MacRumors Poll: iPhone 4 Signal Loss by Region

[ToeCutter]

Exactly. I believe every iPhone 4 is the same but whether or not the problem manifests itself depends entirely on the individual using it. Some people's skin/body attenuates the signal while with others it has no effect.

If you are not having this problem consider yourself lucky. It is real and significant. See if your friends have the problem when holding it.

I did not have this problem with my 3G, 3Gs nor any other cellphone I've used. It is clearly the fact that the metal frame contains the antennas and is coming into direct contact with the skin/body.

I too think this is a very real issue, as several friends received theirs on Wed and were gloating Wed night, until they realized how often their calls were dropping. We thought it was due the the battery not being charged up all the way, but I came up with a different theory altogether:

Let's assume that all iPhone4's will suffer this issue if the user's skin comes into direct contact with the antenna, or bridges the gap between the antennas. Now let's assume that Apple was clearly aware of this, and used some type of insulator to prevent this. During production, a clear-coat or laqeuer is sprayed onto the parts to prevent direct contact with the user's skin. Many components include this on bare metal parts for appearance. It Aldo prevents corrosion, etc.

Now let's assume that due to the blistering pace of iPhone4 production, the folks applying this clear-coat get a little......sloppy. During production, some units get a full coat, others, not so much. Those units that don't have a full coat allow the user's skin to come into contact with the bare metal, and this causes easily repeatable issues on those specific phones that don't have a full coat. Those that do have a full coat have no issues whatsoever.

Consider the fact that the screen yellowing is due to the bonding agent not curing completely (i.e. it's not completely dried), and the fact we've seen zero WHITE iPhones says a few things about the production process:

A. It's complicated, and different from anything Apple has ever produced.
B. Apple's suppliers are making them as fast as they can, possibly cutting a few corners on the way.

Demand for this iPhone4 is ridiculous, and I'm sure there's tremendous pressure on suppliers to get these parts shipped yesterday. Electronics production is complicated and includes many layers in the process.

This clear-coat application might take place immediately after these parts are CNC'ed, long before final assembly. This would complicate QA checks, as they'd be checking for electronic isolation, vs. simple appearance. It would be difficult to confirm that each and every steel band was completely coated with the insulator by simply inspecting it.

For the same reasons, tis would be difficult to correct once the phone is assembled. And I certainly don't think a software tweak would provide any relief. That said, I've assumed much and can confirm little, I've simply applied some of my experience with manufacturing automotive electronics to what vie gleaned from users experience and the web.

So there's my theory, feel free to rip it apart. This is a very curious issue and I'd look forward to hearing from those that are familiar with such topics.

 

[clarkent5477]

Bars

Clearly there's something up.. But then again, even with the phone sitting on the table, only one bar. <sarcasm>Unless you're in a concrete basement 5 stories underground, AT&T must clearly be raising the bar in your area.</sarcasm>

 

[BobVB]

See!?

Not only is it non-linear, but there are locations where you can easily get a cell signal well over 1000 times more powerful than the minimum needed for an indicated 5 bars. Kill off 99% of your signal by shorting out the antenna and you still have 10X more signal than needed for a perfect connection.

See, that one fact explains why this isn't a universal issue - any 'perfect' phone come to my house and I bet it won't be...

I will have no problem with a bumper as long as I can still use a dock and it doesn't make slipping into a pocket difficult as so many of the silicone ones do.

And there is a software issue about poor handling of rapidly dropping signal strength, another problem that someone living in a good reception area will never see.

 

[MacFly123]

Why even put a poll check box for non iPhone 4 owners?

So they can click it and see the results!

 

[Ndmoore]

I live in Oklahoma city and there I had no drop in bars when trying to replicate the drop in bars issue.

I am now in St. Louis for a wedding and I am having a drop in bars when holding the phone at the bottom left corner. So I think it is definately a location issue.

 

[BobVB]

I live in Oklahoma city and there I had no drop in bars when trying to replicate the drop in bars issue.

I was stationed in Oklahoma in the army. Wouldn't one cell tower have 'line of sight' reception with every location in town?

 

[DMann]

Why even put a poll check box for non iPhone 4 owners?

That would be exclusive.

 

[-aggie-]

Any clear coat theories should be dismissed, since wouldn’t it have made sense for Apple to just state that? “We had a factory mess up. Bring in your iPhone for a clear coat fix.” However, they seem to state some software will fix it (sounds hokey to me) or as Steve said, “You’re holding it wrong.”

