are the iphone 4 problems as bad as everyone makes them out to be?

[node808]

This post sums it up

Having an external antenna where you can touch it is a poor design. No way around that. Big signal drop if you hold it especially on the left side bridging the two antennas. If you're in a strong signal area, it may not affect you. Bumper should help the major part of the problem. There seems to be another variable at work, possibly the cell frequency used at particular locations, that determines if the problem is severe or not.
I find it upsetting that Apple would produce their flagship product with such a defect. I'd wait until Apple redesigns it. I'd rather not encourage Apple to produce products with problems like this.

The hard core apple fans will tell you it isnt a problem, but the reality is that there is a defect in the design of the iPhone4. If you buy the 29.99 bumper case/guard then you wont have a problem. The people that say their iPhone is not affected are exceptions. They are either in an area with a very strong signal, havn't paid attention to it, or simple in denial.

I am about the buy the HTC Aria instead of this version of the iPhone.

 

[Ferris23]

It isn't a problem for me, and I'm not a hardcore Apple fan. Believe what you want, don't really give a ****.

 

[Built]

NO problem here with reception.

 

[Ingster]

same here i get the bars dropping but never lost signal alltogether and no dropped calls

 

[TroyBoy30]

I can't get mine to drop more than 1 bar no matter where I am and no matter how strong or weak my signal is. If I have 5 bars, it will drop to 4. If I have 2 bars, it will drop to 1. With my bumper on it drop no bars anywhere. I also noticed since I got the 4 that spots where I dropped calls every time I passed through them, I no longer drop the call. So it works for me!

 

[Cottonsworth]

It drops bars on mine. It's definitely worse when I'm in an area with worse coverage and doesn't do it as bad when I'm in town, better coverage areas. I haven't dropped any calls because of it so.....
I'm sure that some people on here are a little, um, over-dramatic about what they deserve, such as replacements and free bumpers. If they bought a microwave that didn't work as expected, you would take it back, you wouldn't harass GE until they sent you something free.
I love my iP4 and I'm sure Apple is not going to try to fix the bugs associated with a almost completely new product.

+1. Harassing GE over a microwave. lol.

 

[br0adband]

I would answer the OP's question by saying:

It's as bad as those of us experiencing the problems are trying to get across. We're in the minority because:

a) not everyone that owns an iPhone 4 - even if they have problems - is going to report it on a forum like this one or anywhere else (they'll most likely just take it back and nobody would be the wiser) and...

b) not everyone will encounter the issues as has been demonstrated even with 2 iPhone 4's in the same spot held at the same time in different hands, etc. and one exhibits the problems and the other works just fine.

Pretty simple, really. It's a real issue for those of us that have it and we're speaking up about it (the truth, of course); the majority of people that don't simply would care not to hear any of us pointing out the problems we're having ("how dare you blaspheme Apple... curse you!").

 

[Kinobi]

Yes it is pretty bad. I travel a bit and TN is so far the worst area. FL is ok. In Gatlinburg, TN I have to keep phone with 2 fingers or it will go searching for signal. In Florida It will drop 2 bars. It is somehow related to geographical location. The funny thing is that iPad will have always superior signal.

 

[-aggie-]

OP, IMO, it’s not as bad as some people are saying, certainly some posters on these forums. Those that have the problem certainly are upset, but some of those people are extremely vocal and make repeated posts saying the same thing over and over. It’s just a lot of noise.

The problem is that most people that don’t have problems are not going to come on these forums to tell everyone how great their iPhone is. Hell, most don’t even know these forums exist. I discovered these forums awhile back when I had an issue I was looking for an answer. I would think that’s how a lot of people come to these forums, especially the iPhone Forums. Anyone trying to imply that those with problems are in the minority, because they wouldn’t bother posting and just return the phone, is ignoring how people would act if they didn’t have problems, and is trying to pull the wool over your eyes, IMO.

Another thing you’ll see on these forums is that the irrational whiners take over threads and don’t want anyone posting anything that runs counter to their general whine. If we post we don’t have the issue and have tried to reproduce it under all the conditions that could be imagined (for example under low signal), we’re told we’re wrong. Maybe we are, but as far as the experience goes, we don’t have the issue. Most of us aren’t fanboys (I’m certainly not, but you’d have to know me to know I speak the truth) and just want to make sure all the information gets out there. That’s one of my reasons for being on these forums is to help people and maybe to learn something every now and then (see my posts for that evidence, if you think differently). So, for people like the OP, I’m not going to let some troll give bad information just to have someone join their little whine fest (Side Note: What is the point of posting thread after thread on the same issue? We get it, you’re having reception problems. Points been made. Move on). For those who want this problem fixed, their avenue to get results is through Apple. Either return the phone or give feedback to Apple.

