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Jobs says Signal Strength a "non issue"

I am coming into this thread late but followed the other massive reception thread closely.

I have this overwhelming suspicion that they discovered this issue pretty late in the game and still wanted to release around their usual yearly time. Hence the bumper. Every color but black is still not available, which says to me that these were decided to be produced at a much later time when it was discovered that a large majority could potentially have reception issues, and why not spin it off as a style addition to your phone and charge 30 bucks.

I have such divided feelings over this phone. I love almost every aspect of it minus the reception issue. I don't have to hold it much different to alleviate the problem and it is a complete non-issue for me if I am on wifi and edge seems less effected. When making calls I use my thumb on the left side of the phone index finger for back support and other fingers on the right side naturally not near the problem.

However, I totally feel taken advantage of by Apple and I fully understand the risks of being an early adopter, but Apples 'oh well...hold it differently, buy our 30 dollar case' response is very disheartening. I thought about buying a case but when I looked out how nice the phone looks sitting on my desk I very much didn't want to.

I almost feel like they should take a page from Microsoft in terms of the xbox 360 debacle and admit they did something wrong and find a way to try to build consumer confidence again.

In summary this will definitely influence my future purchases. I was considering a 15" mac book pro when I got my bonus this year, but now I am questioning that.
 
mnemonix said:
Why don't you wait until you personally are told this, assuming you are having this issue in normal use, rather than believing what you read from unsubstantiated reports on the internet?

Oh and if I buy a faulty product I calmly take it back for an exchange or refund. I know my consumer rights and abusing the CEO in a forum and disparaging the entire company as many here are doing is hardly an adult response.
Click to expand...

Abusing the CEO? Disparaging the entire company. Look who's having a tirade now.

Whether you are calm at you computer or not - it's you, I'm afraid that's looking a bit heated. We're all having a discussion here about the "non-issue"
 
VSMacOne said:
This is not abusing the CEO in any way. I'm not Believing unsubstantiated reports on the internet... I'm believing my OWN phone, in my hand.
Yes we all know we can take the phone back. So it that the answer?
Click to expand...

Sorry, just making a general point about a lot of the responses here, not yours.

Yes, if the product is faulty take it back. It's your right and the normal course of events for a faulty product. This isn't meant flippantly, it's normal. Exchange it, get a refund, get another when you know the issue is resolved. It's a shame for everyone concerned but that's life and it... is a phone, nothing more.
 
re: The bumper.

Interesting thoughts regarding Apple's entry into the case "industry"

Perhaps it's because of the known issue (err non-issue). I see that as a viable reason. But even more importantly - I think that it was long past due for Apple to get into the case industry. Afterall - clearly they've looked at the marketplace and seen how much money could be made from selling their OWN case. Afterall - some people just buy things because it's MADE by Apple.

Point is - whether or not it's because of any issue - Apple is/was smart to enter into the case industry. Financially it just makes sense.
 
I lose reception when holding the bottom corner, like many people here, but I just took my first call on iPhone 4 and thought I'd put it to the test.

I held it as normal with my fingers bridging the gap that's causing the problems BUT MY RECEPTION STAYED AT 5 BARS.

However, MY 3G SIGNAL COMPLETELY DROPPED!!!! It went down to Edge then nothing. when I hung up and placed my phone down it came back!!!!

So, is this a case that making a call and bridging the gap cuts out some element of the antenna - ie the data - because it's not needed, but when holding to typically use data, the voice element goes????
 
sswanky said:
Bumpers were designed for STYLE ONLY. The fact that Bumpers may improve your reception is a DESIGN FLAW OF THE BUMPERS!!!

"Dress up your iPhone 4 with an iPhone 4 Bumper. Choose one of six colors — white, black, blue, green, orange, or pink — and slip it around the edge of your iPhone 4. With metal buttons for volume and power, two-tone colors, and a combination of rubber and molded plastic, Bumpers add a touch of style to any iPhone 4."
Click to expand...

Then why do they cover up the stylish stainless steel band (antenna) that seems to be causing the issues? You are insulting our intelligence.
 
Am I the only one this dosent happen to? I've held it for minutes at a time both with and without my bumper and my signal stays constant the entire time in both instances.....
 
vescaegg said:
Am I the only one this dosent happen to? I've held it for minutes at a time both with and without my bumper and my signal stays constant the entire time in both instances.....
Click to expand...

You're the exception to the rule - get it on eBay and make a mint

"BNIB Working iPhone 4"
 
vescaegg said:
Am I the only one this dosent happen to? I've held it for minutes at a time both with and without my bumper and my signal stays constant the entire time in both instances.....
Click to expand...

Try going for a walk out and about. It only happens in less strong reception areas.
 
What happened to Apple's mantra of, "It just works."???

Now they are saying we need to change our behavior, do something special for it to work?

:confused:
 
I haven't managed to wade through the whole thread but wanted to know if Bumpers had been confirmed as a fix for this? I plan on contacting O2 and Apple tonight after work anyway but my iPhone is becoming pretty unusuable very quickly!

