Detailed Analysis of iPhone 4 Signal Strength Dropoff

[MacRumors]

Anandtech has managed to provide a detailed analysis of the iPhone 4's potential antenna signal issue. Their analysis may shed some light on people's experiences with the iPhone 4 and the drop-off in signal when the device is being held in hand.

The issue has generated a lot of press since the iPhone 4 launch due to a variety of user reports on the issue. Apple has maintained that a certain amount of signal loss is normal when mobile phones are held in hand. In a leaked support note, they have also insisted that the iPhone 4 antenna performance is better than that of the iPhone 3GS. Based on Anandtech's analysis, it appears Apple is correct in this statement, though with some caveats.




First, Anandtech managed to hack together a way for the iPhone 4 to report actual signal strength instead of the usual 5 bar signal strength scale. As has been noted by many, this 5 bar scale can be a poor representation of the actual signal strength. As seen above, nearly 40% of the range of possible signal levels is reported as 5 bars. Because of this broad range, there could be a huge difference in actual signal strength despite the same "5 bars" being displayed.

They then ran several tests comparing the signal degradation from holding the iPhone 4 in hand in various positions:




As it turns out, the iPhone 4 does have a significantly greater drop-off in signal strength in all positions as compared to the iPhone 3GS which preceded it. Perhaps the most notable difference is in the "Holding Naturally" position which could theoretically "bottom out" a 4 bar signal or bring the low-end of the 5 bar signals down to 1 bar. Holding the iPhone 4 tightly, of course, accentuates the problem. All phones do exhibit the same behavior, though the iPhone 4's external antenna presumably exaggerates the effect.

However, Anandtech points out that in their testing they found the iPhone 4 antenna is indeed improved over the 3GS -- adding validity to Apple's previous statements. In their testing, Anandtech found that at very low signal strengths (down to -113), the iPhone 4 would hold onto calls far better than the iPhone 3GS.

It's amazing really to experience the difference in sensitivity the iPhone 4 brings compared to the 3GS, and issues from holding the phone aside, reception is absolutely definitely improved. I felt like I was going places no iPhone had ever gone before. There's no doubt in my mind this iPhone gets the best cellular reception yet, even though measured signal is lower than the 3GS.

All in all, the findings may help to explain some seemingly discrepant statements and observations. While the iPhone 4 is likely to perform better at the same signal level as the iPhone 3GS, the signal of the iPhone 4 may be more greatly reduced by attenuation when being held in the same position. This could explain all but the most extreme issues depicted. In the end, Anandtech also suggests using a case may be best move and that with a bumper case, the iPhone 4 has the same attenuation performance as other other smartphones.


Article Link: Detailed Analysis of iPhone 4 Signal Strength Dropoff

[arn]

so, bottom line: don't hold it that way, or get a case.

note: this doesn't necessarily negate the hopes/desires/wishful thinking that Apple could make moves to reduce the signal degratation, either through future hardware changes, or (however unlikely) firmware updates. This explains the "what" that's happening, not the "why".

arn

[PecanEater]

Great to have some real analysis. So tired of all the BS.

[Rm.237]

Still haven't had one dropped call. Just saying.

[miazma]

I'm missing the Death Grip there... (aka left handed natural)

[arn]

Originally Posted by Rm.237

Still haven't had one dropped call. Just saying.

Guess it means you have a strong signal. Based on this data, you could see how someone could drop a call with 4 bars while holding the iPhone "naturally" (without a case).

arn

[Lord Vader]

Very interesting.

[audioruckus]

At least we now have some reasonable analysis of this issue, as opposed to the ranting and raving going on.

Personally I've just slightly adjusted my grip on my iPhone and have had better reception than ever as compared to my 3GS.

[ELScorcho9]

Nice analysis. I've waited for real research and this is it. I've still no problems, but now I see the big differences between the phones.

[neteng101]

Confirms to me that I'm staying with the 3GS until Apple builds another phone that doesn't require a case to make calls with. My 3GS is naked when I'm using it... why should I have to buy a case just to make calls with an iPhone 4? Apple really did a dumb thing here in the name of good looks.

[Arh25]

I really didnt want to use a case with this one.

[phoenixdown318]

i have been in areas with 2 bars or less and hold onto my phone "naturally" and haven't dropped any calls either.

[Arh25]

Originally Posted by phoenixdown318

i have been in areas with 2 bars or less and hold onto my phone "naturally" and haven't dropped any calls either.

I went from a 3G and I never dropped calls with it. I have dropped almost 50% of all my calls with the iPhone 4. I was very shocked since i maybe dropped 3-5 calls a year before. Because of poor service in the area i was in.

[Radjin]

I've had no Death Grip issues at all, may be the way I hold the phone. But as for the low signal and still making calls, what a difference. Now I can be way up in the hills and still make calls where my work Verizon phone, and my old 3G said no signal.

[Alisstar]

The skeptics are still going to discredit these findings.

My phone does degrade its signal, however, I hardly have any dropped calls. And the other day I was at a gas station where I regularly gas up at and my phone picked up the wifi signal from the restaurant across the street. That never happened with my old 3G. I agree with the findings. My iPhone 4 does have better reception.

[arn]

Originally Posted by phoenixdown318

i have been in areas with 2 bars or less and hold onto my phone "naturally" and haven't dropped any calls either.

Those are average results. I suspect there is person-to-person variability on the effect, with some people being much more susceptible.

arn

[joneill55]

"Much ado about nothing" for this iPhone 4 user. I have not dropped one call and the phone/speaker/bluetooth sounds remarkably better than my 3Gs. I am using it in an Apple Bumper case but even without the case, cannot reproduce said issue.

Better to be lucky than good I suspect :-)

[MacGiver]

Asking people to buy a case is just a joke...I never had one and will never. I do not pay such a price to in addition add an ugly cases...I'd rather buy another phone then or keep my 3GS

[alent1234]

i'm shocked. i was convinced that Apple gimped the iphone 4 to sell more bumpers.

funny to read all the sheeple though bringing it back to apple because they think it doesn't work

[jbutterfill]

I have terrible reception at home and generally cant make calls, but with my iphone 4 its has the best reception I have had from any phone I have owned (and I can actually make calls now) - sure the signal attenuation problem exists, but if I hold it "correctly" its a great signal

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)

I guess it is time for me to head to the store to find a case. I really like the naked iPhone 4 though.

[marcfogel]

Meanwhile back at the ranch:

Apple hiring iPhone antenna engineers for some reason
http://tinyurl.com/2672ecy

[afcs]

I received my Iphone on the 24 since, I have tried to replicate the problem and I cannot. The only way I get something similar is when I am in a place that has almost not signal in the first place(office).

[Rooftop voter]

Well, my 4 is going in a case regardless whenever I can actually find one, but I still think that apple should have found a better way to implement the antena.

[BornAgainMac]

Here is an idea. Change the Signal bars to a spinning rainbow ball that is in Mac OS.