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Landscape Causing iPhone 5 WiFi to Drop?

B

berniemakaveli

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 30, 2012
136
1
Hey everybody,

I noticed just now that if i place my finger across the top glass strip on the back of the iPhone 5 my Wifi signal will drop from 3 to 1 with unnerving regularity, similar to the iPhone 4 signal attenuation problem. Is it just my iPhone 5 or can others replicate the anomaly?

Edit: holding it in landscape mode in a natural position causes the bars to drop as well as a 11Mbps drop in download speed.
 
Last edited:
berniemakaveli said:
Hey everybody,

I noticed just now that if i place my finger across the top glass strip on the back of the iPhone 5 my Wifi signal will drop from 3 to 1 with unnerving regularity, similar to the iPhone 4 signal attenuation problem. Is it just my iPhone 5 or can others replicate the anomaly?
Click to expand...

Obviously you're holding it wrong there cannot be any other answer
 
bgro said:
Obviously you're holding it wrong there cannot be any other answer
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve:rolleyes:. Can you replicate the issue? Holding it normally doesnt cause a problem but placing my finger across the top almost seems to block the wifi from getting out? Does your iPhone 5 do this? If you even have one?
 
berniemakaveli said:
Thanks Steve:rolleyes:. Can you replicate the issue? Holding it normally doesnt cause a problem but placing my finger across the top almost seems to block the wifi from getting out? Does your iPhone 5 do this? If you even have one?
Click to expand...

Just tried it and got the same result except mine went from 3 to 2. As soon as I took the finger off the back it went back to 3.

I would contact every tech site with this piece of information. You might have discovered the new AntennaGate.

In the meantime I would hold it the correct way or get a nice case.
 
bgro said:
Just tried it and got the same result except mine went from 3 to 2. As soon as I took the finger off the back it went back to 3.

I would contact every tech site with this piece of information. You might have discovered the new AntennaGate.

In the meantime I would hold it the correct way or get a nice case.
Click to expand...

Thanks, glad its not just me. The cellular signal does not fluctuate if i do the same to the bottom strip which is interesting..
 
Apple puts glass on the back to allow signal access. You block that window, and the signal deteriorates? That's a surprise? I guess I would have thought this to be a somewhat obvious outcome.
 
dotme said:
Apple puts glass on the back to allow signal access. You block that window, and the signal deteriorates? That's a surprise? I guess I would have thought this to be a somewhat obvious outcome.
Click to expand...

But if you read my post above yours, the cellular signal displays no such fluctuation if i put my finger over the bottom glass.
 
I haven't tested this but I would just suggest to not put your finger across it.
 
berniemakaveli said:
Hey everybody,

I noticed just now that if i place my finger across the top glass strip on the back of the iPhone 5 my Wifi signal will drop from 3 to 1 with unnerving regularity, similar to the iPhone 4 signal attenuation problem. Is it just my iPhone 5 or can others replicate the anomaly?
Click to expand...

My ip5 doesn't do that. I took my case off and did as you noted. My wi-fi signal remained at a constant 3 bars for the minute that had my finger covering the upper portion.

I wouldn't give it too much more thought. Enjoy your new phone and keep your finger clear of that particular area.
 
erratikmind said:
My ip5 doesn't do that. I took my case off and did as you noted. My wi-fi signal remained at a constant 3 bars for the minute that had my finger covering the upper portion.

I wouldn't give it too much more thought. Enjoy your new phone and keep your finger clear of that particular area.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Thanks for the input. Its not a common way to hold the phone (at all lol) so if it bothers me too much I'll just see what an Apple Genius has to say. It is curious though.
 
Maybe you gave it the wrong finger?:D


erratikmind said:
My ip5 doesn't do that. I took my case off and did as you noted. My wi-fi signal remained at a constant 3 bars for the minute that had my finger covering the upper portion.

I wouldn't give it too much more thought. Enjoy your new phone and keep your finger clear of that particular area.
Click to expand...
 
I have an even bigger scandal.

When you sit on your phone and squeeze your butt cheeks, then quickly grab your phone and look at it, your cellular signal will have dropped a full TWO BARS.

Somebody call CNN, 'cause this is breaking news.
 
People! Leave your phone alone! Go do something useful. Can't stand these threads about "I'm holding my phone in a really strange way and it makes it lose reception.... Blah blah blah."
 
Noticing this as well now that you posted it. That being said, it's not a common way to hold the phone and I still get signal, so it's a non-issue (for me). Every antenna has a weak spot. In this case apple placed it in a good location.
 
I think it may be my device, because holding it in a natural landscape fashion with my fingers not on the glass but sort of cradled around it still drops my wifi, I'll just see what Apple has to say.

Edit: just ran a speed test, holding my phone portrait got me 14 Mbps and holding it naturally in landscape got me 3Mbps. Pretty significant if you ask me.
 
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Every iphone I have ever had has had a harder time on wifi in landscape than portrait. Ive usually only noticed it at the edge of recption (like when staying in a hotel). I now always turn my phone upright when I have trouble with wifi out of habit. I havent noticed the iphone 5 being any worse than my past phones with regard to orientation. Ive only noticed that the reception isn't quite what the old phones were, but isnt bad by any means.
 
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