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iPhone 4 Low signal fix via Apple "Genius"

ihawkfreak

ihawkfreak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 2, 2005
6
0
Hawkeye State
I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.
 
ihawkfreak said:
I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.
Click to expand...

hahaha! nice.. that's really GENIUS... :D
 
ihawkfreak said:
I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.
Click to expand...

silly boy

1.) You walk into the store, asking for help with a signal issue.

2.) Apple employees suggest the ONLY FIXES that will help you RIGHT AWAY.
(They have no control over the device, cell provider signal, or on-hand warranty units)

3.) You insult said Apple employees - when you are the one who left the store with the same issues you arrived with.


So...um....yeah.
 
ihawkfreak said:
I went into my local Apple store today to see what they recommend to help with my no/low signal while holding my phone like I have since I was toddler. They of course want me to purchase an iPhone Bumper that they are currently sold out of or putting a piece of DUCT TAPE!!! on the corner of my phone for a cheap fix! Great suggestion from a real genius. Duct taping a $700 phone...Thanks Apple.
Click to expand...

did you pay $700 for the phone?
 
DustyLBottoms said:
silly boy

1.) You walk into the store, asking for help with a signal issue.

2.) Apple employees suggest the ONLY FIXES that will help you RIGHT AWAY.
(They have no control over the device, cell provider signal, or on-hand warranty units)

3.) You insult said Apple employees - when you are the one who left the store with the same issues you arrived with.


So...um....yeah.
Click to expand...


Come on -you really think that Duct Tape was an acceptable answer from an Apple Store employee? That's ridiculous. Maybe they should just suggest "use a handsfree kit", I mean that would 'fix' the problem too, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:
 
I called...they told me the same thing.

I put piece of scotch tape over area, used exacto knife...and it's great now.

As the Tech support guy told me "it's a band aid until they come up with a fix"

He hinted that most likely people will be offered a free bumper...or of course, return it.
 
Scotch tape does not fix the problem for me. It really feels to me like less of the antenna arrays getting bridged as the whole antenna itself being covered up (as if everything needed to make it work was in that corner).
 
I went back into the Apple Store (they know I have no life, hahaha, nah just a day off hanging out at the mall) and 2 people there said that the signal issue is sporadic. I showed them mine and wouldn't you know it didn't do it at the Apple Store :rolleyes: just 1 bar lower. But anyway they said I HAVE TO BUY a case for it if I'm that worried about low signal. They had no cases and suggested I go to Best Buy and just get any old case and one guy overheard us and showed me his i4 with some decent case he said he ordered online last week for $3 and it solved the signal problem.

bottom line is you gotta put your i4 in a case.
 
JonnyIreland said:
Come on -you really think that Duct Tape was an acceptable answer from an Apple Store employee? That's ridiculous. Maybe they should just suggest "use a handsfree kit", I mean that would 'fix' the problem too, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Why did you go ask if you already knew what a good fix was?

The simple answer is if you want to handle the phone, get something that will cover the area so your skin can't act as a conductor.
 
The easiest solution is to never ever go for tech support to a "genius" typically you shouldn't trust someone if they have more than 5 pimples on their face.
 
I "fixed" mine with tape, it's scotch tape but the shiny 100% transparent kind not the "magic" flat/matte kind, that kind didn't work. I suspect clear glossy packing tape would do the trick too.

I at least can use it until there is a fix or I decide I need to return it...

Hoping for a software fix... seems something software-signal processing related to me.

When I have 5 bars I can't get the signal to go down at ALL by holding the corner or any other area, if I was indeed "shorting" out the antenna you would expect some movement.

However if I am in a 3-4 bar area it goes down all the way to no service then you back up to 3-4 bars when I let go, so either its a different modulation on some of the towers or the Phone is having a fit/crashing out trying to hold onto the weaker signal/interference.
 
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