iPhone XS and XS Max Owners Complain of Wi-Fi and LTE Connectivity Issues

[02275629]

Everyone posting saying "i have no issue here" and justifying it with some Speedtest on LTE or Wifi, demonstrating they get 60Mbps or 100Mbps or whatever the figure is, clearly doesn't understand the issue. This has nothing to do with throughput and everything to do with range and antenna gain. Yes, if you are close to the source (LTE cell tower in this case), our XS/XS Max phones will blow the X or any other iPhone out of the water due to the gigabit LTE chip in the new XS. But if you aren't close to the source of the signal, our phones are clearly underperforming. Big time.

If you want to understand why this is happening, look no further than this technical explanation (it's been posted many times in this thread, but as most people do, they just read the last 3 posts and then post whatever they want): https://www.wiwavelength.com/2018/09/antennagate-2018-youre-getting-my.html

It has everything to do with antenna gain and range, not throughput.

People need to stop posting "I have no issue, look, I get 100Mbps on LTE on the XS. On the X, I only got 25Mbps" like messages. When you post those messages, it shows you don't understand the issue and are just muddying the waters for the rest of the folks.

I suspect the only software solution to this problem is to increase the gain ('power') in the antenna to match the X and others.. the problem is, the big downside to that is, our phones will seriously suffer when it comes to battery life.

 

[vinegarshots]

Everyone posting saying "i have no issue here" and justifying it with some Speedtest on LTE or Wifi, demonstrating they get 60Mbps or 100Mbps or whatever the figure is, clearly doesn't understand the issue. This has nothing to do with throughput and everything to do with range and antenna gain. Yes, if you are close to the source (LTE cell tower in this case), our XS/XS Max phones will blow the X or any other iPhone out of the water due to the gigabit LTE chip in the new XS. But if you aren't close to the source of the signal, our phones are clearly underperforming. Big time.

If you want to understand why this is happening, look no further than this technical explanation (it's been posted many times in this thread, but as most people do, they just read the last 3 posts and then post whatever they want): https://www.wiwavelength.com/2018/09/antennagate-2018-youre-getting-my.html

It has everything to do with antenna gain and range, not throughput.

People need to stop posting "I have no issue, look, I get 100Mbps on LTE on the XS. On the X, I only got 25Mbps" like messages. When you post those messages, it shows you don't understand the issue and are just muddying the waters for the rest of the folks.

I suspect the only software solution to this problem is to increase the gain ('power') in the antenna to match the X and others.. the problem is, the big downside to that is, our phones will seriously suffer when it comes to battery life.

To complicate matters even more, at a mall where I previously had no service, I now get 1 to 2 bars of signal... so the above isn’t applicable in all scenarios either

 

[02275629]

To complicate matters even more, at a mall where I previously had no service, I now get 1 to 2 bars of signal... so the above isn’t applicable in all scenarios either

Honestly, not trying to say you don't have this issue, but I've read through most of this thread and you're one of the very few who seems to have this.. The majority of folks, by far, have the opposite -- where they once had service, they now have poor and/or no service at all.

 

[vinegarshots]

Honestly, not trying to say you don't have this issue, but I've read through most of this thread and you're one of the very few who seems to have this.. The majority of folks, by far, have the opposite -- where they once had service, they now have poor and/or no service at all.

For all I know I do have the same issue, but the stars might just be lining up for me in fluke-style circumstances

 

[autumnpatchouli]

Just my continued two cents, but I still am losing wifi on the Xs in our basement. None of my other Apple products ever had this happen before. My 8 Plus was fine, 3 bars, my iPad Air 2 is fine, and my 2018 iPad has no problems. Both the iPads and my 8 Plus are/were on iOS 12 public beta, so I don't think iOS 12 is the culprit.

