This actually makes sense, NOT what is actually going on but WHAT they are going to do about it.
They are TELLING us essentially that the BARS are being "over reported" as in HIGHER than they actually are. this is in the press release.
What that MEANS is, is that AFTER the fix we are going to SEE fewer bars. What that MEANS is, is that they are going to DISCONNECT the external antenna via software - nulling any impact that touching it could cause and only rely on the INTERNAL antenna which is going to make the reception SUCK and show less bars.
since they cannot fix the physical hardware problem remotely or without a recall of the defective devices, they are going to remote KILL the hardware and the signal will just get worse.
But, at least touching it won't have any effect on performance anymore.
They said no such thing. Where did you come up with all that?
People are not complaining because they're seeing bars drop only. They're complaining because they're seeing calls and data DROP COMPLETELY. How is changing a status indicator going to fix that? I think they do think we're kind of stupid.
It is not going to fix that. They didn't say it would fix that. Where did you see them say that they were going to fix that, or that it even existed as a special problem?
Then why did I drop three out of four calls before I got a case and haven't dropped any since? That seems to me to be more than a "miscalculation"!
Because the case is reducing the impact your body has on the phone, which lessens the signal. Again, Apple did not say anything about this future update impacting quality of calls or signal. They simply said they are going to more accurately depict the signal.
Putting a bumper/case on the phone reduces the amount of interference your hand/body cases. That is not going to change with the bar update.
This is BS and I call it here:
http://allthingstarun.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/holding-is-irrelevant/
Basically, why would holding it trigger anything then? It seems to me that bar display shouldn't depend on human interaction.
I am not going to go read your blog, but clearly you don't know what you are talking about. All cell phone reception is impacted by how people hold them and where they hold them etc etc.
I'm sure this will finally make all the Apple apologists feel embarrassed. (ya right, like anything would).
Apple says they will not do a fix for the reception problem.
They will change the pretty picture of the number of bars shown by LOWERING the number of bars shown.
If you don't like it, Apple advises you to return the phone. They don't need your business. There are plenty of fools who will buy the phone based on Apples PAST reputation for having the BEST products and great CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I'm am shocked w Apple. This is an awful day for everyone who truly loves Apple products.
As I've said and Anandtech said, this is a basic hardware design problem. I thought Apple would try to compensate their customers for their brain dead design, but instead they flip them the finger and tell them we don't need your business, more fools behind you willing to pay us money money money.
Sad
Anandtech does not support you on this, so why you throwing them in with you?
Anadtech actually says overall the iPhone 4 antenna provides a better experience in a lot of situations.
I upgraded from an iPhone 2g and I have MUCH better service with the iPhone 4 then I ever got with the 2g. I can use the iPhone 4 in my house and that was never possible before. I have had one dropped call since getting the 4 and it was because of a problem with the other end of the line.
I can make about 2 bars go down using the "death grip" but even then I have much better reception than I ever got with the iPhone 2g.
Very glad I upgraded. This phone leaves the 2g in the dust.
People with 3G and 3GS have also said the same thing. There have been many reports of people experiencing improvements with the iPhone 4. However since they don't rant and rave and start 10 different threads about it, it gets overwhelmed.
If they fix the problem, why would people still be unsatisfied? unless this fix is purely to cover up the problem rather than fix it.
1) There is not a problem to fix so 2) This "fix" will not solve the problem. Please go read Apple's letter again. They did not identify any problem in terms of the iPhone 4 and how it works, nor did they promise to fix any problem with the iPhone 4 except to more accurately represent the cell reception bars.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10490572.stm
Regardless of the actual issue, this sort of coverage doesn't look good for Apple's PR... note the picture caption of Jobs "holding the iPhone the wrong way"
I dont want to return it, I want apple to get their head out of their ass and fix it so I can have a nice , WORKING iPhone 4. thanks.
So Steve Jobs doesn't have any problems and can use the phone when held like that. Lots of iPhone 4 owners can also use the phone held like that without any issue.
If you are in a place where you have very poor cell reception, though, holding the phone like that could cause problems. So this doesn't really support anything.
