Senior Apple Support Advisor: "Prox Sensor fix coming in OS 4.1 within next 2 weeks"

[zub3qin]

Take this for what it is worth but on the phone with iPhone tech support- Level 2 senior advisor.

He said that OS 4.1 should fix the proximity sensor and it will be out in the next 2 weeks.

I actually don't believe him as he was pretty annoying on the phone, but I'd be interested in knowing if anyone else is hearing this from Apple support when they call in? Can anyone independently corroborate this?

 

[spblat]

Developers have had an early 4.1 release for at least a week and have said nothing about this. Hopefully the prox sensor fix has been added since the developer release.

 

[zub3qin]

Developers have had an early 4.1 release for at least a week and have said nothing about this. Hopefully the prox sensor fix has been added since the developer release.

I hadn't heard anything about 4.1 either, but I wasn't sure that developers would post anything about 4.1 since they sign a NDA.

Or am I wrong? Has anyone posted any reviews of 4.1 beta yet?

 

[samcraig]

I think only one version of 4.1 has been released to developers. Don't they usually do a few iterations before going GM? Or is that only full OS updates?

 

[spblat]

I hadn't heard anything about 4.1 either, but I wasn't sure that developers would post anything about 4.1 since they sign a NDA.

In general my impression is that gadget sites post interesting tidbits about developer seeds regardless of secrecy requirements imposed by Apple on developers.

"According to a developer familiar with the release..."

 

[spblat]

I took zub3qin's signature to heart and called Apple. The first level person spent some time looking for a tech note, wasn't happy with what she found, put me on hold for awhile, then put me in touch with a "senior advisor" who didn't mention 4.1 specifically but acknowledged that Apple knows about the issue and is working on it. He volunteered that he has had 3-4 calls today about the proximity issue and none about the antenna issue. He reassured me that regardless of whether a hardware or a software fix is required (I am personally confident a software fix will be devised), Apple is taking full responsibility for the issue and is working hard to fix it.

Then he gave me his personal apple.com e-mail address and asked me to contact him directly if I didn't see a fix within three weeks. He was careful to say he has no idea when exactly the fix is coming, other than "very soon."

 

[skiltrip]

This is promising news. I was really hoping that 4.1 would come around before my 30 day return period was up on my iPhone. Seeing that I have yet to get my iPhone, and it'll probably be another week at least, I should be in good shape. Thanks to the OP for posting this, and tons of thanks to spblat for taking the time to talk to Apple himself and get confirmation on this.

 

[Bawstun]

I don't see how an overly glitchy proximity sensor can be "fixed" from a software update. Seems hardware related to me. I notice if I hold the phone with my shoulder it triggers a lot more than if I'm holding it in my hand. But sometimes when I have no hands available and you do the head-tilt/shoulder thing...yeah, not with this sensor. I've hung up on people more than twice, muted, speakerphoned, activated the keypad...

You just can't move the damn thing an inch away from your face or it activates the screen.

I'm guessing a fix is just going to make the delay longer? I mean...the sensor is an actual piece of equipment that's picking up up the light...wouldn't that be a hardware problem?

 

[xraydoc]

I don't see how an overly glitchy proximity sensor can be "fixed" from a software update. Seems hardware related to me. I notice if I hold the phone with my shoulder it triggers a lot more than if I'm holding it in my hand. But sometimes when I have no hands available and you do the head-tilt/shoulder thing...yeah, not with this sensor. I've hung up on people more than twice, muted, speakerphoned, activated the keypad...

You just can't move the damn thing an inch away from your face or it activates the screen.

I'm guessing a fix is just going to make the delay longer? I mean...the sensor is an actual piece of equipment that's picking up up the light...wouldn't that be a hardware problem?

Possibly the sensitivity can be controlled via software. Jobs said a future update would address the sensor during the antenna conference last week.

 

[Daveoc64]

Apple Senior Support said that 4.0.1 would fix the antenna issue.

While I fully expect Apple to release an update that will fix the proximity sensor, I don't think it will be 4.1 - that's quite a major update in several areas.

I'd expect 4.0.2 to fix the Proximity Sensor and a few small bugs.

 

[Bawstun]

Yeah, Jobs also said last week that there would be white iPhones shipping at the end of this month, too.

I'm not trying to sound troll-y, but, I've lost a lot of stock in what Jobs/Apple says in press conferences as of late.