 

[joshlondon]

My wife and I both have the iPhone XS and we had most of the issues mentioned on this thread, yesterday I took both phones to an Apple Store in Regent Street here in London did explain them all about the issues we were having and they said that it was definitely not a hardware problem (obviously) they also suggested a fresh install of IOS 12 etc which I have done before and did not fix anything, I asked for a phone replacement and they refused at first so after some talk with the manager he ended up replacing both phones and you know what happened? The new phones are working very well without any problems about connectivity both WiFi and cellular and all the rest working perfectly. My advise to you all is to just go to an Apple Store for a phone replacement and keep fingers crossed to get a good one!

[UPDATE]
Hi guys just to give you an update on my case, basically after getting both phones replaced the new phones were working fine for the first few days so I thought my problems were finally solved however now they are showing the same issues again so I guess these issues are more widespread than people might think I’m now thinking about going back to the Apple Store to get a new replacement but it’s just a joke going there for the second time but I think that’s what I will have to do.

 

[lex22]

This PC Magazine report says that the LTE performance is good but also says they think software can improve our performance. My LTE reception is not very good so I hope that software fixes improve the situation.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/364116/iphone-xs-crushes-x-in-lte-speeds-but-still-falls-short-of

 

[david34]

Here is a side-by-side test with an iPhone 8 and iPhone Xs showing the Xs performs notably worse: https://imgur.com/a/epHw5Gq

Both were purchased from T-Mobile meaning they should both have an Intel modem. I have replaced the SIM card in the Xs and performed several network resets.

Performance on the Xs when near a tower is excellent: https://imgur.com/a/4yVCBGk

 

[FFR]

For all I know I do have the same issue, but the stars might just be lining up for me in fluke-style circumstances

Your not alone, I’m getting service around London in places I didn’t before.



And my download speeds have improved quite a bit.

 

[Diatribe]

Your not alone, I’m getting service around London in places I didn’t before.



And my download speeds have improved quite a bit.

View attachment 791284

Without checking whether you are connected to the same cell tower and doing an A/B comparison with two phones, this does not mean much. Could be so many factors, like a new or upgraded cell tower, less traffic, etc.

 

[FFR]

Without checking whether you are connected to the same cell tower and doing an A/B comparison with two phones, this does not mean much. Could be so many factors, like a new or upgraded cell tower, less traffic, etc.

Mean much?

That’s what I get in my home in central London.
I used to get 130-150 with my iPhone X, so 215 is defiantly an improvement that I notice on the Xs max with the intel modem.

Less traffic? Have you ever been to central London?
Less traffic indeed.


You sound like the poster that claimed i owned my own cell tower at home. He looks very foolish.

 

[Diatribe]

Mean much?

That’s what I get in my home in central London.
I used to get 130-150 with my iPhone X, so 215 is defiantly an improvement that I notice on the Xs max with the intel modem.

Less traffic? Have you ever been to central London?
Less traffic indeed.


You sound like the poster that claimed i owned my own cell tower at home. He looks very foolish.

Why is it mean to put your comment in perspective? I am just pointing out that without having done a proper A/B testing with the same cell tower, etc. it is annecdotal evidence.

 

[FFR]

Why is it mean to put your comment in perspective? I am just pointing out that without having done a proper A/B testing with the same cell tower, etc. it is annecdotal evidence.

*Mean as a verb not adjective, you stated it does not mean much.

Perspective?

How would a/b testing change the the speeds I’m currently getting at home?

 

[Diatribe]

*Mean as a verb not adjective, you stated it does not mean much.

Perspective?

How would a/b testing change the the speeds I’m currently getting at home?

Got you. I am just saying it could be that they improved something tower-wise but if you say you saw an immediate improvement after moving to the Xs then the probability of that is small. All I am saying is that posting one speedtest result without context or comparison may lead to the wrong conclusions.

 

[georgetalkative]

Calm down people. New products, happens all the time. Apple will take care of it, hold your horses

 

[FFR]

Got you. I am just saying it could be that they improved something tower-wise but if you say you saw an immediate improvement after moving to the Xs then the probability of that is small. All I am saying is that posting one speedtest result without context or comparison may lead to the wrong conclusions.

