Apple on iPhone 4 Reception: Signal Strength Display Issue Only, Software Update Coming

[Kavier]

Please, give me a break! My husband and I both had an iPhone 3G, and they both worked just fine. Now, we have upgraded to the new iPhone. My husband's phone all but grinds to a halt when he picks the thing up and that's with a case on it!!!!! He can't check his e-mai, he can't play words with friends, he can't do anything! Meanwhile, I do not have the problem with my new iPhone.

Don't try and give me this signal strength crap. We haven't moved or changed jobs or started shopping at different stores! There's no reason all of the other iPhones we have work but his! There is definitely a bigger problem with some of these phones that Apple is failing to acknowledge.

 

[Geckotek]

The iPhone 3G had a pretty similar problem when it came out. How quickly we forget.

https://www.macrumors.com/2008/08/14/iphone-3g-connection-issues-related-to-software-or-hardware/

From the article:
Apple has not yet acknowledged the existence of 3G connection issues with the new iPhone and declined to comment for either article, leaving the details of the problem and Apple's plans for addressing it uncertain and subject to speculation for the time being.


p.s. I'm not buying Apple's explanation 1 bit..but hopefully they'll silently fix the issues..right? Probably after the return window is over. Then they can start experimenting. lol

I've been pointing this out as well. My theory is the software update will be a reverse of the "fix" they implemented in the 3G.

 

[Chimpware]

People with this issue, please stop using "Death Grip" as it implies you are holding the phone in some way that is not normal. I am aware that this started because holding it in a certain fashion lead to the "death" of the reception, but this is quickly being turned into a marketing ploy to discredit the people who are having this issue.

 

[Chwisch87]

I have tested download speeds over and over again and honestly I have found no difference in download speed from 1 bar to 5 bars.

I am gonna go with non issue. The phone actually seems to work better than my old 3g at holding signal too.

Websites load at the exact same time from 1 bar to 5 bars in the same location.

Seriously its a software issue.

 

[Buschmaster]

Maybe I'll just get a bumper until it's resolved...

 

[samcraig]

Do you really think that Apple would have knowingly launched a new product that is fundamentally defective and then advertised new job opportunities to fix the issue even before the product is launched?

That is all.

Do YOU really think that they had no idea that their algorithm for displaying signal strength was wrong?

 

[Chimpware]

I have tested download speeds over and over again and honestly I have found no difference in download speed from 1 bar to 5 bars.

I am gonna go with non issue. The phone actually seems to work better than my old 3g at holding signal too.

So you are not experiencing the issue, therefore there is not an issue. How do those blinders feel Narcissus?

 

[kernkraft]

I wouldn't stress Apple but he should stop effing customers!

in a market where billions of dollars at stake, do you really think other manufacturers will just sit and watch apple take over the market. they are trying every propaganda method in the book to kill ip4. propaganda isnt only for wars. it happens in billion dollar commercial markets....
Be logical and see how this whole thing is playing out...

You are absolutely right about the conspiracy. Personally, I work for the Vatican and I am preparing Steve Jobs' meeting with Jesus Christ. It will come sooner than Jobs had it scheduled.

Stress kills and soon, he will have to face the stress created by masses of customers demanding return, government departments investigating about Apple's dishonesty about the matter and a potential recall.

When you fly high, any fall can be fatal.

 

[Daveoc64]

People with this issue, please stop using "Death Grip" as it implies you are holding the phone in some way that is not normal. I am aware that this started because holding it in a certain fashion lead to the "death" of the reception, but this is quickly being turned into a marketing ploy to discredit the people who are having this issue.

I agree on that.

I hold my phone in the way that:

a) The first photo of the iPhone (shown in the January 2007 keynote) was being held

b) Apple uses in most of their promotional material

c) Steve Jobs held the phone in the keynote last month

No squeezing is involved.

 

[Chwisch87]

So you are not experiencing the issue, therefore there is not an issue. How do those blinders feel Narcissus?

what is the "issue" exactly?

