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Jobs says Signal Strength a "non issue"

Has anyone repeated the signal reduction with something MORE conductive than a finger? Like a piece of metal?

A hot dog is of similar properties to a finger, indicating the problem may be less with bridging the two connections and more with the electrical properties of the human finger.

If it's simply bridging the connection then a piece of metal should be able to do it too.
 
When I try it at home, I lose a few bars (EDGE signal is strong there). I just noticed my phone dropped to "No Signal" while holding it at work, where the EDGE signal is a little weaker. :mad:
 
So I just called Apple.

Guy suggested:

1) Cut a small piece of tape
2) Buy a bumper
3) Buy a case

I said no to all...he lodged an official complaint and said I'll be closer to the front of the line when it's resolved.

He said "Keep your ear to ground...an official statement/fix will be forthcoming any hour/day"

Also said "It is an inherent design flaw...I'm not an engineer, and we obviously didn't know about this issue on this large scale until the release...that's the problem with early releases"

Basically, they've been trained to hint around the fact that "we know about it, we're going to come up with something"

He joked, he realized these are band aid solutions, and it isn't right to expect people to buy a case. He also said what he's hearing is they most likely will be offering free bumpers as the solution to those who log complaints.

Finally, he said there will probably be a software tweak also. But most likely it'll be a formal statement along the lines "A small percentage are experiencing this...we'll offer a bumper as a solution....etc"

Wouldn't believe a company of this scale would be handling it this way (and not to mention be aware of it) until I heard it direct from them.

Fan boys unite! :)
 
rmwhite said:
Has anyone repeated the signal reduction with something MORE conductive than a finger? Like a piece of metal?

A hot dog is of similar properties to a finger, indicating the problem may be less with bridging the two connections and more with the electrical properties of the human finger.

If it's simply bridging the connection then a piece of metal should be able to do it too.
Click to expand...

Yes, search for a "antenna key test".

Just by placing a key there, the signal got lost. Nice!
 
Just got off the phone with Apple. I talked to a tech support lady, she kept telling me it was a known issue and that a resolution should come in the next couple days. I then proceeded to tell her I am paying for a service and shouldn't have to wait on a brand new product... then mentioned that a friend called and was told a "bumper" was a temporary solution.

She transferred me to a senior advisor, who again stated it was a known solution, "Please bare with us for a couple of days." I again mentioned my friend and how he was shipped a free bumper. He then said, "If that was the solution they gave, I can go ahead and send you a bumper. It will have to be black and should arrive in the next 5 business days."

I got a case number to go with this. So, if you want the bumper solution, call Apple and keep on them. They will ship you a bumper!
 
There's a video somewhere of a key being used to bridge the gap between the steel bands. It does cause signal drop down to 0.
 
rmwhite said:
Has anyone repeated the signal reduction with something MORE conductive than a finger? Like a piece of metal?

A hot dog is of similar properties to a finger, indicating the problem may be less with bridging the two connections and more with the electrical properties of the human finger.

If it's simply bridging the connection then a piece of metal should be able to do it too.
Click to expand...

With a house key:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvH-i7rKPJc
 
HANG on!!! JUST NOTICED the bottom of the band need to be issolated to the rest of the phone looking at the pics!

Whats saying bridgeing the seem its not ground itself back up the dock ribbon cable?
 
Molson1020 said:
Just got off the phone with Apple. I talked to a tech support lady, she kept telling me it was a known issue and that a resolution should come in the next couple days. I then proceeded to tell her I am paying for a service and shouldn't have to wait on a brand new product... then mentioned that a friend called and was told a "bumper" was a temporary solution.

She transferred me to a senior advisor, who again stated it was a known solution, "Please bare with us for a couple of days." I again mentioned my friend and how he was shipped a free bumper. He then said, "If that was the solution they gave, I can go ahead and send you a bumper. It will have to be black and should arrive in the next 5 business days."

I got a case number to go with this. So, if you want the bumper solution, call Apple and keep on them. They will ship you a bumper!
Click to expand...

Well that´s the LEAST they should do, but it´s still not a solution to this SERIOUS problem.
 
Molson1020 said:
Just got off the phone with Apple. I talked to a tech support lady, she kept telling me it was a known issue and that a resolution should come in the next couple days. I then proceeded to tell her I am paying for a service and shouldn't have to wait on a brand new product... then mentioned that a friend called and was told a "bumper" was a temporary solution.

She transferred me to a senior advisor, who again stated it was a known solution, "Please bare with us for a couple of days." I again mentioned my friend and how he was shipped a free bumper. He then said, "If that was the solution they gave, I can go ahead and send you a bumper. It will have to be black and should arrive in the next 5 business days."

I got a case number to go with this. So, if you want the bumper solution, call Apple and keep on them. They will ship you a bumper!
Click to expand...

Sorry I can't help but feel like people are "just looking for free stuff" when I read this. They said a fix will come shortly and you kept asking for a free case. Just does not seem right, especially with your "They will ship you a bumper!" Note the "!" as in "WOOT I got a case for free!"
 
steve-jobs-hippie.jpg
 
First off, let me make it clear I think Steve's response was terrible and this is why people like me (PR drone) have to provide CEOs of client companies with a sheet of background info before they say anything. Because usually, if you don't do this, disaster strikes.

That being said, if he wasn't so damn brief and ambiguous, I could kind of see what he was saying. My friend and I have been unable to reproduce the issue on his iPhone 4 except for one time when he held the phone so tightly it probably should have crushed it. My mom tried using it (she's left handed) and it worked fine. Maybe he just has the one that's the only exception to the rule, but if not, I'm confused. If all the iPhones are like his, why would anyone except Bruce Banner be worried about this?
 
iRobertM said:
Sorry I can't help but feel like people are "just looking for free stuff" when I read this. They said a fix will come shortly and you kept asking for a free case. Just does not seem right, especially with your "They will ship you a bumper!" Note the "!" as in "WOOT I got a case for free!"
Click to expand...
I think they're just looking for their phone to work. From what we have seen, if they're having the signal loss issue, a bumper -- one that has been shown to solve the problem in most cases -- being requested as a make-good is hardly an over-reach.
 
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