I also have an X, an 8 plus, a 7 plus, 6s plus, 6 plus, 8, 6s, 6, 5s, 5, 4s, 4, 3GS, 3g, and the og iPhone. And a couple of Samsung’s somewhere.

I have SIM cards in the Xs plus, x, 7 plus, 6s plus, and 6.

Tried it with the x as well, got about 150.

There really is no context except that’s what I get at home and the phone is more than capable of achieving such speeds as long as the network allows.

 

[eno12]

The modem in my iPhone Xs sucks bad. With the iPhone X (Qualcomm) on Verizon I usually saw 20-30 Mbps at my house. The Xs struggles to get 2 Mbps. Tested multiple times and never gets better. WTF!

 

[hukashi]

So I have a quick update.

I want to start by saying, I am not a professional when it comes to wireless connections and stuff.

I managed to get some time and I started to mess with my router settings for my 5Ghz network.

I made some changes to the channel bandwidth and the control channel settings on my router.

I have the Asus RT-AC68U with the Merlin custom firmware which allows me to mess with these settings.

I sat in my bathroom which is the furthest point from my AP and where I got the worst speeds as well as my 5Ghz dropping out on me. This bathroom is not only the furthest but on a different floor than the AP. The signal has to go through a few walls and a floor. With iPhone XS in one hand and my laptop in the other, I literally spent about 20 minutes going through many combinations to find the best that suited my iPhone XS as well as by laptop. The last thing I have to test is with my wife's iPhone 7 to make sure I didn't screw up her connection.

I went through many combinations of channels and bandwidths and settled on Channel Bandwidth: 80MHz and a Control Channel: 153. I am now getting pretty close to the same speed I would get standing right in front of my AP. I am very happy with this result for now.

Now these are the settings that works for me. Obviously anyone willing to try this would have to do their own tests as the congestion on the channels will be different depending on your neighborhood and stuff. Nevertheless, this seems to have solved my problem at home as far as wifi. I will post if anything changes.

Again, I am not a professional but here are some thoughts I had.

Perhaps the iPhone XS and Max have a new antenna design which does not tolerate interference very well. Perhaps the 4x4 MIMO design they used is very sensitive to interference? I would say that this would still need a fix by apple as it seems if the normal everyday person who has no idea on how to install a custom firmware on their router or even doesn't have a router that is capable of this, they will be having connection issues. Perhaps a software update will help the hardware sort out interference?!?!? Again, not a professional. Just hoping for the best.

I hope this helps some of you out there until Apple sorts things out. I was going to return my XS tomorrow but with this sorted out at home, I think I will just hold on to it and if anything comes up in the future, I have Apple Care so I feel like I'm covered.

 

[meateater69]

I received my iphone xs 64 gb space gray on 9/28 from Spectrum (Verizon MVNO). After setting up I noticed a decreased lte signal and speeds compared to iphone 7 at home and other locations. I also noticed the wifi speed and signal strength were less than iphone 7 on 5 ghz. The xs could not go as far from router without losing signal. After about 6 hrs of having the xs the screen stopped responding to touch. I performed a reset volume up volume down hold side button and this did not fix issue. I connected to itunes and placed xs in dfu mode and restored from a backup which did not fix issue and then chose to set up as new iphone which also did not work as screen would not respond to touch. I contacted Spectrum on the morning of 9/29 to get a replacement. I requested they overnight a new device. Spectrum refused stating their only method of shipping is fedex 2 day. I requested issue be escalated and they said they could not escalate. Spectrum places restrictions unlike Verizon or Apple on shipments. A direct signature must be obtained only at address on account by adult. You cannot go into fedex manager and have shipment hold at location. Option is not available due to Spectrum restrictions, also can not sign delivery notice and leave at door. I asked them to change these restrictions since it requires a day off work. Spectrum said this is their process and cannot change it. I asked to have this escalated and they said they could not escalate. I said i was extremely dissatisfied with their policies. They asked if I wanted to cancel service. It seems they truly do not care about customer service. Wondered why Spectrum had every model of iphone xs and xs max in stock. Stay away from Spectrum as their customer service is non-existent.

