iPhone 4 Low signal fix via Apple "Genius"

ihawkfreak · Jun 25, 2010, 02:06 PM

I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.

iPadztr · Jun 25, 2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihawkfreak

I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.

hahaha! nice.. that's really GENIUS...

DustyLBottoms · Jun 25, 2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihawkfreak

I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.

silly boy

1.) You walk into the store, asking for help with a signal issue.

2.) Apple employees suggest the ONLY FIXES that will help you RIGHT AWAY.
(They have no control over the device, cell provider signal, or on-hand warranty units)

3.) You insult said Apple employees - when you are the one who left the store with the same issues you arrived with.

So...um....yeah.

ItsThatKush · Jun 25, 2010, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihawkfreak

I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.

did you pay $700 for the phone?

JonnyIreland · Jun 25, 2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DustyLBottoms

silly boy

1.) You walk into the store, asking for help with a signal issue.

2.) Apple employees suggest the ONLY FIXES that will help you RIGHT AWAY.
(They have no control over the device, cell provider signal, or on-hand warranty units)

3.) You insult said Apple employees - when you are the one who left the store with the same issues you arrived with.

So...um....yeah.

Come on -you really think that Duct Tape was an acceptable answer from an Apple Store employee? That's ridiculous. Maybe they should just suggest "use a handsfree kit", I mean that would 'fix' the problem too, wouldn't it?

hazeydavey · Jun 25, 2010, 02:25 PM

I called...they told me the same thing.

I put piece of scotch tape over area, used exacto knife...and it's great now.

As the Tech support guy told me "it's a band aid until they come up with a fix"

He hinted that most likely people will be offered a free bumper...or of course, return it.

StephenRzucidlo · Jun 25, 2010, 02:26 PM

your nuts you paid $700

frenchie0101 · Jun 25, 2010, 02:28 PM

flippin duck tape, thats real genius ???

Bostonaholic · Jun 25, 2010, 02:28 PM

clear fingernail polish

...or pink if you prefer

technopimp · Jun 25, 2010, 02:30 PM

Scotch tape does not fix the problem for me. It really feels to me like less of the antenna arrays getting bridged as the whole antenna itself being covered up (as if everything needed to make it work was in that corner).

iMetalG5 · Jun 25, 2010, 02:33 PM

I went back into the Apple Store (they know I have no life, hahaha, nah just a day off hanging out at the mall) and 2 people there said that the signal issue is sporadic. I showed them mine and wouldn't you know it didn't do it at the Apple Store

just 1 bar lower. But anyway they said I HAVE TO BUY a case for it if I'm that worried about low signal. They had no cases and suggested I go to Best Buy and just get any old case and one guy overheard us and showed me his i4 with some decent case he said he ordered online last week for $3 and it solved the signal problem.

bottom line is you gotta put your i4 in a case.

big0mar · Jun 25, 2010, 02:33 PM

You mean they didn't give you a patch on-site?

KidStallyn · Jun 25, 2010, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frenchie0101

flippin duck tape, thats real genius ???

you can fix anything with bailing wire, duct tape and a hammer........you could build a nuke with those three items if you Macgyver!

i-John · Jun 25, 2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyIreland

Come on -you really think that Duct Tape was an acceptable answer from an Apple Store employee? That's ridiculous. Maybe they should just suggest "use a handsfree kit", I mean that would 'fix' the problem too, wouldn't it?

Why did you go ask if you already knew what a good fix was?

The simple answer is if you want to handle the phone, get something that will cover the area so your skin can't act as a conductor.

i-John · Jun 25, 2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frenchie0101

flippin duck tape, thats real genius ???

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

Bostonaholic · Jun 25, 2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-John

Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

If it moves and it shouldn't, there's duct tape. If should move and it won't, there's WD-40.

wishman35 · Jun 25, 2010, 02:46 PM

The easiest solution is to never ever go for tech support to a "genius" typically you shouldn't trust someone if they have more than 5 pimples on their face.

zerostar · Jun 25, 2010, 02:56 PM

I "fixed" mine with tape, it's scotch tape but the shiny 100% transparent kind not the "magic" flat/matte kind, that kind didn't work. I suspect clear glossy packing tape would do the trick too.

