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Apple Addresses iPhone Signal Strength Display in iOS 4.0.1, iPad Wi-Fi in iOS 3.2.1

andiwm2003 said:
you do know what this update was about? did you read anything about this or do you just click update and think you get 5 bars?:rolleyes:

this is just dumb..........

https://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/0...th-display-issue-only-software-update-coming/

Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don't know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.
Click to expand...

Thanks... but I got it.. I get what you are saying and what they are trying to make us believe.

See it's not the level of dropped bars that bothers me, it's the level of dropped CALLS that bother me. I talk, change hands (you tend to do that when one arm gets a bit tired from holding it), then puff... gone... nice little annoying message requesting my attention saying it lost the network, do I want to choose another. Hmm.. yet I'm outside, and the signal was otherwise ok till I took it into my other hand. And yes I'm wearing a bumper.

Besides, what they are essentially saying is that on an iPhone you can NEVER get a full 5 bar signal, cause they were wrong and now, they show that well, hey... that's it, it's the best we can do... suffer for the design, the end.

So if it was just the visual part of the bars I wouldn't care... but it's reporting so often the loss of signal that it's an annoyance now. And then the dropped calls... Nah... this solved nothing... at least not for me.
 
fisherttm said:
Anyone that has had low bars (1-3 bars) before the update are you noticing that you now have no service or is this more of a five bar to three bar type of update. Just wondering if the code has been written to make it harder for the phone to drop to no service...knowing that this isn't solving death grip problem but could they make it slower to react and get to no service?
Click to expand...

I usually got around 2-3 bars in my house before the update, and I have the same now. I was worried I would get no service, but luckily I don't.
 
BTW, since the iPad update is included in this thread, just wanted you guys to know it's around 456.9 MB in size. Taking about 15 minutes to download.
 
Lyra said:
Well from what I was told on launch day, from one of the tech guys was that he thought I should wait till they sort out the antenna. I was dumb... I went ahead anyway... Clearly they knew.

So this leads me to think it's not going to be solved by any software. I mean I'd love it if they could, but that's asking too much.

What is the main issue here is that had it just been a simple software issue, Apple would have been more upfront about it. But instead, in panic mode they kept quiet, while serious tests were made to then confirm it to be an actual design flaw. I'm just wondering how is THAT going to be fixed with a software?

This is the year 2010, not 2110, where maybe an update to your phone can make it mutate or grow an antenna in the right area, through a simple software update.

;)
Click to expand...

The year is 2000 and pressing command + Option + P + R resets a HARDWARE chip on the mac. Let's go back a few more years, 1960s when the first OSes are out. Software can control how the hardware behaves... when you flick a switch and turn off Wifi on your phone, software controls the hardware chip.

So what makes you think that the iPhone OS (SOFTWARE) does not have a power management section that can/may control the amount of power allocated to the antennas?
 
rwilliams said:
At least now you'll know that if you were dropping calls, they weren't being dropped from a location with full signal strength. Now people will know exactly how strong AT&T's signal is at any given time, and not freak out from dropped calls in already weak areas.
Click to expand...

You mean how WEAK it is? ;)
 
What were we all RANTING about???!!!!! HEHEHEHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
:D:D:D:):):)
 

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Well I guess I just have good service because no matter what phone I have or how many updates my phone stays in between 4-5 bars :D
 
new download

just downloaded the new iphone update but beware it deleted everything from my phone!!!!!!!!! this new iphone 4 is driving me crazy time to get a droid!
 
Apple can't patch an exploit they don't know about yet. Jailbreakers feel free to update.
Click to expand...

so is this the consensus here?
Plan to jailbreak - Ok to upgrade
Plan to unlock too - Not Ok to upgrade
 
I know what the update does.

Everyone here knows what the update does.

The average Joe who does not read tech press releases does not.

I almost feel sorry for Apple. This really IS a nice phone. But man they better have a good song and dance routine planned for tomorrow.
 
room237 said:
I really don't see the point of this. Why should I care how the signal strength display is calculated? The bar display doesn't have an effect on how clear the phone call is, or whether or not it gets dropped, does it? I don't check my bars and think "oh, I only have 3 bars here, I'd better walk a couple of blocks till I get 4 before I make a phone call." And it doesn't make a difference in places where I get NOTHING. If there isn't a strong enough signal, the call or data doesn't go thru.

Am I wrong?
Click to expand...
You are wise beyond your years sir.
 
Those looking for an UNLOCK should NOT update, per comex via twitter:

comex
Even iPhone4 users should not update if they're planning to unlock.
23 minutes ago via web

comex
3.2.1 and 4.0.1 out. if you want an unlock, DO NOT UPDATE. No, the jailbreak is not ready yet.
36 minutes ago via web
Click to expand...
 
Well... the "death grip" only lowers my bars by one bar now. What happened? My baseband (modem firmware) still reads 1.59.00.

Is this just "more accurate"? I'd like a copy of Sadun's signal strength meter to check the numbers.
 
andiwm2003 said:
you do know what this update was about? did you read anything about this or do you just click update and think you get 5 bars?:rolleyes:

this is just dumb..........

https://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/0...th-display-issue-only-software-update-coming/

Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don't know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.
Click to expand...

FWIW this was just a lie made by Apple to cover-up the problem. Touching the antenna in a certain spot reduces the reception, Apple was trying to sweep that fact under the rug when they made the statement you quoted. The reception is reduced by holding your finger over the bottom left corner. That fact has been well established, and Apple's explanation does nothing to change it.
 
So who is still daft enough to believe there's going to be a recall when they've released a software update the day before the Press Conference?

Anyone?
 
speed test

Trying to be a bit scientific ish about this i have tried out speed test app on this.

Before the update, i could easily get the grip of death to completely kill my 3g signal such that the speed test app would not work at all.

after update speed test is still working - when holding it in the grip of death (!). In fact, i just got my fastest ever download speed on O2 of 2.6meg!!

Can folks give this approach a try. The reason i was using speed test app was that i never trusted Apples excuse of a software error and the app give an independent view. Based on the speed test app results i was close to returning phone and going back to my iphone 3g until a hardware fix came along.

Final observation - the ping/latency remains pants when holding in grip of death
 
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