Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I read this story and thought it was bs. So I set my phone down and I had 5 bars. Picked it up and it dropped slowly to 1 bar. Set it down and I have full service. While I'm typing this I have 3 but if I set it down, I have 5. I hope they fix this.
 
I noticed poor reception right after I activated. At first I didn't think it had something to do with holding it in hand, but now it all makes sense. My phone does the EXACT same thing as in the video... as soon as I pick it up, it drops 3 or so bars.

I made about a dozen or so calls since I got it, and the dropped calls are just ridiculous! This is going to be a HUGE issue for Apple. My phone is already on eBay. It's a shame, because it's an amazing phone otherwise...
 
Took my iPhone 4 to the pool this afternoon and could not get it to drip bars Bo matter how I held it. Major reproducible issues in my basement where I have 4 bars when on table and none when held. Silicon case fixes it.
E

"drip bars Bo"? Must've have a goooood time at the pool.
 
WHY is it SO HARD for you thick-skulled people to get it? Stop trying to "cup" it and do the exact test that causes the problem: BRIDGE THE ANTENNAS WITH YOUR FINGER/HAND ON THE LEFT SIDE! See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gb3aQ5XoQw

That video shows PLAIN AND SIMPLE that this is a design flaw which is unfixable by software update. Apple screwed up huge, and they probably didn't notice it because they were too busy wrapping them in 3GS garb (thereby covering the problem) so they wouldn't be noticed in public during testing.

LOGIC, people, LOGIC!
While this definitely would have played a huge role in this getting by Apple, I'm starting to wonder if it's a major defect with the mass production of the phone.
 
So the left hand right hand thing works. Full bars in right hand down to no service in the left. I am able to type without contacting the metal, I'm posting this over the 3G network. I'm not sure this way of typing is all that comfortable to me though, but I'm sure with some trial and error I'll find a comfortable position.
Out of curiosity has anyone checked out the keynote video to see which hand Steve uses when he's placing the face time call? I'm pretty sure he started it over AT&T's network and not from wifi.
 
has anybody tried hold the phone just by the metal/antenna??
I was having the same problem with my iPhone 4 dropping bars, but then I just the the phone the metal/antenna with my fingers and nothing changed, no dropped bars. It wasn't until I palmed the back of it that the bars started to drop.
 
All right. One thing is clear from all this -- there is a design problem with the iP4 antenna. When people hold the iP4 with a cloth, they can prevent signal strength from degrading.

You haven't read many posts have you? There are about as many people claiming that the bumpers don't help with signal loss then there are people claiming they do.

Furthermore... there are videos of people with iPhone 3G and 3Gs that have same signal loss.

Read before you say "clearly" in your post. :confused:

Only thing that is clear here.... is you need to read more.
 
......And oddly enough on my 3.1.3 3G, I go from 5 bars to 3 when I pick up my phone and grasp it fully in my palm.
This is just perplexing.

my 3gs seems to do the same on ios4 but only a couple bars bc my signal is really strong here.

I was fully prepared to come in here and say that it's a hardware issue, however I just tried this with my year-old launch day iPhone 3GS 16GB with iOS 4.0 installed. On the table, five bars. In the palm of my hand, dropped to two bars within seconds.
Looks like we might have a baseband bug.

Very very interesting. Color me convinced. We need someone that has NOT upgraded to iOS4 to test just as a clean test case with an older phone.

That's EXACTLY what my iPhone 3GS is doing. Again, this is not isolated to iPhone 4's. This is also affecting older iPhones with iOS 4.

just reproduced this with my 3g on ios4. Why is everyone complaining now.


Your posts have made me curious: since most of the tests done were on the AT&T network in the US, I decided to give my iPhone 3G a go: I know this might not help much if it's a hardware problem with the new iPhone 4, but I have tested my iPhone 3G on two UK networks and with two different firmware versions:

Running iOS 3.1.2, on O2-UK network:
Holding it (in any way) does not change the signal strength. Full signal.

Running iOS 3.1.2, on Vodafone UK network:
Holding it (in any way) does not change the signal strength. Full signal.

Running iOS 4.0, on O2-UK network:
Holding it (in any way) does not change the signal strength. Full signal.

Running iOS 4.0, on Vodafone UK network:
Holding it (in any way) does not change the signal strength. Full signal.

I'm guessing it's either a hardware problem or AT&T...
I have an iPhone 4 reserved for today.. not sure if I should pick it up or wait. :( What happened to you, :apple:...
 
has anybody tried hold the phone just by the metal/antenna??
I was having the same problem with my iPhone 4 dropping bars, but then I just the the phone the metal/antenna with my fingers and nothing changed, no dropped bars. It wasn't until I palmed the back of it that the bars started to drop.

It doesn't take being "palmed", it only takes one teeny finger... like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gb3aQ5XoQw
 
All right. One thing is clear from all this -- there is a design problem with the iP4 antenna. When people hold the iP4 with a cloth, they can prevent signal strength from degrading. Nobody has reported that result on a 2G, 3G, or 3GS phone that experiences signal loss when held. So whatever is to blame for those models' problems (signal being blocked by a hand, change in reception quality when shifted, etc.), only the iP4 is experiencing surface conductivity problems from grounding out the external antenna (although perhaps in addition to the other models' problems).

And apparently the result is signal attenuation, not necessarily total loss, since people near a cell tower lose signal strength, but not completely. But of course others with less reception to start with are not so lucky.

A software update could only partially solve this. There's no way around it -- there is a real loss of signal strength happening. You can fudge with software to make the iPhone stay on even when signal strength is extremely low, but that doesn't mean your call quality will be good, or that the won't still fail.