I'm not a hater and love my Apple gear and in fact love my new iPhone but the signal dropping I'm experiencing is very severe. I generally hold my phone in my left hand while I'm browsing the net/faebook/whatever and use my right for manipulation and I pretty much can't help but hold it in the dreaded death grip it seems :mad:

I've tested it in the office and at home and when I hold it the signal slowly drops to nothing and I regularly get 'NOSERVICE' its that bad. The funny thing is I tried it when out on my lunch around town and noticed as I had a stronger signal in general it didn't seem to effect it at all.

This is getting really frustrating and I hope something clear is put out soon! Love the phone but can't stand this basic design flaw
 
re: the bumper

Maybe I AM naive, but I honestly can't see a multi million dollar company risking its reputation by knowingly releasing a faulty product with a last minute fix the customer has to pay for, however conveniently the facts seem to fit. Apple has in the past delayed product launches where there was an issue and in the long run, even the firms accountants will tell you that's a cheaper option than the legal liability, loss of goodwill and bad publicity for a flawed product.

The more likely explanation in my book is that the problem is more complex than many assume and Apple, despite testing, were unaware of it or how it would manifest once released into the public domain.
 
mnemonix said:
Sorry, just making a general point about a lot of the responses here, not yours.

Yes, if the product is faulty take it back. It's your right and the normal course of events for a faulty product. This isn't meant flippantly, it's normal. Exchange it, get a refund, get another when you know the issue is resolved. It's a shame for everyone concerned but that's life and it... is a phone, nothing more.
Click to expand...

You're right. I'm definitely going to get it replaced. It seems like there are plenty of reports of people NOT having this issue, and I'm more inclined to believe that it does have something to do with the coating. So there seems to be an answer (although kinda muddy), but it's still annoying.
 
vescaegg said:
Am I the only one this dosent happen to? I've held it for minutes at a time both with and without my bumper and my signal stays constant the entire time in both instances.....
Click to expand...

There appear to be two variations. On "good" phones, you lose maybe a bar or two, and maybe none if you have a strong signal. Its caused by blocking signal, not by shorting antennas.

On "bad" phones, the coating is missing on the antenna (I surmise), so even with 5 bars you completely lose the signal if you short the antennas.

I own 2 "bad" phones, and a friend owns a "good" phone, and in my house with a microcell we can replicate the problems repeatedly. No matter who holds his phone, it maybe loses a bar. No matter who holds my 2 phones, they drop to "searching..." and calls fail.
 
fatboyslick said:
You're the exception to the rule - get it on eBay and make a mint

"BNIB Working iPhone 4"
Click to expand...

Wow really? I thought this was more of a batch issue possibly. Surely I can't be the only one? Or maybe perhaps people who's phones don't hve the issue don't bother disussing it because there is nothing to discuss. Seeing as mine dosent do it, I would be inclined to think it may be a certain batch and perhaps you could get a replacement that works properly?
 
rdrr said:
What happened to Apple's mantra of, "It just works."???

Now they are saying we need to change our behavior, do something special for it to work?

:confused:
Click to expand...

That's not the full mantra, the full mantra is "It just works in the right hand, not the left".
 
mnemonix said:
re: the bumper

Maybe I AM naive, but I honestly can't see a multi million dollar company risking its reputation by knowingly releasing a faulty product with a last minute fix the customer has to pay for, however conveniently the facts seem to fit. Apple has in the past delayed product launches where there was an issue and in the long run, even the firms accountants will tell you that's a cheaper option than the legal liability, loss of goodwill and bad publicity for a flawed product.

The more likely explanation in my book is that the problem is more complex than many assume and Apple, despite testing, were unaware of it or how it would manifest once released into the public domain.
Click to expand...

The iPhone 4 was tested outside of Apple for many months... in a rubber lookalike 3G case. So all outside testing was probably done with a case meaning they probably never noticed it until it was too late.
 
The complaining is getting annoying now. I understand some may be having this issue but until there is a fix either deal with it or take the phone back and get something else.
Until there is a fix stick a small piece of clear tape over the exposed antenna which will fix the issue. What Apple is going to probably do is put a small cover over the exposed antenna to keep contact off of it.
 
cmaier said:
There appear to be two variations. On "good" phones, you lose maybe a bar or two, and maybe none if you have a strong signal. Its caused by blocking signal, not by shorting antennas.

On "bad" phones, the coating is missing on the antenna (I surmise), so even with 5 bars you completely lose the signal if you short the antennas.

I own 2 "bad" phones, and a friend owns a "good" phone, and in my house with a microcell we can replicate the problems repeatedly. No matter who holds his phone, it maybe loses a bar. No matter who holds my 2 phones, they drop to "searching..." and calls fail.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a very sensible and reasonable explanation of the differing reports. The variables are your signal area, and some phones clearly having a better 'coating' than others. Presumably, Steve and his team sat in their Cupertino office right now, trying to replicate the problem, are only seeing a drop of one bar... thanks to the AT&T tower right outside their office! Hence Steve's dismissal of the significance of this.

But of those of us in less strong signal areas, especially on phones with less or no 'coating', the drop in signal is greater/more proportional, and the signal goes completely.
 
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