I at least can use it until there is a fix or I decide I need to return it...

Hoping for a software fix... seems something software-signal processing related to me.

When I have 5 bars I can't get the signal to go down at ALL by holding the corner or any other area, if I was indeed "shorting" out the antenna you would expect some movement.

However if I am in a 3-4 bar area it goes down all the way to no service then you back up to 3-4 bars when I let go, so either its a different modulation on some of the towers or the Phone is having a fit/crashing out trying to hold onto the weaker signal/interference.

stphnman20 · Jun 25, 2010, 03:05 PM

Duct tape? wth.. At least electrical tape.. geez..

Jun 25, 2010, 02:06 PM	#1
ihawkfreak macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Hawkeye State	iPhone 4 Low signal fix via Apple "Genius" I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:26 PM	#7
StephenRzucidlo macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South New Jersey	your nuts you paid $700 __________________ 32GB Iphone 4 32GB Iphone 3GS 15" Mac Book Pro Laptop 2.8GHz,4GB Ram500GB HD :apple Ipod Nano 16gb 5g Ipad 64gb WiFi/3g coming soon
	1

Jun 25, 2010, 02:28 PM	#9
Bostonaholic macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Columbus, Ohio	clear fingernail polish ...or pink if you prefer __________________ 17" MBP 5,2 \| 15" MBP 6,2 \| iPad 2 \| iPhone 3GS \| iPod Nano 8GB \| iPod 30GB www.matthewboston.com \| twitter/bostonaholic
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:33 PM	#11
iMetalG5 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2005	I went back into the Apple Store (they know I have no life, hahaha, nah just a day off hanging out at the mall) and 2 people there said that the signal issue is sporadic. I showed them mine and wouldn't you know it didn't do it at the Apple Store just 1 bar lower. But anyway they said I HAVE TO BUY a case for it if I'm that worried about low signal. They had no cases and suggested I go to Best Buy and just get any old case and one guy overheard us and showed me his i4 with some decent case he said he ordered online last week for $3 and it solved the signal problem. bottom line is you gotta put your i4 in a case. __________________ 15" 2.66 GHz Macbook Pro, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Apple Cinema Display 24", G-Technology 2 TB G-DRIVE, G-Technology 2 TB G-RAID, iPhone 4 32GB
	0

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Jun 25, 2010, 02:25 PM	#6
hazeydavey macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2010	I called...they told me the same thing. I put piece of scotch tape over area, used exacto knife...and it's great now. As the Tech support guy told me "it's a band aid until they come up with a fix" He hinted that most likely people will be offered a free bumper...or of course, return it.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:28 PM	#8
frenchie0101 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2009	flippin duck tape, thats real genius ???
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:30 PM	#10
technopimp macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2009	Scotch tape does not fix the problem for me. It really feels to me like less of the antenna arrays getting bridged as the whole antenna itself being covered up (as if everything needed to make it work was in that corner).
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:33 PM	#12
big0mar macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2010	You mean they didn't give you a patch on-site?
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:46 PM	#17
wishman35 macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2009	The easiest solution is to never ever go for tech support to a "genius" typically you shouldn't trust someone if they have more than 5 pimples on their face.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 02:56 PM	#18
zerostar macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Florida	I "fixed" mine with tape, it's scotch tape but the shiny 100% transparent kind not the "magic" flat/matte kind, that kind didn't work. I suspect clear glossy packing tape would do the trick too. I at least can use it until there is a fix or I decide I need to return it... Hoping for a software fix... seems something software-signal processing related to me. When I have 5 bars I can't get the signal to go down at ALL by holding the corner or any other area, if I was indeed "shorting" out the antenna you would expect some movement. However if I am in a 3-4 bar area it goes down all the way to no service then you back up to 3-4 bars when I let go, so either its a different modulation on some of the towers or the Phone is having a fit/crashing out trying to hold onto the weaker signal/interference.
	0

Jun 25, 2010, 03:05 PM	#19
stphnman20 macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2010	Duct tape? wth.. At least electrical tape.. geez..
	0

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