Detailed Analysis of iPhone 4 Signal Strength Dropoff

[NoExpectations]

Lesson for Apple

Always field test your products in their final form. I wonder if all of the prototypes were being tested with that disguised case around it (to make the iPhone 4 look like a 3GS). I bet this reception issue never surfaced as a result.

This is poor engineering, poor execution, poor public relations. This is where "Form over Function" can not be justified.

 

[glen e]

never a dropped call so far and the perfect fitting bumper protects the back glass when you set it down...so on all counts all a non issue for me...

 

[tmarks11]

Confirms to me that I'm staying with the 3GS until Apple builds another phone that doesn't require a case to make calls with.

read the complete article. Anandtech seemed very impressed with the antenna/radio performance, claiming it was far superior to 3GS:

...I've determined that the iPhone 4 performs much better than the 3GS in situations where signal is very low, at -113 dB (1 bar).... it's readily apparent that the new baseband hardware is much more sensitive compared to what was in the 3GS...There's no doubt in my mind this iPhone gets the best cellular reception yet, even though measured signal is lower than the 3GS.

That being said, he concluded "Apple should add an insulative coating to the stainless steel band, or subsidize bumper cases."

So maybe the iPhone 4 isn't for you.

It is interesting that this article answers the questions of why many people can show reception bars dropping from 5 bars to 0 by touching the black band, while others see no change in displayed reception. 24 dB loss by squeezing the black band can keep you fully in the 5 bar region if you are in a high signal area, while causing bars to drop to nothing if you are in a marginal signal area where you are barely within the 5 bar region.

It is comforting to know that there isn't a manufacturing flaw that affects just some of the handsets. So you aren't playing the lottery when you buy, getting a "good" vs a "bad" handset.

They are all bad. But Anandtech says even though they are bad, they are superior to everything else.

 

[citrate]

Is it really that difficult for people to adjust the way they hold their iPhone? Is it physically and mentally hard to do it? All I did was move my grip up an inch as not to cover the bottom left of my iPhone and no more issues. It took a couple days for me to get used to it but now it's natural for me to hold it that way.

Instead of b!tching about it, I adopted.

I eat food with a fork most of the time. Sure I can use a fork to eat a sushi but it's best if I eat it using a chop stick..

It's because of people like you that Apple can get away with telling everyone that they're holding the iPhone wrong. You shouldn't have to deal with it. I never chose how to hold my iPhone, it just came naturally and that is how it should work. We all know how brittle these phones are so holding the top of the phone, instead of supporting the bottom left corner is just asking for trouble.

 

[shadygrove]

Excelent read. Hopefully any the complainers will stop or go take their phones back, get a bumper, or not squeeze their phones.

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Does anyone have a comparison in the dropped call rate between iphone 3GS and iphone 4? I have a fair amount of dropped/failed calls on my 3GS, even though I have 4-5 bars all the time. I'm on my 3rd replacement 3GS.

I'm not interested in the left hand antenna issue - I'd get a case regardless.

Thanks!

 

[citrate]

Excelent read. Hopefully any the complainers will stop or go take their phones back, get a bumper, or not squeeze their phones.

Read the artical again. You obviously didn't understand it the first time.

 

[G5isAlive]

Great to have some real analysis. So tired of all the BS.

amen

 

[Rot'nApple]

This could a problem with the proximity sensor.

Or it could be the Flux Capacitor!

Maybe it is not getting enough 1.21 JigaWatts?! What the hell is a JigaWatt?

 

[Tilpots]

This issue is a serious one for me. At my house, I get 4 bars when the phone is sitting on a table. When I hold it my hands, I lose signal completely. The "searching" text appears and I cannot receive calls or SMS messages. It's a "real world" issue.

A held phone should not be unusable. Period.

 

[sillypooh]

As seen above, nearly 40% of the range of possible signal levels is reported as 5 bars.

Wrong! Signal strength measured in dB is non-linear. The way they mapped the 5 bars is entirely correct!

Please people, stop second-guessing professional engineers.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Hmm... And my 3G is dying. Don't know what to do, really just a crappy transition experience all around. If it weren't for all these issues I'd have no problem upgrading asap.

Good luck. Very hard to find a iPhone 4 for sale at any store.

 

[citrate]

For anyone that dosen't quite understand this artical and somehow believes that all is ok with the iPhone 4 this is all you need to look at:

Holding Naturally the 3GS drops 1.9dB and the 4 drops 19.8dB.

Now a drop of 22 takes you from 4 bars to no signal. This explains why some people haven't noticed the problem, as I've said all along it's down to location. If you have five bars (around the -51dB) then losing 19.8dB isn't enough to knock you down to 4 (unless your just into 5 bars). So it think it's still fair to say that all iPhone 4's are affected.