 

[Nhwhazup]

So from reading the threads on MacRumors, problems affecting some new Max owners are the following:

1. Connectivity problems with WiFi or cellular
2. Not charging when in lock mode and inconsistent charging (update iOS 12.1 to fix this issue)
3. Video play stuttering

Did I miss any other issues that folks are chiming in on?

 

[00sjsl]

Without checking whether you are connected to the same cell tower and doing an A/B comparison with two phones, this does not mean much. Could be so many factors, like a new or upgraded cell tower, less traffic, etc.

With my iPhone xs max and iPad pro side by side in Waterloo station London the iPad consistently has a signal and the iPhone consistently doesn't.

 

[roncron]

I received my iphone xs 64 gb space gray on 9/28 from Spectrum (Verizon MVNO). After setting up I noticed a decreased lte signal and speeds compared to iphone 7 at home and other locations. I also noticed the wifi speed and signal strength were less than iphone 7 on 5 ghz. The xs could not go as far from router without losing signal. After about 6 hrs of having the xs the screen stopped responding to touch. I performed a reset volume up volume down hold side button and this did not fix issue. I connected to itunes and placed xs in dfu mode and restored from a backup which did not fix issue and then chose to set up as new iphone which also did not work as screen would not respond to touch. I contacted Spectrum on the morning of 9/29 to get a replacement. I requested they overnight a new device. Spectrum refused stating their only method of shipping is fedex 2 day. I requested issue be escalated and they said they could not escalate. Spectrum places restrictions unlike Verizon or Apple on shipments. A direct signature must be obtained only at address on account by adult. You cannot go into fedex manager and have shipment hold at location. Option is not available due to Spectrum restrictions, also can not sign delivery notice and leave at door. I asked them to change these restrictions since it requires a day off work. Spectrum said this is their process and cannot change it. I asked to have this escalated and they said they could not escalate. I said i was extremely dissatisfied with their policies. They asked if I wanted to cancel service. It seems they truly do not care about customer service. Wondered why Spectrum had every model of iphone xs and xs max in stock. Stay away from Spectrum as their customer service is non-existent.

That really sucks, every part of that. Good luck getting this resolved. Are you thinking of just returning the XS and maybe trying again later if there’s news that Apple worked these issues out?

 

[Lyrca]

I have notice that when coming home (i.e within my wifi network reach) my XS connects on the 2.4Ghz band but after a while it seems to switch to 5Ghz without any speed issues.

 

[meateater69]

That really sucks, every part of that. Good luck getting this resolved. Are you thinking of just returning the XS and maybe trying again later if there’s news that Apple worked these issues out?

I may just return the phone and try another provider other than Spectrum. Spectrum customer service and very bad attitude is actually worse than getting a faulty device from Apple. Also want to see if Iphone XR has any of the issues XS line has; as soon as the reviews and fcc info come out. Iphone 7 Verizon also had cell signal issues when it came out and were never resolved by Verizon or Apple in my case (received 2 replacements and did all the IOS/carrier updates). In my opinion these issues were never really fixed. My Iphone 6 had better LTE/cell reception than either the XS or Iphone 7. I did not test these on verified same cell site same band etc. Iphone 7 also had poor or no reception in some stores like Sam's club, Costco etc. Did not have a chance to test Iphone XS in the stores but since it has slower speeds and less bars in full bar Iphone 7 spots could only imagine what service XS will have in large buildings.
I will not keep an Iphone XS unless it performs as good as or better than my Iphone 7 did. In the 6 hours I had the XS before the screen became unresponsive to touch and would not work it did not.

 

[SactoGuy18]

In the end, I'm still wonder if the issue is related to the Intel XMM 7560 modem chip itself. Hopefully, Apple fixes this on an iOS update with a firmware update for the modem chip.