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iPhone 4 Signal Strength Indicator Issue Alleviated by Use of Bumper or Case

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Dont' want to speak too soon, but i just picked mine up from att and on the way to class made a few phone calls holding it just as i normally would. Haven't had a chance to do much in depth testing, but when i try to hold it in various ways i have no decline in signal strength, i also have no yellow spots on the my screen thati have noticed.

I have always had pretty good signal strength here where i live in auburn, al ( about 80 miles from ATL) not a huge town but densely populated with college students and we are on 3G here. Good luck all!
 
SonGoku v2.5 said:
Ya muck it up anyway via fingerprints and scratches...don't tell me your iPhone/iPad/iPod (ESPECIALLY THE BACK OF THE IPOD) stays perfect/pristine/gorgeous/adjective despite usage in your hands, in your pockets, and anywhere that can cause aesthetic damage. I always wonder why some people have iPhones and iPods that look like absolute trash in comparison to mine, and I can tell you that it certainly isn't because they have any kind of protection on them - they don't. Unless you wipe your device down after every time you use it as well as protect it at least while it's in your pocket, I can guarantee that it will look bad in a matter of months if not weeks.
Click to expand...

What? This is ridiculous.

Fingerprints are not serious business. As far as scratches, what are you doing to it? I don't keep it in the same pocket as my keys, for example, and generally treat it like the $600+ device that it is.

I've had the 3G since it was released. The front screen has two, one-centimeter surface scratches that you can only see if you hold it at an angle (such that the glare would make it unusable anyway). It still looks pristine if you're looking at it from normal usability angles. Edit: By "surface scratches" I mean the glass itself does not appear to be scratched, there's no texture to them it's simply cosmetic.

The back was pristine for over a year, when I got into the weird habit of dropping it as I was leaving my car (either because it slipped out of my pocket or put it on the seat for some reason). Even then the wear and tear on the back is not a lot for a two year old device that's been dropped a few times. The apple foil logo scratched up really quickly, but I don't care about that at all frankly.

I've had several people comment from other iPhone users (mostly case users) about how good the phone looks, and assume I have been using a case. Some of them stopped using their case even :)

I realize people are hyper finicky about fingerprints (my brother is one such person), and I'm not suggesting people *shouldn't* get cases if they want them. But to suggest that without a case your iphone is going to be this dirty, disgusting, scarred hunk of garbage is off-the-wall and wrong in theory and in practice.
 
Just now I was laying in bed using my phone. Unknowingly I was holding it while covering both the bottom left and right side corners. I was like that for about 3 minutes and then I noticed I had no bars. So I let go and within 3 seconds 3 text messages came in. 2 of which were from 2 minutes prior.

This is no bueno.
 
bergmef said:
Can't you just wrap duct tape around the edge? It comes in colors now.
Click to expand...
Invisible Scotch tape
scotchtaperoll.jpg
 
Please MacRumors people, Arn:

In order to distill the gossip and inform us better, can you set up a poll, like this?:

1. Do you own an iPhone 4?

2. Are you experiencing signal problems?

3. Have you resolved your signal problems?

4. Does/Did your phone have a yellowing screen?

5. Has the yellowing gone away?


More in depth questions if possible. Make it so only members can contribute.
 
I'm wondering how such a defect, which is said to not affect every user and can be isolated to the lower left corner, could be fixed by a software update?
Sorry but this indicates more its a hardware defect or even design flaw, if it can be reproduced on most of the devices with a certain bandwith and low coverage areas.
(e.g. note that 1800mhz gives much better coverage within buildings for example than 900)

Does nobody remember that the 3GS does have a similar problem in low coverage areas, which was never really fixed! I have exchanged a few devices. Yet its not that extreme like with the 4G shown in the videos on youtube.
The biggest flaw of all iphone revisions till now is their below average signal strength compared to other phones. Obviously this was not fixed with the 4G.
Speak with some telco engineers and compare them with competition. (the phones not the engineers :) )

Don't get me wrong, I like the iPhone but the signal strength is the worst I ever experienced on all mobile phones (sinces the times I was using old Motorola PT9s.... :) )
 
Regardless of this issue (and this may sound like justification) I have always planned to use a case on this phone. I have one on and I am getting better reception now than I ever did on my gen 1 and 2 phones. This phone is slick!!!
 
pullfocus said:
Since I may be naive....
Could someone explain to me how this could (per Apple and AT&T's claim) that this could be a software issue.
Is that even possible.

