iPhone 4 Signal Issue Can Be Fixed With a Software Update?

[jbernie]

One news outlet says Steve Jobs knew of the issue before shipping but it was ignored.

This report says Steve Jobs didn't know of the issue until after shipping.

If Apple wasn't so determined to deny everything, criticize customers (holding it wrong), delete support threads, etc and just get on top of the PR issue from the very beginning (a basic, we are aware of issues and are investigating them) then they wouldn't be dealing with as much mainstream headline mess as they are.

It doesn't really matter if the problem is real or not, just take the lead and not lead the media run with it for days/weeks.

 

[lsukev]

I really want this whole signal issue to go away so I never have to read a variation on this lame joke ever again.

And I do too so I won't have to see the whole forum full of lost signal this, gone signal that. Bottom line is regardless what Apple does, the problem will be remedied somehow. Be happy that we don't have Zack Morris phones with 5ft antennas that look like satellite dishes

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Having been called an Apple shill on this thread, I thought I'd play the part and make the following observation.

Let's say it's revealed that Apple has a hardware issue requiring a recall. How does that affect Apple? Well they can have the recall, and still have huge amounts of capital. They would not go into debt. Furthermore, if they take care of the problem and do it right, then their image of good customer service goes improves. And after the recall they will still have a great product in the iphone. Meanwhile microsoft closed shop on its phone products.

As a stock holder, I'll watch for a dip in the stock if there is "bad news" and then buy while its cheap because it will just go back up after the recall if there is one.

 

[JoEw]

if this is fixable by software update then apple should prove it on stage LIVE.

Get an iphone with 4.0, then install the iphone 4's fixed software on stage live then cover the palm and make phone calls see if they drop, then have people from the crowd come up and try it thereselves.

although risky it would restore faith that apple isnt ********ing there costumers about it being software related, because at this point i don't think software can fix this issue, but if it can i want proof.

To me it's get a different phone or just avoid putting your palm there? It's really not as big a deal as its been made to be by the press.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

The irony is so thick. Apple has offered us nothing but denials, excuses, and new excuses, and yet you're acting like they've already fixed the problem.

Why don't you wait til they've actually fixed this problem before you take your fanboy "victory" lap? Oh I forgot, because you're ready to believe anything you hear as long as it's suggesting this problem can be fixed.

So how is your iphone?

 

[brentsg]

Again, your suggesting that somehow this software explanation is credible, but you seem oblivious to the fact that it's purely a leaked response to Bloomberg's report this morning, and Apple has already used the "it's just a software problem" excuse once.

Why are you always trying to pass your blatant speculations off as facts, while you call anyone with a differing opinion a shill?

You KNOW for a FACT that is purely a leaked Apple story? No, you don't. That's what you THINK after connecting a bunch of dots that you seem to be emotionally invested in.

 

[ARF900]

If this were true how come there was no widely reported deathgrip with previous iPhones.

 

[marksman]

I want this to be true for no other reason than to just mildly chuckle at all the people who kept demanding it was a hardware issue and it could not be fixed by software and they could prove it by showing me a youtube video of them molesting their iPhone 4 with their finger.

This also would be the best possible outcome. These kinds of things are massively complex and the combination between hardware and software is so involved that the hardest part when or if there is a problem is actually identifying what it is.

That could be the case here, it could be meaningless. Suffice it to say, like I said, identifying what is causing a specific issue is usually the hard part. So if that is the case, it bodes well for a future software fix.

So here is a possible scenario:

Apple announces they have determined the issue SOME people are having with their phones and are currently working on a fix. They will get the fix tested and out as soon as they can.

In the meantime they are going to provide everyone who bought an iPhone 4 so far with a special limited edition iTunes Card featuring a crying baby in silhouette on it with a value of $25.00.

 

[macchiato2009]

fixing the signal with a software update ? what a joke

oh come on Apple

making a trick with the display, are we that stupid ????

 

[kiljoy616]

If this is indeed true (and I will only believe it until I see it) this is good. However I still predict people will still call Apple a bunch of liars no matter what Apple says here. I can see it already.

True but those people probably would not buy an iphone anyway. I took a look at the iphone 4 played with it at the store, and can say I do not care about the problem I use bluetooth for talking with people so not a big deal for me.

But the phone is really a masterpiece of engineering. You just have to see one up close and play with it to know its worth the headaches. If the problem is software as they say and not hardware which I am still skeptical, then it truly it will be perfect for me or at least till the next rev. comes out, haha.

 

[lsukev]

One news outlet says Steve Jobs knew of the issue before shipping but it was ignored.

This report says Steve Jobs didn't know of the issue until after shipping.

If Apple wasn't so determined to deny everything, criticize customers (holding it wrong), delete support threads, etc and just get on top of the PR issue from the very beginning (a basic, we are aware of issues and are investigating them) then they wouldn't be dealing with as much mainstream headline mess as they are.

It doesn't really matter if the problem is real or not, just take the lead and not lead the media run with it for days/weeks.

