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iPhone XS and XS Max Owners Complain of Wi-Fi and LTE Connectivity Issues
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Just cause your phone works great one minute it doesn't mean that it doesn't 5 mins from now even with full bars . With support today and in area that I normally get full signal I dropped 3 calls with them in less than 20 minutes. But at least they now have that data also and can look more into it
Bars mean nothing if you can't make calls and have no data flowing !
Apple would never acknowledge an issue this quickly. Best case scenario, in two to three years, they will say a "very limited number of users may experience" and issue some kind of service program. However, if this really is being caused by the new antenna design, there's likely no fix coming, hopefully it really is just a software issue for those experiencing it. My XS Max comes this Friday and I will be doing testing along side my current 6 Plus.
Just cause your phone works great one minute it doesn't mean that it doesn't 5 mins from now even with full bars . With support today and in area that I normally get full signal I dropped 3 calls with them in less than 20 minutes. But at least they now have that data also and can look more into it
I had my phone from Friday morning and I was in the USA using roaming and everything. Today is Tuesday and I don't see any issues
My Iphone 7 on IOS12 is rock solid without this issue. Do you have an intel or qualcom phone and who is your provider ?
This is a really helpful summary.
Please report back after your Genuis Bar appointment and let us know what they said and whether they helped move you toward a resolution of these problems.
Please report back after your Genuis Bar appointment and let us know what they said and whether they helped move you toward a resolution of these problems.
I respect your point, but there is a bit of principle at hand here for me. There's a backstory to my disgust with Apple right now. I can in all honesty tell you that I have first hand experienced the issue on a major scale. I laid in bed watching the phone jump back and forth between LTE and WiFi while holding my wife's 8 that was rock solid. Not only that, but while it was jumping back and forth trying to grab ahold of signal the battery drained rapidly. And I mean RAPIDLY! It was crazy to watch.
These sorts of things should NEVER happen. No matter how small a scale. The problem with these reports rolling in right now is that we do not know just how widespread it is. Not all people are very observant or "techie" and may not notice for quite some time. I have OCD, perfectionism and I am a total nerd so I noticed immediately.
Either way, IMHO Apple should have responded to this already by today. Not to issue a fix, but at least acknowledge. I know, I know this is Apple we are talking about. This is how they act. Therein lies the rub...
Crossposting here because i think this could be useful info (TLDR version: XSMax is showing a stronger signal than iPhone7 Plus Qualcomm in my own test):
In an attempt to gather some more info for everyone (mine is a phone that seems to be working fine), I just opened field test on my XS Max and my wife's Qualcomm iPhone7 Plus to see if there's any difference in received signal strength. Here are the results. It appears that the iPhone7 Plus is actually showing a weaker signal than the XS Max on the closest tower (top image is 7Plus and bottom is XS Max)..
In an attempt to gather some more info for everyone (mine is a phone that seems to be working fine), I just opened field test on my XS Max and my wife's Qualcomm iPhone7 Plus to see if there's any difference in received signal strength. Here are the results. It appears that the iPhone7 Plus is actually showing a weaker signal than the XS Max on the closest tower (top image is 7Plus and bottom is XS Max)..
Can't tell if this serious or trolling. "They have my longs since Friday" why haven't they issued a public statement which will be picked up by worldwide media and blown into the next Attena-Gate and compared to the Note Battery Recall by nearly every media source in the world.
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Just adding my two cents here. There were some posts suggesting that there was an NYC issue with cell connection. So I'm giving a data point on my experiences.
I don't think ROLLTIDE1 is trolling at all. It is clear they are upset, and rightfully so...
When you spend this kind of money on a phone (of all things) that is NOT a rev 1 device you expect a smooth experience.
This probably doesn't apply but FWIW:
I had an iPhone 7 on ATT which has the Intel modem. Had a lot of the same issues where cellular would slow to a crawl or stop working all together. Troubleshooted with Apple online and in the store, the only thing that fixed it was a new device. Hoping that this isn't a hardware issue!
I had an iPhone 7 on ATT which has the Intel modem. Had a lot of the same issues where cellular would slow to a crawl or stop working all together. Troubleshooted with Apple online and in the store, the only thing that fixed it was a new device. Hoping that this isn't a hardware issue!
As mentioned earlier, this has been an issue going back to the X, in fact Apple replaced mine a couple months ago due to the issue. Still having issues after iOS 12 - example: I am on ATT and have Uverse 75/20 Wifi in my house. I put my X down next to mi iPad Pro and ran SpeetTest. The iPad delivered a 71 Download score, the iPhone X delivered an error message to check to see if I have Internet.
Would this then not be an indicator of a hardware/antenna issue that hasn't been fixed even with the release of the Xs?
I feel like this is clearly a hardware issue and have said so since day but have a little hope that there are actually properly working devices that do exist.
