Analyst Claims Design Fix for iPhone 4 Signal Issue Being Deployed

[Antares]

If they do a recall, I'm really interested to see what Apple's response will be for why they lied about the issue and told people to hold it differently when they knew this was an issue.

Because it's not a lie. Apple was completely truthful. If you hold the phone differently...i.e. don't cover that band, you will not have a major signal loss problem. It's just like any other phone...if you bridge the antenna area, you will have a signal loss. I still don't see why some people think that Apple did something wrong here. Maybe just not enough foresight into how some people hold phones.

 

[jwdsail]

That same year Jaws 19 will be released in 3-D!
"This time its really, REALLY personal!!"

They already did Jaws in 3D...

 

[Orange™]

PLEASE tell me Orange was joking?

Did it sound like I was kidding? I'm new at this! BTW, here's a hint: If your not going to help, don't be an ass when others do.


That sounds like sound advice Tyre, sell I shall! I just know that the quarterly will boost prices next week, the only question is: will tomorrow weaken AAPL! That is all I was asking, geez, what's wrong with getting other opinions???

 

[TSloper]

Can someone please tell me WHY we are always talking ONLY about the antenna issue?

How about the PROXIMITY SENSOR problem?

I hang up on people with my face all day. I dial numbers with my face all the time.

THIS IS JUST AS BIG A PROBLEM!

This will be fixed in software. I had proximity sensor issues when I was running the 4.0 betas on my 3GS.

 

[Intarweb]

If it fixes the problem, then it is a solution. It may not be the one you want, but for many it actually *is* the solution.

But it doesn't fix the problem. It masks it. The problem is still there.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Because it's not a lie. Apple was completely truthful. If you hold the phone different'y...i.e. don't cover that band, you will not have a major signal loss problem. It's just like any other phone...if you bridge the antenna area, you will have a signal loss. I still don't see why some people think that Apple did something wrong here. Maybe just not enough foresight into how some people hold phones.

So after three generations of phones, Apple didn't have the foresight to how people hold their phones?

What the hell is wrong with you people and your blind bias?

 

[gceo]

Can someone please tell me WHY we are always talking ONLY about the antenna issue?

How about the PROXIMITY SENSOR problem?

I hang up on people with my face all day. I dial numbers with my face all the time.

THIS IS JUST AS BIG A PROBLEM!

Bigger probably for MOST.

I can make my bars go from 5 to 1 super easy, but overall, I drop WAY less calls (I think only 1 so far) than my 3Gs on the very same route I drive to work daily. (I had a iPhone 4 since June 23)

The Prox sensor problem happens to me EVERY DAY.

I got a new phone through Apple Care, and it does it just as bad.

 

[donny77]

WTF? What's an "internal insulator"?

The antenna problem is very simple -- touching both antennas over the dielectric gap result in signal attenuation due to a detuning (change in effective inductance) of the antenna. I don't care what kind of "insulator" they put in phone, it won't make any difference. The only solution is to insulate the metal antenna from touch by hiding it internally or coating it with a non-conductive coating that prevents anything conductive (fingers, metal, whatever) from detuning the antenna. Very simple Magnetism 101 stuff.

Frankly, I'm surprised that the analysts haven't caught on to this yet, but they continue to spew all sorts of pseudo-science postulations about how to fix this problem.

BTW, an in-store fix is relatively simple -- just tear the phone down and replace the original antenna with the non-conductive coating version. 10 mins max, though your wait times will vary.

Do you understand science? Science is about exploring all possibilities, research and experiments, recording the results and analyzing for an answer. Of course you need none of this, it's a "simple" problem with ONE possible solution!

So here is some science for you: The antenna effects signal strength at the Transceiver. The transceiver also get interference from all the other electrical devices in the phone degrading signal. The db meter reads the signal strength at the transceiver, not the antenna. By insulating the transceiver, they could in theory gain enough dbs that the MAXIMUM antenna attenuation of -24db is still better than any other phone on the market. If this were the case, the "problem" of DROPPED CALLS should be fixed. Yes the Antenna will still attenuate, ALL antennas attenuate. Yes it would still attenuate more than any other phone. But it would have better signal than any other phone.

Now I am not saying this is the case. I haven't run tests myself. This is just a possibility that maybe you simple problem has more than one solution.

 

[SteveG4Cube]

They already did Jaws in 3D...

LOL, so the Cubs (National League) will play another NL team (Marlins) in the World Series?!?!

I'll take your bet!

You're not thinking 4th dimensionally.

 

[Kwill]

I am happy they aren't waiting until 2011 version to fix this.

More to come on Friday.

 

[Antares]

So after three generations of phones, Apple didn't have the foresight to how people hold their phones?

Not people.....some people. How would they know that a minority of people hold their phone improperly? It's not like they can test the design with the general public before releaseing it. The current design should be fine, technically, for most users.

 

[Kwill]

Can someone please tell me WHY we are always talking ONLY about the antenna issue?

THIS IS JUST AS BIG A PROBLEM!

Apple is one authorized to fix what Consumer Reports says is a problem. Until then, it doesn't exist.

 

[WilliamLondon]

It is affecting sales, no doubt. I got mine the day after launch day, but two other early adopters I know (my girlfriend's folks) are holding off because of what they've heard.

Yes, but they can't keep up with current demand, and the ones who are holding off will undoubtedly buy it eventually. I believe they will lose very little iPhone 4 business in the long run, and while these supply problems continue, they lose nothing.

