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Apple on iPhone 4 Reception: Signal Strength Display Issue Only, Software Update Coming
- Thread starter fruitbat04
- Start date
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And I will return the phone, go back to my 3GS(yes, I own one) and get on with my life.
Again, ranting alone won't fix your problem. If Apple loses enough sales from returns, then maybe they'll pay more attention to the quality of their products.
You can then decide if they deserve your further patronage.
Ranting helps too. It generates press and word of mouth that annoys apple and threatens sales and reputation.
...
To a point. At this point, it is only helping the lawyers, gloryhounds, post whores, rumormongers, and sites that would do anything for internet traffic (which somehow eludes most people why the same article pops over and over again in different sites and quoted for eternity).
If you got screwed by someone's product, complain, return the item, then move on. Buy from the competition. That sends a loud message.
I have no problem with people complaining. What gets me is why do they still have the item (especially now that there is no more restocking fee).
To a point. At this point, it is only helping the lawyers, gloryhounds, post whores, rumormongers, and sites that would do anything for internet traffic (which somehow eludes most people why the same article pops over and over again in different sites and quoted for eternity).
If you got screwed by someone's product, complain, return the item, then move on. Buy from the competition. That sends a loud message.
I have no problem with people complaining. What gets me is why do they still have the item (especially now that there is no more restocking fee).
At least someone understands. People whining about this issue shouldn't stop because the fanboys want them to. Generate as much ill will as possible, then return the phone.
Only through word of mouth can we make sure Apple stops selling us premium priced broken gadgets.
Seriously, dim your iPad screens to get better Wifi reception, what a fix.
Just to be clear, this is not a universal problem. I am not saying that people who are experiencing signal loss should not be able to return the phone if they are not happy. Apple is allowing you to return your phone. If it doesn't fit your needs, return it. There are a lot of phones out there.
I picked my IP4 last night, neither I or the AT&T rep could replicate the problem. So, not all the phones apparently are suffering the same "defects." Unless of course I received the only one that works, haha. I do live in a area with relatively good coverage, so it may be related to that.
This happens with a launch of this magnitude, no one forces anyone to be an early adopter, guess what, there are risks. In this case not that much, go get your money back.
The mass hysteria is, well, insane. It is only a piece of technology, Apple has raised the bar so high that everyone expects perfection. Too bad. Its closer to the best device ever made than it is to the worst, and in my opinion it is better then the 3GS.
You can always go buy a KIN, oh wait, maybe not.
I picked my IP4 last night, neither I or the AT&T rep could replicate the problem. So, not all the phones apparently are suffering the same "defects." Unless of course I received the only one that works, haha. I do live in a area with relatively good coverage, so it may be related to that.
This happens with a launch of this magnitude, no one forces anyone to be an early adopter, guess what, there are risks. In this case not that much, go get your money back.
The mass hysteria is, well, insane. It is only a piece of technology, Apple has raised the bar so high that everyone expects perfection. Too bad. Its closer to the best device ever made than it is to the worst, and in my opinion it is better then the 3GS.
You can always go buy a KIN, oh wait, maybe not.
Are these jokes?
And for the record, Steve Jobs ranted and raved about the new antenna design, and how it was far superior. Do you really think it's my fault for not understanding my reception would be worse than it was with the 3G? What planet are you from or better yet, is Apple signing your paychecks?
1. How has Apple been fair? Tell me I need a case, or tell me during the WWDC that you can't hold the phone in a specific location. Show me any documentation that states I have to hold my phone a certain way or that I need a case and I'll agree with you.
2. I don't care what CR and PC World say, I KNOW it's an issue. As I said before, anyone is more than welcome to PM me and I'll gladly call you and show you exactly what happens when I barely touch the 'sweet spot' on the phone. We can ichat so you can physically watch me just barely touch my pinky and hear my reception completely drop in 1 second, and watch the call drop in under 10 seconds.
Apple should have provided a case, or should offer a case now -- for FREE. I hate cases and haven't used one for 3 years (I had the 2G and 3G iphones), and I'm willing to compromise and put a case on my phone -- but I don't think I should have to pay for it.
Do people out there really think that's unreasonable?
- Apple charges a premium and that is why people expect perfection, and history is on their side. I am very happy with the 7 Apple Products I have, and only the iphone 4 is a dissapointment to me.
- I understand that this is a new design and there are growing pains, but Apple is stating this is not an issue and essentially calling me a liar. I think it's fair to take offense to that when I know for a fact that my reception drops to nothing at my house by touching a spot on the phone when I have held my phone in the exact same way through 3 years of iphones.