 

[JediZenMaster]

No problems here either. My iPhone 4 works very very good. The issue is not as bad as people here on Mac Rumors are saying.

Because this board represents a small amount of iPhone users. And you also have alot of people who don't even own an iPhone just claiming they are having issues to jump on the bandwagon.

 

[QCassidy352]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)

There are two questions here. One, does it "lose bars" when "held wrongly." probably all iPhone 4s do that (unless it's a very strong signal to start) as do many other phones including earlier iPhones. Losing bars is not really a problem unless service is impacted, which brings us to question 2 - does holding it the "wrong" way cause you to drop calls or lose data access. And to that question, the answer is yes for some, yes for others but only in low coverage areas, and no under all circumstances for others. Because of this difference, I truly believe this is a defect, not a design issue. The first point is a design issue, but the total loss of service is a defect.

 

[billyjoegibsonx]

Its a problem if your left handed, but its fairly easy to change your grip on the phone to stop it dropping bars if its affecting you

I'm right handed and therefore hardly ever experience the problem unless i actually try to make it happen using it in my left hand.

Hasnt affected performance, and the software update will only improve it hopefully. If i wasnt happy with my iphone id have returned it by now (2 week return period is up today)

Enjoying my iphone 4

 

[-aggie-]

That's two minutes of my life I won't get back, but then again, your avatar says it all.

Why don't you stop wasting two minutes of your life with every useless post you've made so far and actually try helping someone with a problem? You might try the iPhone Help forum.

 

[isimon117]

Even though some people truly do have the antenna problem, you have to expect that when you ship 2 million phones in 4 days. Other than that all of the problems are pretty much exaggerated against Apple because people just love to hate and b*tch about Apple.

 

[err404]

Unfortunately in low signal areas I do need to be aware of not holding the lower corner; however with my old iPhone 3G, I never would have been able to make the call in the first place, so it's hard to complain. In most situations my iPhone 4 has much better reception then my old 3G. I have a usable signal in the bowels of my office where I never did with my iPhone 3G. Also, I have found that even when showing fewer bars, my calls not only stay connected, but sound much clearer (fewer dropped packet artifacts).
That said, when using the "death grip" the reception is a little worse then the 3G. The videos online seen to confirm that the iPhone 4 is about 5-10 DBs worse then a 3GS when both are under a "death grip", but 10-30 DBs better with a case or held away from the lower corner.

Most situations - iPhone 4 has significantly better reception
"Death Grip" - iPhone 3G has slightly better reception

 

[mgamber]

thanks all, ill more than likely get one then. also im in australia where it hasnt been released yet, which im guessing means that the batch to hit us will most likely be bug free. thanks again.

You a bettin' man?

 

[marksman]

Its not really the antenna issue I have a problem with, its been Apple's response.

I love the duel cameras and the GPS and the apps so I was hell bent on an iPhone 4 this August but right now I'm seriously considering looking into one of the Android devices.

Apple's response to legitimate consumer issues caused by design flaws with their product has been completely and totally unacceptable. If this is how Apple treats their *very* loyal customers who sink piles of cash into their products and are vocally supportive of the company then I'd frankly rather not be one anymore.

I think Apple has become drunk off their previous successes and simply way too arrogent for their own good now.

So you don't have an iPhone 4 to actually experience any of this problems, yet you have a problem with Apple's response?

That is an unstable position to take you know.

 

[insidmal]

for what it's worth I have been unable to replicate any of these issues, I've tried in a few different areas of town and the bars just won't drop

 

[Brisby]

I find that if I'm in an area where the signal is extremely strong I don't have any issues. On the other hand if the signal is weak I loose reception. I work in a bulding that has a tower right next to it and at home I have the Microcell (which I got because I live in a place that wont allow towers to be built, so not the phones fault) so the signal issues really haven't effected me. I do agree that the antenna is a design flaw but truth be told I do have better service now in areas that I had weak to no signal when I used the 3GS. I don't believe Apple set out to make a bad phone and I don't believe they did. The iPhone 4 is a great device and I blame the media mostly for all the negative press.