Sure it’s been said but what kind of vacuum are they with testing. No way their test units don’t act this way. Same situation with the problems people are have with new machines and the T2 chip. No way these go out the door without knowing.
What’s next with the iPads? Chances are the have Intel only modems too. To be determined if part of the problem with iPhones.
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Sounds like a crazy thing to watch your phone do. Hope it gets fixed before your 14-day trial period ends. I'm confident, one way or another though, that if you don't return your phone that Apple will either fix this with software or replace your phone with one that works.
I'm not sure that it is fair to say that anything should never happen as far as new tech and connection. The issue may be the model of cell tower's equipment and the software it runs on near you. It might be a hardware failure in your phone. I assume Apple is dealing with 10s of thousdands of individual software support tickets from this weekend. Whatever the response is, I'm sure Apple isn't going to rush it. And I don't think any large company would.
I think that’s what people struggle with the most here. There is a rumor with somewhat shaky details and people are ready to blow up the entire production line, call it a hardware issue, design flaw, say Apple is in shambles, they don’t QC products, and their Android phone never has issues.
With Apple’s scale, any MAJOR issue affecting a large portion of devices would be clear cut and immediate outcry that would be headline news everywhere.
The fact there are some issues just speaks to the fact Apple sells 10s of millions of phones per month.
The issue is almost always fixable via software and only impacts a small subset of customers.
Someone at Apple saying, "Release them anyway". That is a scary thought. But probably true.
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I don't use Android. You're taking this too far for drama. Just because this isn't making headline news today doesn't mean that it won't. This is a brand new device that hasn't been out that long. It takes some people time to even notice what is going on.
YEA actual data!Crossposting here because i think this could be useful info (TLDR version: XSMax is showing a stronger signal than iPhone7 Plus Qualcomm in my own test):
In an attempt to gather some more info for everyone (mine is a phone that seems to be working fine), I just opened field test on my XS Max and my wife's Qualcomm iPhone7 Plus to see if there's any difference in received signal strength. Here are the results. It appears that the iPhone7 Plus is actually showing a weaker signal than the XS Max on the closest tower (top image is 7Plus and bottom is XS Max)..
The last real design issue was probably the Jobs era iPhone 4 you’re holding it wrong. I have a lot of confidence in Apples ability to make good products on a massive scale. You also had the bending iPhone 6, but only if you bent the phone or sat on it.
When is the last time an actual component was recalled on a massive scale? If it’s something serious, Apple would have no choice.
Apple has my actual data . Did you submit any ? A software update is not going to fix this giant mess !
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Apple's iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max launched last Friday, and shortly after, some customers who purchased one of the new devices started noticing an issue with LTE and Wi-Fi speeds and connectivity.
According to multiple threads on the MacRumors forums, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max users are experiencing connectivity problems with Wi-Fi and LTE on the two new iPhones when compared to other, older Apple devices.
Multiple users have said that there are noticeable differences in cellular reception between the iPhone XS models and the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, with a 15-page thread suggesting this is a widespread problem that quite a few people are noticing. As described by MacRumors reader onepoint:Users are noticing fewer bars and poorer signal on iPhone XS and XS Max compared to devices like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, especially in areas where signal is weak. Many of the complaints come from Verizon users, suggesting the issue could potentially be carrier specific. Multiple AT&T users, for example, have said the signal is the same or better, while Verizon users are seeing signal issues.
Some iPhone XS owners have theorized that the issue is related to Qualcomm vs. Intel modems. The new iPhone XS and XS Max are using Intel modems, while older devices used a mix of Qualcomm and Intel modems. AT&T iPhone 8 and iPhone X models used Intel modems previously, while Verizon iPhones had Qualcomm modems. As explained by MacRumors reader radiologyman:Some AT&T and T-Mobile users are, however, complaining of connectivity problems too, while others have noticed better signal, leading to a confusing mix of user reports.
It's not clear if modem differences are causing the perceived connectivity issues that iPhone XS and XS Max owners are noticing or if there is a genuine bug with the new devices, but in the days following a new iPhone release, there are often carrier updates that can solve connectivity problems.
Given the confusing mix of information coming from users on the forums, the LTE connectivity problems may be related to software and could be fixed through the aforementioned carrier update or a software update from Apple, but we'll have to wait for more information to figure out exactly what's going on.
In addition to the LTE problems, there appears to be a separate issue with Wi-Fi. On the MacRumors forums, users began noticing slower Wi-Fi speeds on iPhone XS models compared to other Apple devices, which readers quickly deduced was a 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz Wi-Fi issue.
It appears that the iPhone XS and XS Max are preferring 2.4GHz networks over 5GHz networks when connecting to routers that use the same SSID for both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. From MacRumors reader playtillyadrop:The majority of people experiencing slower speeds found that their iPhone XS models were indeed connected to the 2.4GHz network rather than the 5GHz network. In our own testing, we found that when comparing an iPhone XS Max and an iPhone X, the iPhone XS Max connected to the 2.4GHz network while the iPhone X connected to the 5GHz network.
