Return it tomorrow. You’re still in the 14-day return period.
If/when Apple fixes this problem, buy the phone at that time.
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Apple Looking Into LTE Connectivity Issues Affecting Some iPhone XS and XS Max Owners
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If/when Apple fixes this problem, buy the phone at that time.
Here at my condo my signal is never great and I get 1-2 bars on average. But my throughout will be pretty good. Not sure the exact correlation between visible bars and true speed.
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I get the same symptom randomly of Speedtest saying no network connection. It is not consistent either.
I have a theory, unfortunately, I can't test it. I upgraded from an iPhone SE to my Xs and I just took the SIM out of my SE and put it in my Xs. Could it have something to do with that? I had a friend who kept doing the same thing for a few iterations of phones and he brought his iPhone X in a few months ago and changed out the SIM to one that recognized his phone as a X it fixed his problems. Did anyone else who is having this issue use their old SIM card in their new phone instead of using the new SIM that was provided in the Xs? Can someone try using the new SIM instead?
Unfortunately, no. Many have tested this. Look in the forums under “iPhone”
You can’t miss the mega-thread. Lots of info there.
I received a new activated SIM card with mine as I ordered online. So my old card was deactivated in my old X when I activated the new phone. But good suggestion anyway. I know when LTE was being rolled out a few years back that if you didn’t get a new SIM provisioned that issues arose with voice over LTE etc.
Nay... LTE is worse on the Xs and Xs Max. I'm dropping signal all over town. A couple of dropped calls, but mostly temporary gaps in coverage.
I'm also get 70 Mbps down/ .6-.7 up less on my wifi while sitting directly below the router. This is comparing it to both a iPad Air 2 still running 10.3.3 getting 179 down/12.0 up and my iMac running Sierra is getting the same numbers. My old iPhone 6 got almost identical numbers to my iPad
PS-I shouldn't have to do any jury-rigging on a brand new phone. I should just be able to use it and "it works"
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Can you check and see if you are stuck at 2.4 ghz instead of 5? That seems to be the WiFi issue, and may be resolved in iOS 12.1beta 2.
My wifi and LTE are absolutely horrendous. Coming from an 8+ the difference is immediately noticeable with no change in external factors. I can put an iPhone 7 and an iPad right next to my XS (second one, by the way, due to the same issue) and the XS is by far the slowest on wifi.
Same here. Cellular on Verizon is abysmal.
I’ve posted on this and many other threads about my awful LTE and WiFi problems with the XS Max. What’s worse yet is though I’ve been experiencing these problems since launch day, tonight my issues seem to be getting worse?
I know that might not make any sense given there have been no software updates or changes. But tonight my phone is virtually useless. Shows I’m connected to my home WiFi. Yet nothing will work. Speedtest tells me to connect to the internet and won’t even run. I take WiFi off and it shows LTE but also nothing loads or works. Tells me to connect to the internet. I tried turning airplane mode on and off and restarting.
This is beyond infuriating. Again I have been in contact with and working with an apple support technician and sent sysdiagnose files and logs. My patience is at its end.
I know that might not make any sense given there have been no software updates or changes. But tonight my phone is virtually useless. Shows I’m connected to my home WiFi. Yet nothing will work. Speedtest tells me to connect to the internet and won’t even run. I take WiFi off and it shows LTE but also nothing loads or works. Tells me to connect to the internet. I tried turning airplane mode on and off and restarting.
This is beyond infuriating. Again I have been in contact with and working with an apple support technician and sent sysdiagnose files and logs. My patience is at its end.
It's maddening. All I want is for Apple to come out and say they acknowledge the issue and are working on it. As it stands now I'm concerned that if I don't return my second phone within its return window that I'm going to be stuck with a terribly performing phone that was $1,150. In your discussions with them have they acknowledged that this is happening to other phones besides yours?
Yes they have for sure.
When I first was contacted by Apple it was last Weds. The person I spoke to said they were investigating the poor WiFi issue but not cellular. Then on Saturday I was contacted again by another tech and she said it’s been reported as cellular and WiFi. She told me the team has been investigating many reported cases of similar issues.
