iPhone 4 Reception Issue? [Video]

[Preds]

also find it interesting that from what ive read its always either the iphone 3g or the iphone 4 having this issue with ios4, not the 3gs, interesting, either way tomorrow its gonna get a whole lot worse

See my post above this one (588).

I can duplicate the same symptoms on my 3GS,

5 bars down to 1 (whether I hold the phone in my left or right hand).

That said, I haven't noticed an issue with more dropped calls than normal (though now that I think about it, I did lose a call this afternoon at work 5 minutes in to the conversation which was unusual).

 

[paulrkiii]

I cannot replicate this on my 3GS running iOS4

Perhaps it's a regional issue?

I just did on my 32gig 3gs...Video link below (sorry for the terrible quality, camera didn't want to focus):

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

 

[admanimal]

How about developers that can place the GM build on the phone 4? Any difference? Some are saying this is iOS4 related. Maybe a slight build difference can show us something?

No GM build for the iPhone 4 was ever provided (since it would have been useless). The build is identical anyway.

 

[dillonbarnett98]

software issue

i'm pretty sure it's a software issue because i installed iOS4 on my 3G and if i cup my hands around it, it does the same thing. It never did it before iOS4

 

[ravensfan55]

I'm starting to get convinced that the problem is when holding the phone, the user's hands bridge the cell antenna band and WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS band.

But the fact that it is showing up on 3G and 3GS phones running iOS4 also leads me to think it could be software. Oh well. Only time will tell what the true culprit is.

 

[SouthBeachMac]

Just got a call and repositioned my hand to cover the suspect area. Within 10 seconds my friend could not hear me...moved my hand and call quality returned.

I fixed it! Just dunk the phone in a bowl of water, hold for 10 seconds, and good as new.



All kidding aside, phone is amazing. Unless you sit holding your phone in your hand all day waiting for it to ring, i think everyone will be just fine.

Disclaimer: Massive financial interest in Apple...ha

 

[ChiGadgetGuy]

OMG!!!

What a FAIL!

I always wondered when I first saw the keynote, that was the new antenna system such a good idea. I mean to literally touch the antenna with your bear hands, doesn´t fit with my common sense. And sometimes hands can be sweaty...

If you're a bear, you have no business holding an iPhone with your hands! If you're human, what are you doing with bear hands? he he he

 

[Drag'nGT]

Yes.

The fact that it is JB'd too makes it more interesting.

I'm the owner of that phone/vid. The phone was JB'n for a few months last summer and I restored it back after about 2 months. When I had it I changed AT&T to say my name. When I un-JB'd the phone my name stayed and I thought it would be a huge pain to re-JB in order to put AT&T back as the carrier.

 

[tttexxan]

Wow post is growing fast....As steve said the design is ausome like old lucia camera. I was not planning on putting bumpers on it due to the sleek design.

Seems very strange how it could be software driven??

 

[ouimetnick]

I'm starting to get convinced that the problem is when holding the phone, the user's hands bridge the cell antenna band and WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS band.

But the fact that it is showing up on 3G and 3GS phones running iOS4 also leads me to think it could be software. Oh well. Only time will tell what the true culprit is.

Thats what folks were saying. If you held a certain way, hell froze over.

 

[ubercool]

The people testing it WERE using cases to hide that they had a prototype. Makes ya think, eh?

Totally, DOH! I think I'm going to short Apple stock tomorrow.

 

[gforce216]

I've been trying to replicate this problem, but I've gotten a single bar to go down. So instead of 5 bars I get 4 bars. One time I got 3 but I was walking around too so it could probably drop. If it is a software issue it may be something involving getting AT&T and this new iOS firmware completely linked up.

 

[canyonblue737]

i'm pretty sure it's a software issue because i installed iOS4 on my 3G and if i cup my hands around it, it does the same thing. It never did it before iOS4

My 3G does this on OS 3.1.3, never noticed before seeing these videos. It never drops to no service though, just 1 or 2 bars.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Personally, it makes more money for Apple to sell more bumpies to alleviate the "issue".

What do you mean, "personally" ?

 

[WilliamG]

I can confirm this issue with my 32GB iPhone 4. Wonder what Apple will do, here...

 

[powers74]

bridge

Ok I did some further messing around with it. I can put a single finger over the gap that separates the bottom piece of the metal rim from the top metal rim, and the symptoms manifest.

Connecting the two metal pieces of the rim kills the signal somehow.

This is what I was thinking it might be when I saw it on the front page. Makes sense. Two different antennas for different types of signals. That's why there's a tiny rubber bumper between them. When they are bridged the signals get crossed.

 

[besttechie]

Seems like this issue happens on my 3GS and my girlfriend's 3G.

Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywloTorTF8g

 

[someonevague]

i have not followed all of the pages in here, but does anybody with a 3G or 3GS still have iOS3+ that they can check with to see if it is indeed a software issue or not?

 

[dhy8386]

I'm starting to get convinced that the problem is when holding the phone, the user's hands bridge the cell antenna band and WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS band.

But the fact that it is showing up on 3G and 3GS phones running iOS4 also leads me to think it could be software. Oh well. Only time will tell what the true culprit is.

Don't see how it can be hardware if not happening to everyone - unless there is just very bad quality control.

 

[ct2k7]

i have not followed all of the pages in here, but does anybody with a 3G or 3GS still have iOS3+ that they can check with to see if it is indeed a software issue or not?

My original iPhone does not show a drop in signal.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Bumpers will not solve it. I have a silicon case on mine and can easily replicate this.

Do then. Make sure you make a video of that. The whole issue here is when your hand contacts both antennas simultaneously. Bumpers would solve that.

Whether firmware can change way the antennas talk to each other remains to be seen.

****, the iPhone 4 was too good to be true. It was too good. I knew something would **** that up!

 

[milani]

Maybe it's not so bad that Canada won't get the iPhone 4 for an indefinite period of time... Hopefully they'll be able to fix what is clearly a hardware issue by that point.

 

[izzisdashiz]

Didn't engadget have the phone for a week and not have any issues? I wonder what is causing it in some phones and not in others.

 

[msduncan]

I'd like for someone to explain to me how it could possibly be a software issue?

How is it easier to somehow assume it's some sort of elaborate software issue that is caused by holding the phone in some way, rather than the obvious antennae bridging hardware issue?

 

[nizmoz]

RELAX! it's a software issue! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Lpt2YkF3Q

No it's not. I just tried this on mine, and it wasn't affected by my hands at all. I have iOS4 on mine too.