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I fired off a letter to Apple about their iPhone 4 Response

I searched youtube for speedtest.net results for an iPhone4, with a bumper, held in your left hand compared to one without a bumper in your hand, (and compared to one sitting on a table :))and couldn't find anything. Is there a thread about that on here, or can someone post their results in this thread?

And, anyone who has a bumper, how does it feel, and how much does it add to the size/bulk of the phone?

Thanks!

It's a great little computer, but I need a phone that will work, too!
 
DustyBottoms said:
I searched youtube for speedtest.net results for an iPhone4, with a bumper, held in your left hand compared to one without a bumper in your hand, (and compared to one sitting on a table :))and couldn't find anything. Is there a thread about that on here, or can someone post their results in this thread?

And, anyone who has a bumper, how does it feel, and how much does it add to the size/bulk of the phone?

Thanks!

It's a great little computer, but I need a phone that will work, too!
Click to expand...

The Bumper improves the issue 90% that's why the conspiracy theorists say Apple knew about the problem.

web.jpg
 
I found a coffee shop where the signal was strong enough that the bars did not drop below five bars.
 
ntrigue said:
I found a coffee shop where the signal was strong enough that the bars did not drop below five bars.
Click to expand...

Its a well known fact that AT&T builds cell towers close to coffee shops because they know that's where people go to surf the web for hours on their iphones, ipads and ibooks.
 
Good job on the well constructed feedback. One persons feedback like that wont do anything but if enough people write like that, the issue may get somewhere. I have a feeling we will all see that Apples fix does not solve the entire issue. Hopefully I am proved wrong. If it doesn't though the only way to push the issue is by providing well constructed feedback.

Certain other people around here need to learn how to simply not post in a thread instead of making themselves look like jack asses.
 
stevensteven123 said:
Its a well known fact that AT&T builds cell towers close to coffee shops because they know that's where people go to surf the web for hours on their iphones, ipads and ibooks.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I'm calling this one. What's the source for this "well known fact"? If it's well known, why haven't I heard of it before? :)

Many Starbucks have for a long time had AT&T hotspots which were free for use by AT&T DSL customers and via Wifi on AT&T phones. Since the release of the microcells I could imagine AT&T putting microcells in each location that has an AT&T wifi hotspot -- but that's mere speculation on my part.
 
ntrigue said:
I found a coffee shop where the signal was strong enough that the bars did not drop below five bars.
Click to expand...

Congrats on all your hard work for nothing. Can you make your next project finding Al Capone's Tomb or finding out if Jimmy Hoffa was really burried under Giants Stadium ?
 
deeddawg said:
Sorry, but I'm calling this one. What's the source for this "well known fact"? If it's well known, why haven't I heard of it before? :)

Many Starbucks have for a long time had AT&T hotspots which were free for use by AT&T DSL customers and via Wifi on AT&T phones. Since the release of the microcells I could imagine AT&T putting microcells in each location that has an AT&T wifi hotspot -- but that's mere speculation on my part.
Click to expand...

Figment told me.
 
We've never had a problem with any of our iPhones. Just look at the commercials.
Johnny and Jane Appleseed
 
ntrigue said:
In your letter, "Regarding iPhone 4," you conveniently overlook the firmware update to the iPhone 3G that implemented Apple's own proprietary formula for calculating bars of reception. Instead, you "...were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength."

I vividly remember the nightmare with the first three firmware releases of 2.0. One aforementioned release magically increased service in my home from 2-3 bars to five bars on AT&T's very same network. I say magically because it occurred in the time it took to upgrade my 3G to 2.1. I can tell you that my home was actually seeing between a -93 and -85 dB.

Unfortunately, the ability to input *3001#12345* has been removed in iOS 4. A solution exists courtesy of the AppStore, Speedtest.net allows the iPhone 4 owner to quantify the cellular attenuation they experience. I've attached three results (each performed three times and the high and low results were dismissed). In "Antenna Results.pdf" the first was recorded laying iPhone 4 on the desk. The second, touching a single finger to the left gap on iPhone 4. The third, gripping iPhone 4 naturally with my left hand.

I apologize for the verbose response; the results speak for themselves. Having waited faithfully in line for every iteration of iPhone since 2007 (nine hours this launch) it's not without anxiety and regret that I return iPhone 4. The iOS experience is unparalleled in the industry, but I require a phone that excels at making calls (any way it's held) and a company that will offer more than a band-aid as assurance.