But it doesn't fix the problem. It masks it. The problem is still there.

What do you care if you have a phone with bumpers and it never appears again?

I understand problem solving better than I have implied, but this does fix the problem perfectly for those use bumpers.

 

[Jimrod]

Not people.....some people. How would they know that a minority of people hold their phone improperly? It's not like they can test the design with the general public before releaseing it. The current design should be fine, technically, for most users.

What the hell are you smoking? I want some... No-one is holding the phone improperly, Apple designed it improperly if you can't hold it naturally in your left hand. That's it, plain and simple - a little like you by the sounds of it.

 

[archipellago]

Because it's not a lie. Apple was completely truthful. If you hold the phone differently...i.e. don't cover that band, you will not have a major signal loss problem. It's just like any other phone...if you bridge the antenna area, you will have a signal loss. I still don't see why some people think that Apple did something wrong here. Maybe just not enough foresight into how some people hold phones.

awesome.....

Apple produce a phone that was flawed by design, they were told pre-launch it was flawed, they try to sell a $30 rubber band to stop it coming out. Condesecend to their customers on how to hold it...lie about the software 'fix'

and only after it reaches mainstream media does it look like they are trying to fix it.

...and Apple didn't do anything wrong..?




don't tell me..jeff dahmer was just having an off day yes??

the blind idiocy of fanboyism just plumbed a new depth.

 

[anomie]

But I thought I was just holding it wrong?

You do not own an iPhone.

 

[Intarweb]

Not people.....some people. How would they know that a minority of people hold their phone improperly? It's not like they can test the design with the general public before releaseing it. The current design should be fine, technically, for most users.

Um, that is how any sane person holds the phone, not a small minority. Don't think that everybody holds the phone like a dainty little girl with a pinkie in the air like you must in order to not touch the bottom left corner. And how to you hold it when you surf and use apps? Limp wristed?

 

[Max(IT)]

Do you understand science? Science is about exploring all possibilities, research and experiments, recording the results and analyzing for an answer. Of course you need none of this, it's a "simple" problem with ONE possible solution!

So here is some science for you: The antenna effects signal strength at the Transceiver. The transceiver also get interference from all the other electrical devices in the phone degrading signal. The db meter reads the signal strength at the transceiver, not the antenna. By insulating the transceiver, they could in theory gain enough dbs that the MAXIMUM antenna attenuation of -24db is still better than any other phone on the market. If this were the case, the "problem" of DROPPED CALLS should be fixed. Yes the Antenna will still attenuate, ALL antennas attenuate. Yes it would still attenuate more than any other phone. But it would have better signal than any other phone.

Now I am not saying this is the case. I haven't run tests myself. This is just a possibility that maybe you simple problem has more than one solution.

thanks God: there is someone who seems to know what are he speaking about
A lot of RF experts in the forum, in the last three weeks.
Anyway, we are speaking about a rumor, so I'm waiting until tomorrow.

 

[litfuel]

anyone have this problem? right now my phone is sitting next to me at the office and i'm not using it for anything. I get a text and I look and my phone has the temp warning saying it needs to shut down to cool off! WTF, how many issues does this new iphone have?

 

[IndustrialSpace]

So...

where are all the naysayers who fought me, et al., on this.

They are quite silent now, it seems.


Anyway, GLAD Apple is addressing this properly.

 

[Yukon Jack]

Shame on you MacRumors

Is it that slow a day in the newsroom that you actually have to scrape the bottom of the barrel and quote The(WrongWay)Street? This guy Kumar is rapidly on track to replace Rob "Quotes are us" Enderle as reigning hit-whore and anti-Apple shill for whomever pays him.

TheStreet? c'mon folks, that's really hitting Pratts Bottom.

 

[mossme89]

Will anybody else be pissed if they fix this for future iPhones, but to users who already have their iPhone 4 be like "Well sorry, but here's a free bumper!"? If they fix this but don't allow current users to replace their iPhones, I'm going to be pissed

 

[JAT]

I have to question the veracity of this report, if only because it is tied to the silly Verizon rumour - Apple will not be rolling out a CDMA-only phone for reasons that are best explained here. This "analyst" has no track record to speak of, yet he's quoted on an event which we all know we will know nothing about until Mr. Jobs speaks.


dmz

I'm not disagreeing about this report, but your link doesn't say what you claimed. That article completely ignores the business contract that says Apple can't go to VZW or Sprint, claiming (using really poor statistical analysis) that the real reasons are they just wouldn't sell that many. It also claims it would be nothing to throw a CDMA antenna in a current iPhone since that is an independent tech from the rest of the phone that obviously already exists, then later claims it would be cost-prohibitive to do so. I'd say its veracity is also in question.

 

[edtorious]

It remains to be seen if and how such an internal insulator would be distributed to existing iPhone owners, either on as-needed basis or through a complete recall. It is also unknown whether such a fix can simply be applied to existing iPhones or if units would need to be swapped out for replacement.

They will probably just apply that fix to existing iPhones, I don't think they will do a recall. But that sucks, they will take apart your iPhone and apply that 'tape' inside the iPhone?

 

[AtlasBoy]

For anyone on here who thinks they know what the problem is and how to fix it (and really don't), Apple posted some jobs for antenna engineers. Why don't you run on down and be a star.

Thats what I thought.