And as for the whole cell tower switching theory in iOS4 -- a software update could partially help with that, too, by giving more weight to cell tower proximity than cell tower load. So that will ensure you are connected to the closest tower, not the tower with the lightest load. But the fundamental problem will still remain-- there is less signal strength when the external antenna is being grounded out. So if the closest tower is still too far for your weakened signal, you will still be screwed.

This issue would have been made painfully apparent during testing both on the Cupertino campus and at the bar :rolleyes:. The cloth helping only on the 4 means that the antennae are being directly interfered with for obvious reasons because you obviously don't touch the 3g and 3gs antennae while making a call. My guess is that the dramatic change in the signal characteristics while holding the new model are being amplified beyond the acceptable limits of its design by some external factor.

This is why I asked that people post their location with their results because the user experiences are so varied across model and software number that this software vs. hardware issue is getting us nowhere. It must be a reaction to the change in signal, just ask the guy who couldn't get it to happen at the pool but it happened in the basement without a case. This would suggest an interaction between the hardware, software, and signal.
 
That video shows PLAIN AND SIMPLE that this is a design flaw which is unfixable by software update. Apple screwed up huge, and they probably didn't notice it because they were too busy wrapping them in 3GS garb (thereby covering the problem) so they wouldn't be noticed in public during testing.

LOGIC, people, LOGIC!

Not true.

I have no doubt that when you connect the two metal bands that the phone bars go down, but that still can be SOFTWARE.

the SIGNAL strength can still be the same as before you touched it, but the SOFTWARE can be mislead into thinking the SIGNAL strength is bad if it is getting harmless interference.

Software can still EXPLAIN AND FIX EVERYTHING!!!

Not sure why people cann't get that through their thick heads.
 
Apple better contact Toyota's PR people quick.

I'm betting if there is no software fix, a very simple "add-on" installed by a genius bar kid for free will remedy this before the fix is manufactured stock.

Either way, I'll buy a few hundred shares of AAPL after it bottoms out in a couple weeks. :cool:
 
This is ridiculous. I just called my girlfriend using my left hand and it dropped 3 times and went to no signal each time, called with my right and it was fine.
 
Not true.

I have no doubt that when you connect the two metal bands that the phone bars go down, but that still can be SOFTWARE.

the SIGNAL strength can still be the same as before you touched it, but the SOFTWARE can be mislead into thinking the SIGNAL strength is bad if it is getting harmless interference.

Software can still EXPLAIN AND FIX EVERYTHING!!!

Not sure why people cann't get that through their thick heads.

minister.jpg
 
This is making me want to throw up. After getting so excited for this launch, this has to happen? I feel bad for people in the rest of the world who had no network issues. It was due to AT&T's half-assed network that Apple decided to change the antenna. Now, it looks like everyone is going to get screwed. Well, I really can't feel too bad for Apple. There the ones who readily hopped into bed with AT&T just for a few extra million to pad their already 50 Billion in cash. I guess this is where greed will get you.
 
Not true.

I have no doubt that when you connect the two metal bands that the phone bars go down, but that still can be SOFTWARE.

the SIGNAL strength can still be the same as before you touched it, but the SOFTWARE can be mislead into thinking the SIGNAL strength is bad if it is getting harmless interference.

Software can still EXPLAIN AND FIX EVERYTHING!!!

Not sure why people cann't get that through their thick heads.

I'd buy your logic if it weren't for one thing... when be bars drop to nothing ("Searching"), why do the current calls drop or initiated calls fail? THAT doesn't sound like software.
 
What's really funny is that despite whether or not this viral rumor going around is true or false, a hardware or software issue over 600,000 of these things sight unseen have been sold!

Even funnier, no one will be deterred from showing up at their local Apple store first thing tomorrow to pick up their brand new iphone.

Sad when consumers place their trust blindly in a company like this. It was bound to happen.

Having said that, I do believe whatever the issue is, Apple will do the right thing and fix it or recall it. I don't think handing out bumpers would be a solution I would accept. That would mean the product is inherently flawed, badly designed and not tested properly. I mean you hold a phone in your hand for craps sake so how could they have overlooked something like as basic this. I just really don't buy it quite frankly

Id rather keep my 3Gs and wait till they redesign it or whatever the hell they have to do to fix it, that is if there is any truth to rumors we are hearing.

The truth remains to be seen, and time will tell us as more and more people get their grimy little paws on it.

Her's a thought, perhaps Google and Android are behind this rumor mill!

ahhh a conspiracy, now were talking!

So say we all brother!
 
Either way, I'll buy a few hundred shares of AAPL after it bottoms out in a couple weeks. :cool:

You are very correct sir. I would be very scared right now if I owned a bunch of Apple stock. This could prove to be extremely damaging if this turns out to be anything more than a firmware update. And if it's just a firmware update, it better come before 1 week.
 
This is making me want to throw up. After getting so excited for this launch, this has to happen? I feel bad for people in the rest of the world who had no network issues. It was due to AT&T's half-assed network that Apple decided to change the antenna. Now, it looks like everyone is going to get screwed. Well, I really can't feel too bad for Apple. There the ones who readily hopped into bed with AT&T just for a few extra million to pad their already 50 Billion in cash. I guess this is where greed will get you.
I know you're emotional, but a business goes with the most money or the best deal and then work with what they have. Deal with reality. You can call it greed, but taking substantially less from another company who either wasn't proven (T-Mobile, Sprint) or a company that wanted to get its junkware and logo all over your OS and hardware would be BAD business.

Now, when the AT&T contract runs out and we're still stuck with this horse S, then that will be bad business. And just remember, if you signed a contract then you still have a few weeks to see if Apple will fix this before jumping ship without too much consequence.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.