I'm just asking because this seems like it would be something solely hardware and design related.
Click to expand...

It's possible. The software could be interpreting a signal loss when you touch the antenna, even if the signal is actually fine. If it detects a total loss (again, even if there isn't really one), the software could be killing the call function, so your phone isn't spending processing power and batteries trying to maintain what it thinks was a lost call.
 
tekniq840 said:
Everyone that says that this problem is not affecting them is wrong. It is affecting every single iphone4. As the best test i have found, try loading any website while placing a finger over the line in the lower left corner of the phone. The page will not load, the second you let it go it starts to load, and the instant you touch it again it fails once again. What I have noticed is that Cellular may still work if touching that area (If there is good signal where you are) but data will not work at all no matter how good the signal. There is no software fix for this I dont think. Its either A) use a case/bumper or B) try to not touch that area (much harder when using left hand).

Would this be grounds for a class action lawsuit if Apple does not try to remedy this problem somehow? I do think at least they should give out free bumpers.
Click to expand...

I've tried every permutation of what you have suggested, along with descriptions that others have provided, and for the life of me I cannot reproduce this problem. My iPhone 4 is fine and has no reception issues which cradled in either hand. Even when I attempt to fully cover the metal nothing goes wrong.

Bumme for those with the problem, catastrophic if it is widespread, and maybe I am just lucky but clearly the problem is not universal.
 
spritelyjim said:
In order to distill the gossip and inform us better, can you set up a poll, like this?:

1. Do you own an iPhone 4?

2. Are you experiencing signal problems?

3. Have you resolved your signal problems?

4. Does/Did your phone have a yellowing screen?

5. Has the yellowing gone away?
Click to expand...

mine is still sealed, waiting for sim to swap over to micro sim.

will let you know.

:p
 
I'm really surprised about these quality control and possible design issues.

Just got the call to pick up my phone at local ATT store. I'm glad I paid with AMEX as they have great lemon protection when it comes to charge backs against vendors.

So my plan is to go ahead and pick up the phone and see if I've got the reception issues and the brown spot issues. If it does it is going back on Monday.

Why not use the warranty? I don't think Apple will be able to rectify these faults in a short period of time.

Simple as that.
 
I can confirm, this is happening

Got my phone this morning, and yes i can confirm this happens. I'm in Queens and get 4-5 bars, but the moment i put my pinky finger on the area in question, the signal drops to one or zero... hoping apple responds to this issue... and I'M LEFT HANDED
 
NAG said:
Electricians tape would probably work better in that it wouldn't leave gunk on your phone. This is assuming you're seriously considering taping your phone.
Click to expand...

Some deftly clear applied RTV should work wonders too and won't even be noticed if it is in fact a resistance/capacitance issue with hands interacting between the antennaes.
 
SooneratND said:
It's possible. The software could be interpreting a signal loss when you touch the antenna, even if the signal is actually fine. If it detects a total loss (again, even if there isn't really one), the software could be killing the call function, so your phone isn't spending processing power and batteries trying to maintain what it thinks was a lost call.
Click to expand...

this (as an example that a software bug COULD be a reason (not saying it's probable) ... the software not handling the 'some fool put his finger on the seam' situation properly, that is)

also: why does it make a difference if you connect the antennas directly at the seam with your palm, compared to when you "connect" them by simply HOLDING the phone (palm resting on the right side of the phone - the 3G antenna - fingers holding onto the left side of the phone - the GPS / WIFI antenna)
you also provide some sort of connection there, just via a longer route :/
 
Would installing a Wrapsol Ultra invisible cover take care of this problem? Correct me if I'm wrong but they do have pieces that cover the sides of the phone as well as the front and back.
 
where are you seeing these bars or the service becoming unavailable and then available in the video? (not an iphone owner) which icon shows that or what bar? and on an unrelated thought, why is the video reversed?
 
Vulpinemac said:
Again, I'm surprised that they missed this quite simple issue during their testing.
Click to expand...

I can't comment on iPhone production, but I do know that prototype Macs were built internally, and Apple QA tests using those units. There was only minimal testing on the actual production units built in Foxconn/Alphatop etc.

If the same is true for iPhone now, it's easy to see how a manufacturing defect could bypass Apple's quality control.
 
Anyone else notice that everything on the screen was backwards? Looks like front facing camera works nicely!
 
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