Furthermore, I can hold my iphone 3G like we're making out and I DO NOT have any reception issues.
Bottom Line: Apple is lying -- The reception may be far better in areas where coverage was already good, but at my house, where reception is not great (but still good enough for the 3G), it is unuseable when I touch that spot on the phone.
If I can't touch a spot on the phone without dropping reception, give me a GD free case -- that's a fair compromise.
Ok, instance: I am standing by ATT tower 5 bars. Lets design software to show they only have 1 bar.
1. Fair? Um, yes. It was 100% your decision to make the purchase, and it is 100% yours to undo it within 30 days. There is no documentation regarding using a case or holding the phone a certain way because I've never seen an official statement from Apple, Inc. stating so.
2. I don't need to call you to prove the bug in the iOS 4.0 software. I have it just like you, but as Apple, Inc. has stated officially, it's not a defect in hardware. While I believe they aren't telling the full story with all the complex details (which none of us could really understand anyway), they did state that they will fix the issue.
Finally, you don't have to pay for a case, nor the phone itself. There are many options available from your local stores - no one is stopping you from having a phone that better fits your individual needs.
As for me? I'm happy and as far as I'm concerned this is just history repeating itself - a month from now this will be a non-issue...just like iPhone 3G and iOS 2.0.
Swap the iPhone hardware at an Apple Store - including SIM card and tray. After that try again once iOS 4.0.1 comes out. If you still have a problem then let us know. Until then there is no obligation to give you anything as per the contract you signed.
How about this. I've had my iphone since the 24th.
I have yet to have an issue with it. I love my iphone
. Yeah, I can kinda reproduce the problem (I can't get it to drop connection entirely but I can get it to drop a bar or two, sometimes all the way to 0 but it still has connection. And it has not dropped a call on me). And I believe it's there, just it depends on how good your connection is (I guess I have pretty good connection here and everywhere I've gone with it).Oh, and my mom has the iphone too. Hers actually displays the problem fully without trying hard. She just put a case on it and is enjoying it immensely. Even she thinks you guys are over reacting (she does think it should be fixed and is a problem, but in her opinion, not enough of one to bother worrying too hard about. And she thinks Apple's "excuse" is BS). And no, she's not an apple fangirl by any stretch of the imagination (She got a blackberry last time and after being around a co worker and me and seeing our iphones she wanted one and has waited for her contract to run out to get one. And she much prefers windows over macintosh. I doubt even now I could get her to convert though now that she has an iphone and is loving it part of me secretly entertains the notion, heh. I'm more of a macintosh fangirl who begrudgingly started liking Apple's other products. I pretty much made fun of the iphone and the ipod when it came out).
You do realize that Apple has specifically stated this was simply a GUI (or display) issue and that is all that the fix will provide?
If they really felt that this would address the true issue they would have:
a). Stated so
b). Told me that I can hold off on returning the phone until the fix comes out to determine if it addresses my issue.
If you bought a car where the gas pedal would get stuck when you pressed it a certain way, would you consider that ok? Would the response, "This is a user issue and learn how to press the pedal differently" be an acceptable response? or how about, "The gas pedal doesn't get stuck the speedometer just says you're going faster than you really are, so we're going to fix the speedometer problem"?
I know that is a ridiculous parallelism, but so is your stance. I am returning my phone on day 29, but that doesn't change the fact that I want an iphone that works properly. I like Apple, I just want them to be honest and fair - and do you really think they are?
This is apples way of getting out of a big pile of mess. All that will happen now is that people will still have calls dropping, but you pretty much can't complain to apple now as they will look at it and say "well, your signal strength is low so thats why its dropping out". Doesn't matter if you had signals in the same place with a 3GS model, at that point its your word against theirs. All this statement is doing is giving them an upper hand in the argument.
Nothing has changed, its still a hardware issue.
Nothing has changed, its still a hardware issue.
Ok, instance: I am standing by ATT tower 5 bars. Lets design software to show they only have 1 bar.
I totally get your frustration...I've been through every growing pain in iPhone land since the original was announced in a keynote many moons ago...
Unfortunately, both examples above reflect hardware failures (depending on which model "car" you choose to examine) where this ultimately comes down to a problem in the programming of the 3G baseband in iOS 4.0.
Also, the PR from Apple today was hardly a full truth. Yes, there are issues with how the display reflects true signal strength, but also likely is that the changes that Apple made from 3.1.3 to 4.0 in their new "algorithms" quoted in WWDC keynote are off - and will be accordingly adjusted.