They had me run tests and generate logs and screenshots to be sent to their engineering teams. Again all they would say is that YES they are aware of these issues and are investigating. The tech I spoke to said they weren’t sure if this was software, a hardware issue with my unit, or a larger hardware issue. They keep telling me to hold tight.
Earlier tonight I was contacted AGAIN. This time asking if I’d consent to share my location data to further help investigate the issue. I’m in NYC for Christ sake. Hardly a “fringe” area as many claim to think the problem is isolated to. This is driving me crazy.
Ah yes, plenty of comments saying it's hardware, plenty saying it's software. Folks from both sides getting pissy, when in reality nobody knows which it is 
THE INTERNET
THE INTERNET
It's shocking that this wasn't caught in testing. The millions and millions they've spent on state of the art testing facilities, prototyping, and engineering talent and they honestly couldn't catch this? This isn't some fringe use case - the wireless just sucks on a ton of units. Were they thinking no one would notice? It is honestly unbelievable but then again I thought the same when they actually released iOS 11, which was one of the worse software releases I've ever seen.
Sounds more like iPhone issue
Intermittent issue? and it doesn't effect all phones only some customers. so the ones Apple tested were probably just by luck *not* affected? Apple's had their fair share of problems with LTE.
Intermittent issue? and it doesn't effect all phones only some customers. so the ones Apple tested were probably just by luck *not* affected? Apple's had their fair share of problems with LTE.
Apple is looking into reports that some customers are experiencing LTE connectivity issues with the newly released iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
According to one iPhone XS Max owner, Apple is conducting an outreach program with some customers who have a new device that is experiencing LTE problems.
Apple has asked him to install a baseband logger to track his cellular connection, presumably to figure out if there are any serious issues that need to be resolved. We've heard similar reports from MacRumors readers who have been asked to provide device logs to engineers when troubleshooting the issue.
iPhone XS and XS Max owners began complaining about LTE connectivity and signal problems shortly after the two devices launched on September 17. Many users have discovered noticeable differences in cellular reception between iPhone XS models and older iPhones like the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X.
Affected users have noticed fewer bars and poorer signal on iPhone XS and XS Max compared to older devices, but it doesn't appear to be a universal problem. While some people have complained of weak connectivity and slow speeds, others have noticed LTE improvements, which confuses the issue.
Many of the early complaints came from Verizon users, suggesting there are perhaps carrier firmware issues that need to be resolved, but it's unclear if carrier firmware is the full extent of the problem.
In the most recent iOS 12.1 beta, Apple updated the modem firmware in the iPhone to version 1.01.20-1, up from 1.01.12 in iOS 12.1 beta 1. On the Verizon network, the iOS 12.1 update also introduces new 33.5.6 carrier firmware.
Modem firmware updates are a routine part of major .1 iOS releases, so it's not yet clear if the new firmware specifically addresses issues that customers have been experiencing with LTE connectivity.
New firmware on left, iOS 12.1 beta 1 firmware on right
Early reports on the MacRumors forums have, however, suggested that iOS 12.1 does indeed bring some improvements. MacRumors archer75, for example, says the update has doubled his LTE speeds. Other users, though, have said the update does not address LTE problems.
Regardless of whether a fix has been bundled into the iOS 12.1 update, Apple is taking reports of LTE problems seriously and investigating what might be going on, so should this be a software-related issue, a resolution is likely in the works.
Article Link: Apple Looking Into LTE Connectivity Issues Affecting Some iPhone XS and XS Max Owners
Here’s my question: How wide spread is it .01 % , 1%, 10% of all XS users?How does Apple not test for these issues. Can’t this be discovered when they have units out in the wild before release? Also if all devices have the same software and hardware and are manufactured the same why isn’t the issue 100% of all XS and XS Max owners?
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Should be the same if the issue is the antennas right? Same design same hardware same software.
By the article about antenna gain not being good. He thinks a iOS firmware will help. But the best course of action would be to make revisions to the build of all current ones coming out of the factory and replace all the ones sold. But highly unlikely cause why would Apple ever do that. So more than likely a firmware update is all we are going to get and the 2019 iPhone will get the better changes to the Antenna’s.