Dropped calls??

 

[Kadin]

So let me get this straight... When I'm sitting on my couch, holding my phone with my left hand and navigating the App Store with my right, or composing a text, etc., and the bars go from 4 to 'Searching...' and am unable to receive a text, make a phone call, etc... this is simply a visual issue? WTF Apple. So the bars aren't being represented correctly, haven't we gone through this before? Why is my phone that's worked everywhere in my house with my 2G/3G/3GS suddenly failing left and right with gripping it literally anywhere on the bottom, left or right?

Simply a PR response, they're not admitting to any actual problems with their equipment. BS

 

[Evangelion]

I don't really see how it can just be a misrepresentation of the signal strength if people are reporting dropped calls and data grinding to a halt.

It really is quite simple: Gripping the phone will reduce the signal-quality. Same thing happens to all phones. If your signal-strength is low enough, you might drop the call. Now, due to the way iPhone calculates the signal-strength-bars, it might seem that you have full bars, even though your signal-strength isn't that good. So when you grab the phone, the signal degrades, and you might lose your connection. Due to the algorithm used, the bars might drop from 5 to 0, even though the actual reduction in signal-strength isn't that big.

With the update, iPhone will only show 4-5 bars if your signal-strength really is great, otherwise you get less bars. So you get more realistic representation of the signal.

Here's another fact: review after review has said that iPhone 4 is A LOT better than previous iPhones when it comes to signal-strength. That is a FACT. So yes, there really is no problem.

Seriously people: move on with your lives.

 

[spyda]

Exciting.

Can't wait for my bars to drop.

 

[jsnmao]

so is apple claiming we can return the iPhone without a 10% restocking fee?

Also can we keep exchanging till we get one that works and does it keep giving us 30 days after the excahange?

 

[Steviejobz]

Thousands of complaints on this and other threads (and other sites) and yet only about a handful (i.e. five) have actually returned their iPhones.

With a return rate of 0.0000001%, why would they bother with a more elaborate fix? Apple is laughing at you all the way to the bank.

 

[Daveoc64]

It really is quite simple: Gripping the phone will reduce the signal-quality. Same thing happens to all phones. If your signal-strength is low enough, you might drop the call. Now, due to the way iPhone calculates the signal-strength-bars, it might seem that you have full bars, even though your signal-strength isn't that good. So when you grab the phone, the signal degrades, and you might lose your connection. Due to the algorithm used, the bars might drop from 5 to 0, even though the actual reduction in signal-strength isn't that big.

With the update, iPhone will only show 4-5 bars if your signal-strength really is great, otherwise you get less bars. So you get more realistic representation of the signal.

Here's another fact: review after review has said that iPhone 4 is A LOT better than previous iPhones when it comes to signal-strength. That is a FACT. So yes, there really is no problem.

Seriously people: move on with your lives.

I don't think you understand those reviews.

The algorithm may be faulty, but you can't explain 5 bars to 0. The tests that Ars Technica did wouldn't explain that.

As pointed out by all the sites that did proper tests, the iPhone 4 does have excellent cellular reception (perhaps the best of any phone ever), that is really only the case if the phone is not being held.

It's a theoretical superiority that due to people needing to hold the phone doesn't really work out in the real world.

 

[-aggie-]

I don't see why people are still complaining about, and to, Apple. At least they're doing something.

What they’re doing is passing the blame on to AT&T. They don’t even address the issue where some get total loss of signal just touching the left bottom corner area. Forget about a “death grip."

 

[Chimpware]

Many people complaining feel they have been let down by Apple and want it remedied. I have been a long term Apple customer, and buying their products has always been more than just a casual choice. Many of us have been advocates converting our friends and families to iPhones and Macs. Many people stood in line for hours to make the purchase, all of these things are part of the Apple experience, and we have had a part in building the reputation and market share that Apple now enjoys.

