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Jobs says Signal Strength a "non issue"

Megalobyte said:
This is easily the most disturbing Youtube video so far, because it sure seems to suggest that a case or bumper might not be the guaranteed fix I had thought it would be.

I played with one this morning at the att store, it's a really neat and impressive phone in most respects, but it did exhibit the signal drop when I touched the sensitive area. The att guy saw me checking, and is clearly aware of the issue, but said it's not a big deal, it's a software glitch, well, who knows, doesn't seem that way to me, but, the one thing that gave me hope was, it has always seemed, that if you insulate that area electrically with a rubber/thick plastic barrier, ie a bumper or other case, problem solved, maybe not elegantly, but solved, watching this video makes me rethink that, and, I may have to wait until more is known about this issue, and see if Apple starts shipping newer units with some sort of design modification.

While I'm definitely in the camp that feels this is a major design flaw and needs to be addressed, since I was always going to have a case anyway, and thinking the issue therefore would never affect me, I was going to get one anyway, now, not so sure.

I'll tell you one thing, as the IP4 launch approached, I had begun to take my 3gs for granted, salivating at the prospect of this newer, better phone, after all of this drama, I have a newfound respect for my 3Gs, and am realizing just how good a phone it really is... :) No issues whatsoever.

Then, we are starting to hear of seemingly serious issues with the proximity sensor causing all sorts of odd behavior with the phone section, another hardware issue? Or is it a software tweak, hopefully software.
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Your, sentence, needs, more, commas.

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!"
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It seems that way too. I'm all for a solution to this mess but calling and asking for free stuff doesn't seem to be the way to go. Thats just me though.

And to all the smart people out there with PhD's on stuff like this: why didn't Apple place the "gap" at the top-middle of the device where nobody holds the phone? Or the bottom-middle around the dock connector? As a lefty, again, where they placed that area is exactly where I hold the phone in my hand when calling people!
 
It's really the fault of Apple's great lengths at secrecy. We know from the Gizmodo debacle that iP4s in the wild before launch were in cases disguised at 3Gs, so this problem never occured. It's Apple's culture of secrecy that came back to bite them in the ass.

Maybe next time a blogger finds a prototype in a bar, they'll let them keep it and test it.

uberamd said:
It seems that way too. I'm all for a solution to this mess but calling and asking for free stuff doesn't seem to be the way to go. Thats just me though.
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If the iPhone requires a bumper to work, then it should be free. You shouldn't have to pay more to fix a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.
 
Originally Posted by jamesryanbell
No matter what issues there are - literally no matter what - iPhone is still the best phone out there. No propaganda, and not fanboi crap.
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Wooo Hooo God Steve, I love you!!!!!!!! I want to buy everything that you make, no matter what!!! You're my Hero!!!!!!! The iPhone is Elegant, Magical, and Gorgeous!!! Anyone who thinks different is a "Hater" and a "Troll"... Signed, Your Pal - jamesryanbell
 
uberamd said:
Your, sentence, needs, more, commas.



It seems that way too. I'm all for a solution to this mess but calling and asking for free stuff doesn't seem to be the way to go. Thats just me though.

And to all the smart people out there with PhD's on stuff like this: why didn't Apple place the "gap" at the top-middle of the device where nobody holds the phone? Or the bottom-middle around the dock connector? As a lefty, again, where they placed that area is exactly where I hold the phone in my hand when calling people!
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It's not just people who are left handed. I am right handed, but I like to hold the phone in my left hand. And I cannot tell you how naturally when I pick up the phone that it is in the exact same position as all these dropped calls. It's just natural to me.
 
yg17 said:
If the iPhone requires a bumper to work, then it should be free. You shouldn't have to pay more to fix a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place.
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I agree that it should be free, but calling up tech support and using the excuse of "I read on the internets that if we cal we get a FREE BUMPER!" isn't the way to go about doing it. Just call and tell them: "Without something covering the corner I am unable to place calls and I refuse to buy the bumper. How can you at Apple fix this for me?"

There is a difference. I have a case already, but would still love a bumper. I refuse to resort to calling and asking for free stuff as a bandaid to the problem though so I will wait for a real solution.
 
Steviejobz said:
So a co-worker of mine spent 20 minutes on the phone with Apple technical support and after a lot of escalation to managers, etc., they basically said that Apple is preparing a software update soon and hence are not giving out any bumpers as a remedy.

Now I dont know how much faith to put in a Apple care representative but if that is indeed the remedy, I'm sure many will be disappointed. I would guess that they are finding a way to fudge the signal strength meter rather than provide a physical solution or design update. Recall would be insanely expensive.
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Well, this should be easy enough to verify, even without the field test mode. Like others, I can show a dramatic drop in 3G down and up speeds via the SpeedTest app when I simply touch or hold my phone. The bars also drop. This happens both when the phone is naked and when I'm using the Apple bumper. It won't be possible for them to fudge the meter to hide this. If they release a software fix and my throughput doesn't get better, it's not fixed.
 
500x_russian-iphone_01.jpg
 
samcraig said:
You're right. I, and several other people AND news organizations are lying. You caught us!
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The news organizations are all basing it off of one email which was posted on the macrumors home page which is your email. I am not saying he did not send it and I do not agree with what he or apple are doing and how they are handling it.

