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AppleCare: The iPhone 4 Update Won't Solve the Antenna Problem

This isn't really news. Anyone who's watched one of the dozens of videos showing the antenna problems would know that can't be fixed with a firmware update. The hardware is flawed by design.
 
If that's all true, then Apple is finally coming to terms with the problematic antenna design.
 
The firmware flash isn't going to fix the signal attenuation issue (we all know that much).
 
There is no fix, this is the (unintended) design of the phone. Luckily it has had zero effect on me and Ive been lucky not to experience the other common problems too.

Apple WILL fix it eventually though............................with the iPhone 5 :D
 
BruiserBear said:
This isn't really news. Anyone who's watched one of the dozens of videos showing the antenna problems would know that can't be fixed with a firmware update. The hardware is flawed by design.
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So then what of the reports that the iPhone 4 reduced the rate at which it adjusts frequencies when interference occurs? (In an attempt to place less demand on the netowrk.) If that was a new change they made, perhaps they went too far and changing it back could have an effect.

I obviously don't know $*$@# about whether or not that will change anything, but I'm curious to know how you're so certain that it won't. It at least seems like a possibility to me. I'd certainly wait for Apple's update before I claimed to be so certain of anything.
 
I still don't see how people are saying this is a software issue. The only thing the software fix is going to do is show my bars displaying correctly THAT'S ALL! To be honest, my bars are perfectly fine. When I don't hold the spot of death I have 5 full bars and yes they work fine. When I DO hold the spot, I get zero bars and no service. Oh my god, imagine that, no bars = no service. Please tell me how software that is going to correct the amount of bars shown is going to fix how all my bars go to zero when I hold that spot?
 
Maverick1337 said:
I still don't see how people are saying this is a software issue. The only thing the software fix is going to do is show my bars displaying correctly THAT'S ALL! To be honest, my bars are perfectly fine. When I don't hold the spot of death I have 5 full bars and yes they work fine. When I DO hold the spot, I get zero bars and no service. Oh my god, imagine that, no bars = no service. Please tell me how software that is going to correct the amount of bars shown is going to fix how all my bars go to zero when I hold that spot?
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Instead of zero apple will cover it up to show 5 haha
 
beamer8912 said:
Ha! I guess Gruber called it. Gizmodo strikes again.
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Many people called it way sooner. Like the 23rd. Gruber also sided with Consumer Reports over Giz and that blew up. Giz has actually been pretty spot on with this. Bias works both ways.

The news here is Apple acknowledging the problem in a realistic way.
 
Maverick1337 said:
The only thing the software fix is going to do is show my bars displaying correctly THAT'S ALL!
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We don't know that.

That's what Apple has told us, yes. They also admitted they've been lying to us about AT&T signal strength for 3 years. So what makes you want to start trusting them now? You're going to take their PR letter at face value? I'm not.
 
I think I have finally had it and I'm Going to vote with my wallet. I was really excited for the release but so far it's been pretty underwhelming for me. I think it's time to dump AT&T and Apple. It's a shame really because it's a beautiful device but it stops at just that. A device, it's total trash as a phone.
 
Sir Ruben said:
There is no fix, this is the (unintended) design of the phone. Luckily it has had zero effect on me and Ive been lucky not to experience the other common problems too.

Apple WILL fix it eventually though............................with the iPhone 5 :D
Click to expand...

Why are you so sure it's hardware and not software? I'm not a engineer so I don't understand how people are so sure, I'm assuming you must know more about this.

Could you please answer these questions for me then...

I can place my finger over the bottom left seam which results in going from 5 bars to 3 but this takes 30+ seconds, why wouldn't this occur faster?

Also, while on a call, I can place my finger over the left seam and talk again for about 30 seconds then the person will complain that I'm cutting out, at this point I can hear them just fine but I cut out to them. Then I'll drop the call. How is everyone so sure this isn't an issue with the software? Because if it was hardware wouldn't the call drop immediately?

As I stated above I'm no engineer but people on here clearly know more than I do so perhaps somebody could answer.
 
deimos256 said:
I think I have finally had it and I'm Going to vote with my wallet. I was really excited for the release but so far it's been pretty underwhelming for me. I think it's time to dump AT&T and Apple. It's a shame really because it's a beautiful device but it stops at just that. A device, it's total trash as a phone.
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Your only as good as your worst player, in this case the actual Phone.

I have been waiting for white, so maybe the white's delay was a minor hardware revision. Fingers crossed. I can't stand my 3G.
 
the article is stating that applecare is now saying it's a hardware issue and the patch will only address an incorrect bar display.

but, again, you're probably best off calling applecare yourself to confirm it. they say in the article that they called three times and always got the same answer. it sounds like a new company line, if that's the case, so if you call, you should get the same response.

personally, i thought it was a hardware problem from day 1 but i'm no rf engineer. best i have is an opinion.
 
timeconsumer said:
I can place my finger over the bottom left seam which results in going from 5 bars to 3 but this takes 30+ seconds, why wouldn't this occur faster?
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Good questions. First of all, the signal display shown in bars is an average signal reading. The average is taken over a period of x seconds, probably somewhere between 30-60. The actual signal loss IS immediate, but the displaying average takes time to reflect the change. So your view is a delayed reaction to an immediate loss...it doesn't really go down slowly.


Also, while on a call, I can place my finger over the left seam and talk again for about 30 seconds then the person will complain that I'm cutting out, at this point I can hear them just fine but I cut out to them. Then I'll drop the call. How is everyone so sure this isn't an issue with the software? Because if it was hardware wouldn't the call drop immediately?
Click to expand...

The phone and network try desperately to hold a call so that even if the signal is completely lost, the session is maintained and resumes if the loss is only for a very short period. This is to prevent dropped calls due to travelling for a brief moment under a bridge etc. As you point out, you can have transmission while reception is affected or vice versa. But effectively the two way communication is temporarily broken at this point. The network and phone will hold the call in this state for a short time after which both sides will give up and drop. This may not happen at exactly the same moment. Tests show for example, the network may register a 50 second call, while your phone may register a 48 second call as the "timeouts" may be different or have started at a different moment.
 
dagomike said:
Many people called it way sooner. Like the 23rd. Gruber also sided with Consumer Reports over Giz and that blew up. Giz has actually been pretty spot on with this. Bias works both ways.

The news here is Apple acknowledging the problem in a realistic way.
Click to expand...

Wasn't talking about the issue itself. Gruber called Giz trashing the update as soon as it was announced. Reread his "translation" of Apple's statement. ;)

facepalm
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?
 
lets keep in mind that Gizmodo is forced to go out and seek these ****** stories because Apple doesn't give a freak about them.
 
Why is this news? Didn't anybody read that press release on Friday. It just said the update would adjust how the bars are displayed. Apple never claimed that it would fix the issue. They actually reiterated in the "letter" that if you hold the phone a certain way you may experience signal loss.
 
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