Sincerely,

[REDACTED]

Sent from my iPad
Click to expand...

your talking to sheep...try a pipe next time instead of a keyboard...
.... $30 for a bumper ?
 
SIUGRAD99 said:
Congrats on all your hard work for nothing. Can you make your next project finding Al Capone's Tomb or finding out if Jimmy Hoffa was really burried under Giants Stadium ?
Click to expand...

Don't be foolish. I 'happened' upon an area that gets great coverage. I didn't aggressively seek it out.

Thought I'd contribute something positive is all.
 
Sweeeeet! I love this! PEOPLE! Please do not return your useless iphone 4's. I would miss all the whinning and bickering here on MacRumors. This stuff is kind of like therapy, makes all my troubles seem so small!! :)

Sent from my iphone4
 
ntrigue said:
The Bumper improves the issue 90% that's why the conspiracy theorists say Apple knew about the problem.

web.jpg
Click to expand...

So, you're saying the download/upload speed for an iPhone4, with a bumper on it, cupped in your left hand is about 1827/946 (90% increase from without a bumper)?

I don't own a bumper, so before I either return the phone, or buy a bumper, I was hoping to get some idea of what the performance is like with a bumper on. If you have a bumper could you run a speedtest, with and without the bumper, while holding it?

Many thanks if someone could do this, or point me in the right direction to find it (I've done searches on here and youtube already).

And, I find it hard to believe that Apple didn't know about this problem before shipping it out. I'm guessing that they probably found out about it after it was too late/too expensive to redesign it. Besides, it seems like they made the right choice; the phone is selling like hot cakes and not too many people seem to have the problem, or people are willing to put up with the problem. That's a what a strong customer base will get you, blind loyalty!
 
djohnson63 said:
Sweeeeet! I love this! PEOPLE! Please do not return your useless iphone 4's. I would miss all the whinning and bickering here on MacRumors. This stuff is kind of like therapy, makes all my troubles seem so small!! :)

Sent from my iphone4
Click to expand...

don't you just love it!...what I don't get is why people w/ a perfect phone would post on a thread and "complain" about people "complaining" that their phone wasn't perfect?...ironic huh?
 
DustyBottoms said:
So, you're saying the download/upload speed for an iPhone4, with a bumper on it, cupped in your left hand is about 1827/946 (90% increase from without a bumper)?

I don't own a bumper, so before I either return the phone, or buy a bumper, I was hoping to get some idea of what the performance is like with a bumper on. If you have a bumper could you run a speedtest, with and without the bumper, while holding it?

Many thanks if someone could do this, or point me in the right direction to find it (I've done searches on here and youtube already).
Click to expand...

I've got preliminary numbers, will post screenshots shortly.

This is shocking. The Bumper does not help if you are left-handed.

My results with iPhone in Bumper, flat on the desk:

D: 2086 U: 1159
D: 1277 U: 319
D: 1862 U: 994

My results with cupping method around Bumper:

D: 958 U: 87
D: 168 U: N/A
D: 237 U: N/A

Holding in right-hand naturally with Bumper:

D: 2206 U: 887

Holding in left-hand naturally with Bumper:

D: 1608 U: 244
 
ntrigue said:
I've got preliminary numbers, will post screenshots shortly.

This is shocking. The Bumper does not help if you are left-handed.

Holding in left-hand naturally with Bumper:

D: 1608 U: 244
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info, ntrigue. It looks like the download numbers with it sitting on the desk, and with the bumper on, are even a little slower than your previous test without the bumper. And while holding it in your left hand, the numbers are slightly better with the bumper on during download, but it has a slower upload. Interesting.

I don't see how a software fix is going to change anything, I guess we'll wait and see.... and hope.
 
I think it's great that the OP has taken the time to properly investigate the issue and provide some constructive feedback rather than join the list of whiners or even worse, pretend it doesn't exist like majority of the posters in this thread.
 
Maaz said:
Grow up. There are much more important things to worry about than a cellphone. You people act like it's the end of the world.
Click to expand...

When I pay $300 for it, AND indenture myself to AT&T for 2 years, yea I think it's reasonable to expect the phone to work. And if it doesn't work I want to tell them it doesn't work, not be told lies to deflect the reality people are seeing. "Nothing to see, move along" is the basic response from Apple.
I find it amazing that after 4 versions of the phone and countless software updates, they haven't figured out how to calculate signal strength. Whoops, sorry we're new at this cell phone stuff.

If they want to give it away for free, or cheap, then no I have no right to complain, when I pay a premium for a what is marketed as a premium product, I expect premium results.
 
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