In the past week, there has been an increase in technical difficulties across various areas of daily life, ranging from train travel to smartphone usage and digital services. We summarize the key events.
Faulty Infrastructure at Deutsche Bahn
On November 11, 2024, broken elevators at Dresden Neustadt station caused significant inconveniences. The elevators at platforms 5-6 and 7-8 were out of service, leading travelers to miss their trains to Berlin. Critically, the disruptions were not displayed in the DB Navigator app, despite users providing screenshots as evidence. A call to the 3-S Center Dresden confirmed the issues. Repairs for platform 7-8 were promised by the evening, while no timeframe was given for platform 5-6.
Network Issues on the Dresden-Berlin Route
Travelers reported mobile network dead zones along the railway between Dresden and Berlin. In areas like Kosilenzien, near the border of Saxony and Brandenburg, neither Telekom nor Vodafone networks had coverage, making even emergency calls impossible. Near Herzberg, phones displayed an “SOS” symbol, enabling emergency calls, but overall network coverage remains a problem.
Software Glitches at Apple and Google
Users of Apple devices encountered several issues:
•Apple Maps and Google Maps struggled with location tracking on trains. Google Maps frequently displayed “Location cannot be determined,” while Apple Maps remained stuck on outdated locations.
•The Notes app on Mac exhibited errors, such as unexpected text changes and scrolling issues within tables.
•AirDrop connections between iPhone and MacBook were unstable, complicating file transfers.
•The Do Not Disturb mode failed to sync properly between Apple Watch and iPhone, causing missed notifications.
•The Phone app occasionally became unresponsive, preventing users from answering or rejecting calls.
Issues with Apps and Online Services
•The Sixt app failed to recognize when users were offline, displaying generic error messages instead of specific guidance.
•The DHL Packstation in Weinböhla was overfilled, even though the app gave no such indication. Customers were unable to drop off packages.
•Websites for Dr. Oetker and Kind Hearing Aids faced technical issues. A recipe link on Dr. Oetker’s site led to a 404 error page, while Kind.de reported internal redirection problems.
Taxi Booking Problems in Kiel
A user reported issues with the FreeNow app in Kiel. On October 11 and again on November 13, the same driver was assigned, who had previously refused service without explanation. This raised concerns about the app’s reliability and driver assignment process.
Insufficient Network Coverage in Buildings
Visitors to the everyworks coworking space at Berlin Central Station and the Hampton Hilton Frankfurt East complained about poor mobile network coverage. In both locations, the signal was so weak that mobile data was nearly unusable, forcing reliance on Wi-Fi.
Other Technical Anomalies
•In an Intercity train from Leipzig to Dresden, a cracked glass was served in 1st class.
•At Kaufland in Coswig, mobile data coverage in the Telekom network was severely limited.
•Apple AirPods Pro produced irritating rustling sounds under a winter jacket, which may point to a design flaw.