For anyone who believes that their iPhone is perfect, wait until you're in an area with only 3-4 bars and then tell us how good your phone is and that everyone is holding it wrong.

 

[iZac]

Confirms to me that I'm staying with the 3GS until Apple builds another phone that doesn't require a case to make calls with. My 3GS is naked when I'm using it... why should I have to buy a case just to make calls with an iPhone 4? Apple really did a dumb thing here in the name of good looks.

Very right. I have a foof I use when my 3GS goes in my pocket with the rest of my mess, but in my hand I could never use a nasty plastic case. Like you say, its unacceptable to keep selling a product that is broken by design.

You have to wonder if Apple already knew after the design was finalised that this was a problem. After all, why would Apple themselves suddenly produce a hideous “bumper” case which hides all that precision engineering.

Myself, I've been actively discouraging friends and co-workers from buying the iPhone 4 until it’s fixed. Although that has lost Apple at least 4 sales, its a drop in the ocean.

 

[mr.steevo]

This issue is a serious one for me. At my house, I get 4 bars when the phone is sitting on a table. When I hold it my hands, I lose signal completely. The "searching" text appears and I cannot receive calls or SMS messages. It's a "real world" issue.

A held phone should not be unusable. Period.

Hi,

Can you use speaker phone while it is sitting on the table with four bars?

I'm not being sarcastic, I'm wondering if the phone works at all.

s.

 

[Foocha]

Decibels are logarithmic

The reason the bars of the phone signal do not have a linear relationship with the signal strength measured in decibels is because decibels are measured logarithmically.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibels

If the researchers did not appreciate this, one wonders whether they're competent to conduct this kind of research?

 

[Tunster]

Still doesn't explain why every other phone apart from my iPhone 4 can hold a signal at full strength. Doesn't matter whether the 5th bar has a huge range, but grip of death definitely affects me wherever I am. Even in strong areas. In weak areas, my iPhone 4 performs better than my old Blackberry until I grip it with my left hand.

Big shame. I haven't had a drop call, but that's because I'm holding it another way before I make the call.

Apple still needs to seriously sort this out rather than ignoring its users.

 

[Jack Lithian]

I hope by the time it releases in other European countries this issue will be solved *wishful thinking*

 

[CBX]

So, "with a bumper case, the iPhone 4 has the same attenuation performance as other other smartphones".

I would have gone with with a bumper case, the iPhone 4 is still worse than the 3GS...

 

[wovel]

Please stop referring to it as a leaked support note. It is text typed in a grey box with a blue line on BGR. Even BGR does not claim it is a leaked note. They claim it is info they received from an "Apple Connect". If they have a note lets see it. No need to give their very questionable story any additional legitimacy by claiming facts beyond what even they do.

 

[Tilpots]

Hi,

Can you use speaker phone while it is sitting on the table with four bars?

I'm not being sarcastic, I'm wondering if the phone works at all.

s.

Yes, the phone works great as a speakerphone, and in places with better reception than at my house. I haven't dropped a call with it yet, but I have missed calls due to my holding it at my home.

 

[Boozie]

So I guess Apple could release a software update that shifts the 'curve' that correlates signal strength with number of bars.

So in future all iPhones will go all the way up to 11. Most phones go to 10. iPhone 4 goes to 11.

Well...it's one louder, isn't it (Spinal Tap Rules)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuzpsO4ErOQ

 

[mr.steevo]

Yes, the phone works great as a speakerphone, and in places with better reception than at my house. I haven't dropped a call with it yet, but I have missed calls due to my holding it at my home.

Frustrating!

s.

 

[jclardy]

Always field test your products in their final form. I wonder if all of the prototypes were being tested with that disguised case around it (to make the iPhone 4 look like a 3GS). I bet this reception issue never surfaced as a result.

This is poor engineering, poor execution, poor public relations. This is where "Form over Function" can not be justified.

Is it form over function? According to the article the reception is much improved which would make it more functional as long as you don't hold it in one specific way without a case.

Why is it when people get told not to do something they want to do it more? They want what they can't have?

To be honest if I didn't browse MacRumors or Engadget I would have never noticed the issue because I don't hold my phone in the palm of my hand, I use my fingers instead. That is probably why the complaint is not widespread, people who don't read about technology are just going on with their daily lives, enjoying their new iPhone 4.

 

[hackum]

Are you all reading between the lines? How is this good for the iPhone 4?

The iPhone is the WORST compared to all phone and hand positions, except Holding Naturally in a Case where it's on par with the Nexus ...

Looks really bad for Apple, sorry.