have that issue…
It’s interesting that the responses so far have been “I don’t have that problem”. Great!
I have never had heart disease therefore it must not exist and my car has never had a service problem so that particular model/year must have a 100% reliability rating. The lesson is that it’s really not useful to attempt to prove a point by asserting a negative…
Upgraded my evo and I’ve had errors of all sorts popping every few minutes. Some while using very apps, some just with the phone just siting there. Hate this inconsistent. Crap. Fix it!
Jeff, I bought an Evo just under a month ago and this has been a huge issue, I get 3 or 4 different error messages, each several times a day. Otherwise I think it is a great phone, and didn’t really want to part with it. I brought it back to Sprint today and the tech looked at it and after witnessing the issues himself, I was given brand new phone. I was told it was probably an issue with a corrupt contact file, perhaps from my old phone or from gmail. Therefore, they printed out my contacts for me to manually re enter, so that theoretically I wouldn’t experience the same issue with the same corrupt contact file. I was really impressed with sprint’s customer service and how the issue was handled. Flash forward about 6 hrs since I got my new phone… I have received about 8 error messages in about 10 minutes of total phone use 🙁 I am so bummed! I haven’t downloaded any apps or imported any contacts….. thank you for getting the word out on this issue! Sprint, please help!
Jeff, thanks for writing this article. I’m in the process of researching this phone and Sprints service. Squarely looked at the Sprint sales rep in the eye and asked her about updating the software and she said ‘You should be able too’. I despise vague answers like that, it is very unprofessional.
One thought I’ve had, after reading your article is to make sure you are getting the update from HTC. HTC has taken the droid software and customized it. Not 100% sure this will help
http://www.htc.com/us/support/evo-sprint/downloads/
[…] Sprint Needs to Step Up: Android/Evo Error Messages (enterpriseirregulars.com) […]
I’ve had my EVO for less than two weeks and I’m getting error messages every time I use it. When I brought it back to the Sprint store to inquire about a fix, they told me that is must have been an app that I downloaded. They put the blame right back on me and told me to erase all of my apps. I told them that I was getting errors before I even loaded the first new app, but they didn’t help me at all.
Dear Jeff,
I have been a sprint customer for over 10 years and I absolutely love sprint. I just got the Evo in Aug 2010 and I really like the phone, but just like you, I keep getting this horrible error message. I have taken my phone back to sprint, had it updated twice and even given a new phone, which has not fixed the problem. Fortunately, I have met wonderful managers at sprint, who have bent over backwards to work with me, take ownership and try to fix the problem. It is still frustrating and I know I am not going anywhere, but I do hope they fix this soon.
I just cannot watch any.videos.on my phone even if i have the best signal on my phone, i thought it was because of the low signal…but no i dont know whats wrong with my evo i used to love it but not anymore it kind of sucks not to be able to use it as i want it to, and when i want to
I have been through now going on the third phone with sprint and I am not liking it at all. I keep getting error messages and having them do a hard reset. In which it does not fix it. This is crazy that sprint would keep telling us to replace the phone. Obviously they need to do a recall on this phone and find out what is causing this or do a mass update to get this fixed. I am frankly tired of getting these error messages. It is not like I am downloading third party apps. I download the apps from the market. This error messages majority of the time is when I try to send out a txt message. Sprint needs to give us an answer, I am getting frustrated.
Leria,
The problem is the HTC Facebook app… do the following:
-> Setttings -> Accounts & Sync
click on the HTC Facebook profile and “remove account” to make these error messages go away. Download the Facebook Android app and you will have the same access to Facebook without the error messages.
Leria,
The problem is the HTC Facebook app… do the following:
-> Setttings -> Accounts & Sync
click on the HTC Facebook profile and “remove account” to make these error messages go away. Download the Facebook Android app and you will have the same access to Facebook without the error messages.
Yes! I get these all the time. It used to happen rarely now it happens 3-5 times a day. I don’t know how to stop it and I wonder if doing a hard reset will help.