iPhone Air iPhone Air Poor Cellular Reception?

[iRun26.2]

Has anyone besides me noticed that their cellular coverage with the iPhone Air is worse than their previous iPhone? I live in a big city where reception is fine but I work in a very small town. I went there today and I don’t have any service. I like my new iPhone Air but if this what I’m going to see, it is a dealbreaker!

 

[ArchEtech]

AntennaeGATE!!!!

 

[super chimp]

AntennaeGATE!!!!

NNNOOOOOO!!!! Not again!

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Very interested in this as the C1X supposed to move to all iPhones next. Apple needs to get this right.

 

[JPack]

The antenna bands are thinner (less area) than any other iPhone. You can’t expect it to perform as well, regardless of the modem.

 

[iRun26.2]

Very interested in this as the C1X supposed to move to all iPhones next. Apple needs to get this right.

I’m now at home and I get only two bars! I didn’t notice this yesterday. I wonder if mine is defective???

 

[AustinIllini]

Mine seems fine. I dunno

 

[aperfectcircle]

Exact opposite experience for me. I have two SIMs on different networks here, and getting full signal strength in our apartment on the 31st floor where on my 14PM one was always showing one bar and the other would fluctuate between 2-3 bars. Haven’t tested more widely.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Granted, I have only had my phone connected to cellular for 24hrs but, I haven't experienced any low signal / disconnect problems etc. I am with US Mobile and my duel SIM Air has Verizon and AT&T.

 

[mofoliar]

I have been curious given my Verizon is weak area where I live. I may need to pickup an Air and give it a go along with 17 pro.

 

[NotApplicable]

Anecdotally, I live in an area with very little service (1, maybe 2 bars max), and the connection is as or more reliable on my Air as my 16PM

 

[MCKLMT]

I don’t have any problem on Bouygues Telecom or Orange in France 🇫🇷.
I see a little better signal compared to my 16 Pro.

 

[capkapak]

Writing from Malaysia. I don’t have any issues with signal strength compared to my wives 16P but what I noticed is that the Air is more often on 4G when the 16P on 5G

 

[MaxVerstappen]

I haven’t experienced any issues compared to my previous 15 Pro.

Same signal and same strength

 

[iOZZY]

Make sure old iPhone and the Air are connecting to exactly the same LTE/5G bands in exactly the same place before declaring the Air is worse.

If say the 16 was clinging onto a one bar of 1800Mhz signal and the Air did the same then not an issue. However, if the Air cannot receive the 1800Mhz but getting three bar 800Mhz signal id say its reception capability isn’t as good.

 

[iRun26.2]

One of the main problems is that I no longer have cellular coverage from the old iPhone (as my new iPhone Air now has that number). I just know that I had no coverage at all and I thought I had five bars with the old iPhone. It seems like it was not picking the same tower for some reason. If no one else is seeing it then it probably is not the iPhone Air’s fault. I don’t want to falsely claim there is something wrong… but it sure is different!

Another thing I am unhappy with is the sky blue color. I swear that there is not even the hint of blue on mine. I really think I got the white one instead. The online pictures show a bit of blue on the camera plateau. I can’t see anything there at all.

 

[iRun26.2]

Turns out I was wrong. It is ATT that has service in the town where I work. Anyone who has ATT on an Apple iPhone is having trouble. It’s not the Air version.

 

[exi]

I've noticed this.

Between an Air and a 16 Pro, same location, same carrier, same plan and prioritization, in comparing Field Test numbers, the 16 Pro has had approximately 4-5 dBm better RSRP (though quality and SNR have been a toss-up in limited comparisons, with a small edge towards the 16 Pro).

Speed test DL/UL numbers reflected the difference between the x71 and C1X modems, with the C1X more noticeably being impacted on upload.

I actually am going from the Air to the 17 Pro because of this as well as the C1X (versus Qualcomm X80) and traditional (versus plateau-surrounding) modem and antenna deployments, respectively.

Editing to add: in brief comparisons, a 17 Pro is still a couple dBm lesser-performing than the same 16 Pro mentioned. As these are all isolated, limited tests - what is everyone else seeing?