Of course, Apple could lie, if the cost of fixing the clear coat was cost prohibitive.

 

[furi0usbee]

High-Res = less Zoom capability in some apps

Aside from the reception issues, anyone else find out that zooming in using apps such as Maps and Photos doesn't yield the "large" zoom you are used to. This is due to the fact we're already looking at the high-res size, just scaled down to fit our screens. I'm finding that when I'm zooming to see a picture, or in Maps, I get the "no image" message *much* sooner zooming that I do with my 3G. And because of the resolution, the maps look much larger on my 3GS than they do on my iPhone 4. Don't know if Apple figured on this, but they'll have to tweak the software to maybe add some "artificial" zoom, or something.

 

[sal]

why are we still talking about this?

Steve Jobs said it's non issue, therefore we should all shut up and live with it

 

[Ljohnson72]

Aside from the reception issues, anyone else find out that zooming in using apps such as Maps and Photos doesn't yield the "large" zoom you are used to. This is due to the fact we're already looking at the high-res size, just scaled down to fit our screens. I'm finding that when I'm zooming to see a picture, or in Maps, I get the "no image" message *much* sooner zooming that I do with my 3G. And because of the resolution, the maps look much larger on my 3GS than they do on my iPhone 4. Don't know if Apple figured on this, but they'll have to tweak the software to maybe add some "artificial" zoom, or something.

I noticed this.

 

[mac*jedi*g]

This poll is set incorrectly. It should ONLY include those present iPhone 4 owners that are listed purchasing one this week. Direct the poll towards a post-purchasing experience with all of them in hope to capture a close to accurate tally of those that could duplicate the antenna issue. This could be hundreds, thousands... a million? Who knows, but don't clutter the results by generalizing the field.

 

[marksman]

I can get the same signal loss when holding my 3GS at the bottom, then it returns when I change my hand position. Where's that poll? Non issue.

Yeah I can duplicate the same thing on my 3G.

I even test it without moving the phone, which is something most of the people I have seen testing this are not doing. They are moving the phone which pretty much invalidates it as a test.

 

[Macshroomer]

I had signal loss the first day but no dropped calls. Now, the third day, it has improved significantly, I can't get the bars to drop no matter what I do.

I am feeling better and better about keeping this phone.....which is ripping fast compared to my old 3G.

 

[DMann]

Any clear coat theories should be dismissed, since wouldn’t it have made sense for Apple to just state that? “We had a factory mess up. Bring in your iPhone for a clear coat fix.” However, they seem to state some software will fix it (sounds hokey to me) or as Steve said, “You’re holding it wrong.”

Of course, Apple could lie, if the cost of fixing the clear coat was cost prohibitive.

Clear-coat treatment would require a swap and a factory rebuild - the antenna parts would have to be pre-treated and replaced.

The non-conductive coating syndrome still remains a potential cause of these symptoms.

 

[Jack Lithian]

I too think this is a very real issue, as several friends received theirs on Wed and were gloating Wed night, until they realized how often their calls were dropping. We thought it was due the the battery not being charged up all the way, but I came up with a different theory altogether:

Let's assume that all iPhone4's will suffer this issue if the user's skin comes into direct contact with the antenna, or bridges the gap between the antennas. Now let's assume that Apple was clearly aware of this, and used some type of insulator to prevent this. During production, a clear-coat or laqeuer is sprayed onto the parts to prevent direct contact with the user's skin. Many components include this on bare metal parts for appearance. It Aldo prevents corrosion, etc.

Now let's assume that due to the blistering pace of iPhone4 production, the folks applying this clear-coat get a little......sloppy. During production, some units get a full coat, others, not so much. Those units that don't have a full coat allow the user's skin to come into contact with the bare metal, and this causes easily repeatable issues on those specific phones that don't have a full coat. Those that do have a full coat have no issues whatsoever.

Consider the fact that the screen yellowing is due to the bonding agent not curing completely (i.e. it's not completely dried), and the fact we've seen zero WHITE iPhones says a few things about the production process:

A. It's complicated, and different from anything Apple has ever produced.
B. Apple's suppliers are making them as fast as they can, possibly cutting a few corners on the way.

Demand for this iPhone4 is ridiculous, and I'm sure there's tremendous pressure on suppliers to get these parts shipped yesterday. Electronics production is complicated and includes many layers in the process.