I do think they knew about this before the launch and that is why they launched the bumpers at the same time. I am hoping that apple does come out with and official press release tonight acknowledging the issue.

Do I think Steve sent out the email? no I do not think the CEO of one of the most secretive and PR based companies would do that.
 
wow, I called apple and they suggested I put a piece of tape on the band. I thought u guys were joking when u said you got that as an answer from them.....
 
uberamd said:
I agree that it should be free, but calling up tech support and using the excuse of "I read on the internets that if we cal we get a FREE BUMPER!" isn't the way to go about doing it. Just call and tell them: "Without something covering the corner I am unable to place calls and I refuse to buy the bumper. How can you at Apple fix this for me?"

There is a difference. I have a case already, but would still love a bumper. I refuse to resort to calling and asking for free stuff as a bandaid to the problem though so I will wait for a real solution.
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I truly believe that the solution would be to return it. Everybody pays full price with real money, it's not like that for something that kind of works as it should, I pay with food stamps that you can use somehow.

Corporations should invest more in product testing and design, that's the bottom line. There should be no release based on a defective product.
 
ksavage523 said:
Do I think Steve sent out the email? no I do not think the CEO of one of the most secretive and PR based companies would do that.
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So you think anyone who works for Steve and has access to his email would have sent something like that? Are you kidding me? A reply like that only comes from the big man himself. No other employee would ever take it upon themselves to send out an email from the CEO account that is worded like that concerning an emerging issue. Ever.
 
NikeTalk said:
How will a patch fix this?!?
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Because it simply be an issue that can be fixed by the software.

The phone will choose signals that may have less strength, if they have less noise. So when the noise (created by your hand) increases, it will force your phone to pickup a weaker signal. Should be easily fixed if thats the case.
 
pbateman said:
wow, I called apple and they suggested I put a piece of tape on the band. I thought u guys were joking when u said you got that as an answer from them.....
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Lol nope. They told me the same thing.

Thankfully - all iPhone 4's come with a solution to this problem inside the box. It's called the Apple stickers. You're SUPPOSE to cut one to fit on the metal bad. You have extras when your first one wears out or eventually peels off.

See - Apple does think of everything! :rolleyes:
 
There are millions who would take the iphone 4 with the current reception issues. If you have a problem, then I urge you to return and let someone else get the phone.
 
ksavage523 said:
The news organizations are all basing it off of one email which was posted on the macrumors home page which is your email. I am not saying he did not send it and I do not agree with what he or apple are doing and how they are handling it.

I do think they knew about this before the launch and that is why they launched the bumpers at the same time. I am hoping that apple does come out with and official press release tonight acknowledging the issue.

Do I think Steve sent out the email? no I do not think the CEO of one of the most secretive and PR based companies would do that.
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No - there are several emails - not just mine.

And I don't think Steve, himself, sent out the email. Maybe he did. Who really knows. That's actually irrelevant because as I've said - whether or NOT it was him who sent it - the email was sent from his corporate email address. That makes it an official statement/communication.

I know and deal with many "celebrities." I personally get emails from several of them. 90 percent of the time it's them (based on conversations) and another 10 percent - probably their assistant. But guess what. If their assistant sends an email from that persons email AND NOT THEIR OWN - they are speaking on their behalf.

Now tell me some random intern is authorized to make statements on behalf of the CEO which they know will no doubt be publicized.
 
Mark.Lee said:
We have a local design studio (which is the most famous, expensive and credible in our country), CEO of which has his own blog (by coincidence, one of the most visited in our internet zone) and he can say oh such vulgar, horrible and discrediting things on his blog, but no one even thinks to assume his words somehow reflect the position or points of view of his company. Because his personal social life on the internet is his personal and not the company's. And I think it's how it should be. One has the right to be open in society, whoever he is and what his or her job is.
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Your CEO is lucky then, because most people seem completely unable to distinguish a person from a company. I used to work for a small software company 15 years ago, you'd think I'd be able to speak my mind now but everytime I post something about, say, a product that competes with something from the company I used to work for, it spreads like wildfire. My former employer gets emails along the lines of "is this the company's official position? Eh? Eh?" and people start posting across half a dozen forums that "well the guy from company X said blah blah blah about product Y, oh the nerve". I've tried all sorts of pre-emptive disclaimers to make clear that I'm not speaking for my former employer, but no luck there.

Steve isn't an ex-employee of a 20-man operation, he's the current CEO of one of the largest tech companies in the world. Naturally he can't have some sort of private outlet where he says anything he wants and expect the world to keep it separate from Apple. There has to be SOME drawbacks of being a multi-billionaire... I'm sure he's not crying himself to sleep every night due to not being able to curse and share porn links on some private blog.
 
big0mar said:
There are millions who would take the iphone 4 with the current reception issues. If you have a problem, then I urge you to return and let someone else get the phone.
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Well for one - if I return my phone as defective - it's not going to a new person. At least not for quite awhile until it's deemed refurbished.

Two - most here can and will live with a solution or are WAITING for a solution.

This mentality of "deal with it or return it" works in some scenarios. This isn't one of them.

Would that be your advice to a parent the first week after bringing home a newborn? lol
 
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