I do hope they make good on this promise though, because I hate having to hold the phone with my hand at all times and even then I sometimes hit the end call button or other random noises during my calls. It's distracting and all of my friends hate it.

 

[dagomike]

4.1 Doesn't seem to do anything for the prox sensor. Perhaps a future build will, but if there's an improvement, it's pretty slight.

I would expect Apple could just adjust the timing on the sensor and that would help a lot of people who are juggling the phone. Perhaps too there's a sensitivity setting.

 

[Block]

It will probably be longer than two weeks since the latest developer seeded version of 4.1 doesn't have this change yet.

 

[Got Haggis?]

I just got my iPhone 4 this weekend and I can see the proximity sensor on the phone. If I recall with the first iPhone 4s you could not see it, was behind the black tinted glass. If this is the case, maybe try returning phone?

 

[simple20]

I just got my iPhone 4 this weekend and I can see the proximity sensor on the phone. If I recall with the first iPhone 4s you could not see it, was behind the black tinted glass. If this is the case, maybe try returning phone?

Please post a pic of your phone to see if that actually is the case. Thanks.

And I'm with everybody else, apple has been promising a lot of crap but not delivered on any of it. Prox sensor is only a slight annoyance on mine. But still I constantly think about it when I'm talking o a call.

 

[101AirAssault]

4.1 Doesn't seem to do anything for the prox sensor. Perhaps a future build will, but if there's an improvement, it's pretty slight.

Maybe that's because 4.1 hasn't been released.... I'm assuming you mean 4.0.1. I had an issue when the phone was first bought but it wouldn't come out of lock screen when pulled away from my face. I would have to lock/unlock it for it to "fix" itself. Then it just stopped doing it.

......If I recall with the first iPhone 4s you could not see it, was behind the black tinted glass. If this is the case, maybe try returning phone?

Actually I picked up 3 iPhone 4's and my folks both have one and none of us can see the prox sensor..... There was a thread about one iPhone 4 where you could actually see it but that is the only one I know about, so I think you're misinformed.

 

[jkozlow3]

Take this for what it is worth but on the phone with iPhone tech support- Level 2 senior advisor.

He said that OS 4.1 should fix the proximity sensor and it will be out in the next 2 weeks.

Kind of like how Jobs said the white iPhone would be shipping by the end of July?

 

[CBR900RR]

Even better if they can put sensitivity adjustment in the setting for the prox sensor just like the brightness, so we can adjust it to the level that fit us.

 

[spblat]

Kind of like how Jobs said the white iPhone would be shipping by the end of July?

This is immaterial. Nobody owes you a white iPhone. Those of us with proximity issues are owed a fix, and most of us have confidence in Apple's ability to provide a fix shortly. Those of us who lack this confidence have (or had) ample opportunity to return our iPhones and choose another product. I elected to keep my iPhone on faith.

 

[Got Haggis?]

picked up my iPhone 4 at the Columbia, MD apple store on Friday July 23rd.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

I just got my iPhone 4 this weekend and I can see the proximity sensor on the phone. If I recall with the first iPhone 4s you could not see it, was behind the black tinted glass. If this is the case, maybe try returning phone?

It's in your head. You just never looked before. I received mine on launch day, and can clearly see it in direct light.

The proximity censor is the only issue I have with my iPhone 4. It's annoying as hell, but the bumper helps with not touching the buttons during calls. I'm hoping for a software fix SOON!

 

[IrishTiger]

picked up my iPhone 4 at the Columbia, MD apple store on Friday July 23rd.

ugh. that's the camera!

 

[spblat]

Two weeks from the OP is this Friday. My guy said no more than three weeks, which is 8/13. Fingers crossed. I'm a little worried about this actually.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

Why wait? I had a bad sensor in my last iP4, Apple genius confirmed & gave me a new phone on the spot. All the stores have a " secret stash" of new iPhones just for this reason. Take advantage and don't suffer with a defective phone.

 

[Small White Car]

Yeah, Jobs also said last week that there would be white iPhones shipping at the end of this month, too.

I'm not trying to sound troll-y, but, I've lost a lot of stock in what Jobs/Apple says in press conferences as of late.

It's safe to believe them. If they weren't working on a software update he would have said "We're looking into it" and would have left it at that.