With routers that do not have separate SSIDs for the two bands, it can be difficult to tell which you're connected to, leading to perceived slower connection speeds.
This is clearly a bug that needs to be addressed by Apple through an update to make the iPhone XS models prefer the faster 5GHz network to the 2.4GHz network, but in the meantime, providing separate SSIDs for the 2.4 and 5GHz bands can allow you to make sure your iPhone is connected to the 5GHz band at all times.
Some users have also had luck with resetting their network settings and/or forgetting their Wi-Fi network and reconnecting, but the iPhone XS models appear to default back to 2.4GHz often if not made to connect to the 5GHz network.
This connection issue appears to be at the root of most of the slow Wi-Fi complaints, but there have been a few other complaints of poor connection speeds when connected to a 5GHz network, so it's possible there's also something else going on.
We've contacted Apple to ask about both the Wi-Fi and LTE issues that customers are experiencing with the iPhone XS models and will let MacRumors readers know if we hear back.
Article Link: iPhone XS and XS Max Owners Complain of Wi-Fi and LTE Connectivity Issues
Apple's iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max launched last Friday, and shortly after, some customers who purchased one of the new devices started noticing an issue with LTE and Wi-Fi speeds and connectivity.
According to multiple threads on the MacRumors forums, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max users are experiencing connectivity problems with Wi-Fi and LTE on the two new iPhones when compared to other, older Apple devices.
Multiple users have said that there are noticeable differences in cellular reception between the iPhone XS models and the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, with a 15-page thread suggesting this is a widespread problem that quite a few people are noticing. As described by MacRumors reader onepoint:Users are noticing fewer bars and poorer signal on iPhone XS and XS Max compared to devices like the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, especially in areas where signal is weak. Many of the complaints come from Verizon users, suggesting the issue could potentially be carrier specific. Multiple AT&T users, for example, have said the signal is the same or better, while Verizon users are seeing signal issues.
Some iPhone XS owners have theorized that the issue is related to Qualcomm vs. Intel modems. The new iPhone XS and XS Max are using Intel modems, while older devices used a mix of Qualcomm and Intel modems. AT&T iPhone 8 and iPhone X models used Intel modems previously, while Verizon iPhones had Qualcomm modems. As explained by MacRumors reader radiologyman:Some AT&T and T-Mobile users are, however, complaining of connectivity problems too, while others have noticed better signal, leading to a confusing mix of user reports.
It's not clear if modem differences are causing the perceived connectivity issues that iPhone XS and XS Max owners are noticing or if there is a genuine bug with the new devices, but in the days following a new iPhone release, there are often carrier updates that can solve connectivity problems.
Given the confusing mix of information coming from users on the forums, the LTE connectivity problems may be related to software and could be fixed through the aforementioned carrier update or a software update from Apple, but we'll have to wait for more information to figure out exactly what's going on.
In addition to the LTE problems, there appears to be a separate issue with Wi-Fi. On the MacRumors forums, users began noticing slower Wi-Fi speeds on iPhone XS models compared to other Apple devices, which readers quickly deduced was a 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz Wi-Fi issue.
It appears that the iPhone XS and XS Max are preferring 2.4GHz networks over 5GHz networks when connecting to routers that use the same SSID for both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. From MacRumors reader playtillyadrop:The majority of people experiencing slower speeds found that their iPhone XS models were indeed connected to the 2.4GHz network rather than the 5GHz network. In our own testing, we found that when comparing an iPhone XS Max and an iPhone X, the iPhone XS Max connected to the 2.4GHz network while the iPhone X connected to the 5GHz network.
With routers that do not have separate SSIDs for the two bands, it can be difficult to tell which you're connected to, leading to perceived slower connection speeds.
This is clearly a bug that needs to be addressed by Apple through an update to make the iPhone XS models prefer the faster 5GHz network to the 2.4GHz network, but in the meantime, providing separate SSIDs for the 2.4 and 5GHz bands can allow you to make sure your iPhone is connected to the 5GHz band at all times.
Some users have also had luck with resetting their network settings and/or forgetting their Wi-Fi network and reconnecting, but the iPhone XS models appear to default back to 2.4GHz often if not made to connect to the 5GHz network.
This connection issue appears to be at the root of most of the slow Wi-Fi complaints, but there have been a few other complaints of poor connection speeds when connected to a 5GHz network, so it's possible there's also something else going on.
We've contacted Apple to ask about both the Wi-Fi and LTE issues that customers are experiencing with the iPhone XS models and will let MacRumors readers know if we hear back.
Article Link: iPhone XS and XS Max Owners Complain of Wi-Fi and LTE Connectivity Issues