I'm not going to quote again, but my thread I started over the weekend still holds true given the symptoms users are reporting and response Apple has given over the last week.
It's software: 4.0.1 will fix. If it doesn't make it in time then return the phone, wait and see what happens.
EXACTLY! I am truly heartbroken at their stance right now -- I know that seems silly, but I have fallen in love with Apple and their products over the years because I truly felt like they cared about me and my "experience". I work with strictly Windows Operating Systems to pay the bills, but I am now completely Apple at home, for personal use.
They make such great products and pride themselves on the motto, "it just works". Well Steve, it doesn't just work and all I want is a little compassion from you that this is a real problem and I'm not making it up.
...but I guess that is too much to ask for -- and let's add insult to injury; I also have to deal with other Apple Customers (that are lucky enough to live in an area that doesn't exhibit this behavior) call me a liar, or a baby, or a whiner.
It's been a fantastic week!!
Nowhere can I find it written anywhere that Apple was offering a phone that would always connect and not drop calls if the network coverage provided a signal strength worse than -85 dBm, or any other number for that matter, no matter how the phone was positioned or handled in the RF field.
Unless you can find such a statement, you got the phone you were promised (caveat emptor). If you wanted something else that actually exists, then please return the i4 and buy that other product instead. If you want something that doesn't exist, please look for a unicorn for me there as well.
On average, given all possible ways of holding and positioning the thing, I find I get a better connection with the i4 compared to my 3GS, on average.
EXACTLY! I am truly heartbroken at their stance right now -- I know that seems silly, but I have fallen in love with Apple and their products over the years because I truly felt like they cared about me and my "experience". I work with strictly Windows Operating Systems to pay the bills, but I am now completely Apple at home, for personal use.
They make such great products and pride themselves on the motto, "it just works". Well Steve, it doesn't just work and all I want is a little compassion from you that this is a real problem and I'm not making it up.
...but I guess that is too much to ask for -- and let's add insult to injury; I also have to deal with other Apple Customers (that are lucky enough to live in an area that doesn't exhibit this behavior) call me a liar, or a baby, or a whiner.
It's been a fantastic week!!
It does just work, Apple will fix it. If you don't believe it there is a door with an exit sign for 30 days.
This isn't the first time early adopters have had iPhone issues, nor will it be the last.
The choice is yours and no one is forcing you to keep a product you aren't happy with. Return it, wait and see what happens in a month.
Thanks Peabody..., I really appreciate your response - A nice change from being attacked
. I'll check your previous posts as well And I think I very well may return the phone, wait to see if the issue is sorted out, then buy a new one if it is
.Cheers!
You're just mean and stubborn firewood!!!! Haha... Are you a lawyer?
Nonetheless, I still hope you have a wonderful 4th of July weekend (and if you're not from the U.S., I hope you have a wonderful 2 day weekend).
And delusional expectations.
AND not even good delusions. Now someone returning their i4 because it didn't come with a magic unicorn... THAT would be a cool delusion.
And I think I very well may return the phone, wait to see if the issue is sorted out, then buy a new one if it is
Thanks rhanley! Finally some reason amongst those upset about the issues!
While I decided to take the risk and will keep my phone past the return date, software fix or no, other folks aren't. Good for them!
At least some folks are starting to realize that if for some off chance everything cures itself after a month or so that they can still get an iPhone 4 - sans 12 hour lines, cursing on forums, bumpers, reception issues and newly adopted iPhone users who can't do a quick google search on the history of cell reception problems over the last decade.
All they need to do now is return the iPhone 4, find an alternative and wait...then make another choice at a more appropriate time.Thanks rhanley! Finally some reason amongst those upset about the issues!
While I decided to take the risk and will keep my phone past the return date, software fix or no, other folks aren't. Good for them!
At least some folks are starting to realize that if for some off chance everything cures itself after a month or so that they can still get an iPhone 4 - sans 12 hour lines, cursing on forums, bumpers, reception issues and newly adopted iPhone users who can't do a quick google search on the history of cell reception problems over the last decade.
I'm no fool, I know that I won't find any phone I love more than an iphone (I've been here since day 1), so I'll be going back to a 3G or 3GS and see what happens.
I'll also be moving back to Orlando, FL (from Eugene, Or) in a few months, and I don't think I'll have the same reception issues, and you can bet I'll be buying an iPhone4 ASAP.
I still wish Apple would have done a better job of handling this, but they are a big company and have a lot of things to worry about -- There are a lot of shareholders out there that only care about profit and they're kinda important
Have a great weekend!