Apple is looking into reports that some customers are experiencing LTE connectivity issues with the newly released iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.
According to one iPhone XS Max owner, Apple is conducting an outreach program with some customers who have a new device that is experiencing LTE problems.
Apple has asked him to install a baseband logger to track his cellular connection, presumably to figure out if there are any serious issues that need to be resolved. We've heard similar reports from MacRumors readers who have been asked to provide device logs to engineers when troubleshooting the issue.
iPhone XS and XS Max owners began complaining about LTE connectivity and signal problems shortly after the two devices launched on September 17. Many users have discovered noticeable differences in cellular reception between iPhone XS models and older iPhones like the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X.
Affected users have noticed fewer bars and poorer signal on iPhone XS and XS Max compared to older devices, but it doesn't appear to be a universal problem. While some people have complained of weak connectivity and slow speeds, others have noticed LTE improvements, which confuses the issue.
Many of the early complaints came from Verizon users, suggesting there are perhaps carrier firmware issues that need to be resolved, but it's unclear if carrier firmware is the full extent of the problem.
In the most recent iOS 12.1 beta, Apple updated the modem firmware in the iPhone to version 1.01.20-1, up from 1.01.12 in iOS 12.1 beta 1. On the Verizon network, the iOS 12.1 update also introduces new 33.5.6 carrier firmware.
Modem firmware updates are a routine part of major .1 iOS releases, so it's not yet clear if the new firmware specifically addresses issues that customers have been experiencing with LTE connectivity.
New firmware on left, iOS 12.1 beta 1 firmware on right
Early reports on the MacRumors forums have, however, suggested that iOS 12.1 does indeed bring some improvements. MacRumors archer75, for example, says the update has doubled his LTE speeds. Other users, though, have said the update does not address LTE problems.
Regardless of whether a fix has been bundled into the iOS 12.1 update, Apple is taking reports of LTE problems seriously and investigating what might be going on, so should this be a software-related issue, a resolution is likely in the works.
Article Link: Apple Looking Into LTE Connectivity Issues Affecting Some iPhone XS and XS Max Owners
My XS Max is heading back to Best Buy for this exact reason. First time for anyone phone I’ve had, I’ve had reception issues inside my office building. Note 9 for a year and then we will see what the Max 11 has to offfer for reception.
All problems could be unique.. just like fixing up malware problems on a Windows PC,just because one infected system got cleaned up, doesn't automatically mean it will be the same for others, as you dunno what else is there.
Not the same thing. All iPhone XS' have the same hardware design and same software. My best guess (and it is an 'internet guess') is the number of carriers + number of bands + number of locations + new antenna design + intel-only modem is enough variables to cause corner cases missed during testing. Apple might've made a better decision by changing one variable (intel-only modem or new antenna design only) per iPhone iteration. Considering this didn't happen (at least to this degree) with the original X, those are the two variables that changed and are the likely culprits.
Lol. Yep that’s what Rolltide is saying. You should read the other thread...he’s driven over a thousand miles to perform troubleshooting actions for Apple’s senior engineers.
A few years ago he had “secret” information from high levels about Verizon that he posted on Howardforums. Of course it turned out to be completely wrong.
He’ll dispute it but I can post the thread to make my point. It was so hilarious that I actually saved it.
Oh please stop posting this nonsense. The most valuable company in the world IS NOT telling you that their flagship product has a “major problem”.
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Xs max factory unlocked on tmobile prepaid.
right now a speed test on LTE is at 70 Mbps down.
the best I had was at 150Mbps in a different location.
in places with one or 2 bars is slow.
no issues on wifi, a google wifi router.
I use it mostly to stream music so I don't monitor the signal a lot. but feels like the signal is less than the 7 plus.
right now a speed test on LTE is at 70 Mbps down.
the best I had was at 150Mbps in a different location.
in places with one or 2 bars is slow.
no issues on wifi, a google wifi router.
I use it mostly to stream music so I don't monitor the signal a lot. but feels like the signal is less than the 7 plus.