This clear-coat application might take place immediately after these parts are CNC'ed, long before final assembly. This would complicate QA checks, as they'd be checking for electronic isolation, vs. simple appearance. It would be difficult to confirm that each and every steel band was completely coated with the insulator by simply inspecting it.

For the same reasons, tis would be difficult to correct once the phone is assembled. And I certainly don't think a software tweak would provide any relief. That said, I've assumed much and can confirm little, I've simply applied some of my experience with manufacturing automotive electronics to what vie gleaned from users experience and the web.

So there's my theory, feel free to rip it apart. This is a very curious issue and I'd look forward to hearing from those that are familiar with such topics.

I too think that Apple have been producing these phones way too fast thus causing problems like this one. Like you said, the bonding agent for the screen wasn't fully dried...

 

[BobVB]

And I certainly don't think a software tweak would provide any relief.

Apple rewrote the handling of switching to a new tower - it doesn't work properly with a signal that is decompensating as quickly as the antenna shorting ones are so the call drops.. If they fix the code to maintain the signal many of the dropped calls now won't be regardless of the diminished signal strength. It would more mask the antenna shorting problem than fix it but whatever works, right?

My impression is that in good, unshorted, conditions the 4 is noticeably more capable than my 3GS - they just need to fix it for the other times.

 

[BobVB]

This all reminds me...

... Of the first iPod 'hum'. Once you had heard it you heard it always, they never admitted to a problem but with the first update it went away.

 

[tony-0709]

I can see what is happening...

I can see what is happening...

Can't you guys see it?

Countries that Apple is locked with one carrier will be experiencing more problem than others. Smart move from Apple.

 

[DMann]

Apple rewrote the handling of switching to a new tower - it doesn't work properly with a signal that is decompensating as quickly as the antenna shorting ones are so the call drops.. If they fix the code to maintain the signal many of the dropped calls now won't be regardless of the diminished signal strength. It would more mask the antenna shorting problem than fix it but whatever works, right?

My impression is that in good, unshorted, conditions the 4 is noticeably more capable than my 3GS - they just need to fix it for the other times.

Same here - signal strength and call quality are robust, much more so than even the 3GS.

Looking forward to a solution soon.

 

[epo]

Don't feed the trolls

This poll is bogus. There is no proof that any of these self selected respondents even own an iPhone 4, nor are there any controls against multiple votes. This is just ammunition for attention seekers and anti-Apple fanboys.

In any event the issue is not whether people have seen the signal bars going down (which I have) but whether or not it matters (in my case, it does not).

 

[DMann]

... Of the first iPod 'hum'. Once you had heard it you heard it always, they never admitted to a problem but with the first update it went away.

Then 4.01, here we go.

 

[chill1n]

how hysteria spreads

I too think this is a very real issue, as several friends received theirs on Wed and were gloating Wed night, until they realized how often their calls were dropping.

Well... heck... that's good enough for me! This phone is messed up!!!

What happened to skepticism in this country??

Scientifically, you know what it means when your shiny new phone drops calls when you hold it a certain way?

Absolutely nothing whatsoever

It means nothing at all. Along with this the results of this survey. Scientifically meaningless. A waste of time.

Why can't people understand that you can't take a singular experience and apply it universally? And all these reports add up to fractured singular experiences with no references! IT'S ALL MEANINGLESS.

idky, but I'm gonna reveal the truth of the matter again, even though I know it is falling on deaf and hysterical ears:
All cell phones will exhibit diminished reception when held.

Do not trust your eyes. Be skeptical of what you believe.

 

[hexonxonx]

I voted yes. Sure SOME signal loss happened with previous iPhones but not as bad as the iPhone 4 where the signal drops to NOTHING so that the call drops.

It's as if I cut a wire instantly. No warning, the call just drops. Two seconds later after moving my hand, the signal bars are back. Serious problem.

 

[-aggie-]

Well... heck... that's good enough for me! This phone is messed up!!!

What happened to skepticism in this country??

Scientifically, you know what it means when your shiny new phone drops calls when you hold it a certain way?

Absolutely nothing whatsoever

It means nothing at all. Along with this the results of this survey. Scientifically meaningless. A waste of time.

Why can't people understand that you can't take a singular experience and apply it universally? And all these reports add up to fractured singular experiences with no references! IT'S ALL MEANINGLESS.

idky, but I'm gonna reveal the truth of the matter again, even though I know it is falling on deaf and hysterical ears:
All cell phones will exhibit diminished reception when held.

Do not trust your eyes. Be skeptical of what you believe.

Trust no one.