Not taking up for Apple because I am pretty angry myself but if you ran a company that had high integrity and known for selling solid products that in general JUST work all the time. And just sold 5 million or whatever amount of phones and you have everybody and their momma bitching about signal problems. Wouldn't you make you sure your company immediately started testing these phones and ripping them apart and searching through code for the problem. Yes anyone would. Then you have to sit down and think of the best possible and suitable way of breaking the bad news. Then the best solution to solve it. I'll stop because as you can say this paragraph is getting long which is why I think they have taken the right approach

 

[ten-oak-druid]

fixing the signal with a software update ? what a joke

oh come on Apple

making a trick with the display, are we that stupid ????

Do you lose calls on your iphone?

 

[D3lta]

If this were true how come there was no widely reported deathgrip with previous iPhones.

Because the antenna was inside the phone?

 

[ender21]

****, I've been saying it from the start as well. No one listens. Come forth with some common sense and they think you're crazy and a fanboy.

... and be open to more possibilities than just one and be labeled a whiner and a hater that just likes to pile on.

So... touche. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Unless it's digital.

 

[firewater]

The software update seems to just made da reception better, no death grip here. Sorry for the ppl who still have that problem. That's sucks but my friends iPhone seems to still drop bars but for some reason stays @ one bar? What's the deal wit that, guess they seem to fix the issue or what?

 

[zombitronic]

Consumer Reports

Apple’s headaches mounted on Monday after Consumer Reports called into question the veracity of Apple’s response. The magazine said its testing had led it to conclude that the iPhone 4 suffered from a hardware design flaw. Consumer Reports said it could not recommend the device to its readers until Apple fixed the problem. In a seeming contradiction, Consumer Reports also said that despite the flaw, the iPhone 4 was the best smartphone it had tested.

I think Consumer Reports does a great job at valuing products, but does their testing process loose credibility if the signal loss can be remedied by a software fix? Granted, the signal loss is triggered by a hardware phenomenon. However, knowing that the hardware and software interact to conduct calls, shouldn't thorough testing or at least logical deduction bring up the possibility of a software flaw/bug?

 

[marksman]

Software update isn't the perfect solution at all. It has to be a hardware fix with no doubt.

I just get the feeling you are in no way qualified to make such a statement.

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4 (32GB): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7)

If this issue can be fixed with a software update, why bother releasing 4.0.1 only to turn around and release 4.0.2 the next day?

Because the 4.0.1 issue came about whenever they announced it. This new information and finding a problem came out since the first announced that. They have write the fixes and then test them and then distribute them. The 4.0.1 release was already in the pipeline when they likely figured this out or had it at a point they had it pinned down.

 

[DotCom2]

I predict good news tomorrow. It's very un-apple-like to come out and parade themselves around when they don't have good news.

Bad news comes in the form of press releases. Good news comes in the form of executives strutting around on stage.

Of course, it's not a hard rule. I could be wrong. But based on history I'm voting for 'good news' for tomorrow.

I think you may have hit on something there.

 

[mrrory]

I really like my iPhone 4 and I haven't experienced any more dropped calls with it than I did with my 2G that I replaced on iP4 launch day. However, I can certainly replicate the dropped bars issue before and after the software update. Tomorrow is going to be interesting, but as for speculating what they're going to announce, I'm going to be calm and just wait.

 

[CalebF]

They already have a solution. It's called a placebo.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Jobs should open with "can you here me now?"

 

[gibbz]

But the 4.1 beta does not solve these issue. So what other software update?

The 4.1 out is a first beta and almost certainly wouldn't include this fix, if indeed it is coming. I would imagine such a fix would be down the road sometime.

Jobs should open with "can you here me now?"

Or even better, "Can you hear me now?" (I kid, I kid)

 

[fisherttm]

I just get the feeling you are in no way qualified to make such a statement.

After reading all this today I am pretty much in agreement with 99% of the people on here. Why don't people just trust the company? What product line is out there that makes it so people are so distrustful of what they are doing?

But on top of everything else how are people experts on everything here? I've never seen so many engineers in one place...can't we just wait twelve hours and so a little faith in a company it seems we all like their products.

 

[marksman]

We can keep releasing placebo fixes for as long as it takes till you believe one.

But seriously, you guys are getting tough. Normally one would be all it takes. Remember the fans?

This makes no sense. Apple hasn't released any Placebo fixes for anything. They never said there was a problem in the first place so how could they release a fix for it?

I can predict with a 100% accuracy that no matter what Apple says tomorrow, several hundred people here will clearly not understand what has been said.

Don't worry, I know.

However, what I've seen reported for the most part has been a bunch of news about bars. How many people are actually losing service?

I don't take any corporate explanation at face value. But then again, I don't take the reported rumors that way either, in case you didn't know.

I could turn around and say anyone accepting the reported rumors at face value is a shill for an Apple competitor...

I always wonder about this too. The entire hysteria and quasi-testing has involved watching the bars. Very little to none of the testing involved making and dropping calls, including the Consumer Report testing.

People should have spent more time using their phone and less time molesting it while running speedtest.

But the 4.1 beta does not solve these issue. So what other software update?

The one they may or may not announce tomorrow?

 

[ten-oak-druid]

The 4.1 out is a first beta and almost certainly wouldn't include this fix, if indeed it is coming. I would imagine such a fix would be down the road sometime.



Or even better, "Can you hear me now?" (I kid, I kid)

LOL

Thanks for catching that. I'm usually a stickler over that sort of thing (ex. their/there/they're). Getting late...