This is more than just a product purchase that can be returned, it is Apple breaking their brand promise to it's loyal customers and whil amny of you will post "Return it", with complete ignorance of this, I guarantee Apple understands this and the more it's loyal advocates complain the better their products will be for all of you morons posting "Return it", so from me and the many others like me on this forum "You idiots are welcome!".

 

[Lord Vader]

Seriously people: move on with your lives.

For example watch some football. Great first match today.

 

[Steviejobz]

so is apple claiming we can return the iPhone without a 10% restocking fee?

Also can we keep exchanging till we get one that works and does it keep giving us 30 days after the excahange?

So you would exchange a product that you claim to be defective by design, for the same product?

 

[BobVB]

what is the "issue" exactly?

Dropped calls??

yeah dropped calls, in locations that every previous version of the iPhone had no problem making and maintaining calls.

But you are right between the honest and deliberate attempts to confuse people on what the 'issue' is it does get confusing.

The issue is 'When held normally the iP4 experiences a massive signal drop that results in dropped call in situations where previous iPhones had no such problem.'

 

[cmChimera]

no, fix it.

If you're not going to return it, shut up. It's kind of asinine to complain about having a defective product that you, yourself, choose to keep.

 

[law guy]

Cool, so now the signal strength indicators will more accurately display the hardware error!

I think you've hit it. The signal is being reduced and depending on the starting signal, the signal is reduced to the point where the call is dropped all together. Apple's explanation that the reduction isn't as dramatic as it would seem doesn't really seem to get at the real issue at all. So what if it goes from 4 bars to a dropped call instead of 2 bars to a dropped call or from 3G to Edge? The impact of holding the phone even lightly (this is not a "death grip" issue and shame on Apple for trying to blame the user) in a way that bridges two parts of the outside case is yet to be resolved. ... unless one buying a bumper case or wearing gloves or covering the metal with some duct tape is considered a satisfactory resolution.

 

[Mark Booth]

so is apple claiming we can return the iPhone without a 10% restocking fee?

Also can we keep exchanging till we get one that works and does it keep giving us 30 days after the excahange?

As John Guber said in his excellent translation of Apple's letter (which is targeted right at the heart of all the whiners)...

RETURN IT! WE DARE YOU!



Do the world a favor! Return it! Get a refund! Save your blood pressure and help prevent an aneurism!!

Returning the iPhone 4 can SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Mark

 

[tivoboy]

no and no

So let me get this straight... When I'm sitting on my couch, holding my phone with my left hand and navigating the App Store with my right, or composing a text, etc., and the bars go from 4 to 'Searching...' and am unable to receive a text, make a phone call, etc... this is simply a visual issue? WTF Apple. So the bars aren't being represented correctly, haven't we gone through this before? Why is my phone that's worked everywhere in my house with my 2G/3G/3GS suddenly failing left and right with gripping it literally anywhere on the bottom, left or right?

Simply a PR response, they're not admitting to any actual problems with their equipment. BS

No, you are not crazy and no you are not wrong to feel this way. There IS an issue, you are in good company the only uncertainty is what the resolution is going to be.

If you have 2g/3g/3gs STILL then you have some good options, but it most likely WON'T be keeping this phone.

There is CLEARLY a real physical problem. If EVERY phone before had this type of problem we WOULD HAVE SEEN it on the internets before. This one is different.

What I REALLY don't understand is why apple just doesn't put a stop to this, not enough phones have been sold. FIX IT, get a new design out there, everyone take breather, take a 250M hit to earnings, but get a new kick A device out there and move FORWARD. Every day that they sit around trying to figure out the MESSAGING and the PR SPIN/DENIAL is just another delay of the inevitable. People aren't going to CARE if they admit to a problem and FIX it and get on with making great products and growing market share. People WILL CARE if they simply continue with denying what is clearly an issue for MANY and don't truly work on a fix for it. Come on apple, you ARE better than this.