Other Mobile Phones with Similar Signal Loss Issues

[kntgsp]

N1 does have reception problems... and even on the google forums a google rep said pretty much the same thing (hold it a different way). But the issue was more about crappy 3G performance, not 5 bars to no service.

oh btw, the google rep said that google determined the poor reception problem was a hardware issue and they would no longer investigate because they considered the issue solved.

1. It is not nearly, and I mean no where neaaar as prevalent as the iPhone4 issue. It's also mostly a software issue as rooted phones with other ROMs report full strength 3G.

2. It only loses a few bars and slows the download speed, it doesn't flat out lose a signal just by holding it or drop calls when holding it. Unless the signal is very weak to begin with.

The Nexus One's issues are almost entirely software and T-Mobile US related.

I went back to the local T-Mobile store (Germany) with a friend of mine to show him the iPhone4 issue. I had my new HTC Desire with me and he has a Nexus One. Standing in the exact same location, with the exact same hand position on the phone, my HTC Desire had full strength 3G, my mate's Nexus One had 3 bars of 3G and the iPhone 4 lost all signal completely and stood there in "searching" mode. I set the iPhone back down and voila, full 3G signal again.

To even attempt to compare the Nexus One issues with the iPhone4's issues is laughable. That isn't a swipe at you, just for people who seem to be making those types of arguments.

 

[distortedloop]

I've found the Evo/Android fanboys to be just as bad or worse. Even though the Apple folks fight with will of the first and second crusades, they usually tend to be a bit older, mature, and well reasoned.

No, the Android fans aren't any worse. Your ( that's the generic you, not the actual you) Apple bias will just make you perceive them that way. On the other hand your Android bias might make you perceive the Apple fans more negatively.

In my post that you were responding too, feel free to substitute "trolls" with "Android fans", "CrackBerry fans", "Windows fans", etc.

I certainly break all your stereotypes. I am in my late 40s, I am an Android fan AND an Apple fan. I point out the plusses and minuses of both products freely. ;-)

Oh, grow up! This isn't a concerted campaign by Android "fanboys". The ones reporting the problem are the ones who actually own an Apple iPhone 4.

btw - I have a nexus one (and an iPhone 3G) and have never had any 3G reception issues with either of them no matter how I hold it (I'm a lefty too). The new iPhone appears to have reception issues in certain circumstances. Apple can either say it's just a user/usage problem (which seems to be Stevie's position) or admit to a fundamental design problem. I think we all know which path they'll take, and that means this will run and run....

I posted earlier in the thread that I have iPhone 4, iPhone 3Gs, Sprint EVO and Nexus One. The problem can reproduced by me on all of the phones except the iPhone 3Gs. The Nexus One is well documented with many forum posts in the Android community that holding it towards the bottom of the phone weakens reception. The EVO's signal can be weakened with the hand, but you have to hold the phone up towards the top of the phone…large handed people might, but it's a pretty awkward position to hold it in.

 

[OneEyedSpaniel]

Think about this?

WOW people we are comparing our brand new iPhones to this Nokia I had when I was 12 years old. There should be some signal strength improvements. I think it is utterly insane to even compare these to phones in any way (but its sad to say its happening). Who would have thought the new iPhone 4 would have signal problems of a 8-10 year old Nokia. BTW that was a solid phone. Had a couple cool pre loaded games too

 

[OneEyedSpaniel]

two*** phones

 

[sillypooh]

My new Nokia does the same thing. Hold it well, WAIT FOR A MINUTE, and voila!, one bar less.

My guess is, some phone delay the variations of the signal strength on the screen, just to make sure it's not a brief thing. Some others, like the iPhone 4 probably, display variations immediately. Maybe some others don't even show those small variations, just to show they're immune to it. I wouldn't call it a deal-breaker.

 

[PstLMac]

So this happens when both strips of metal (antennas) are bridged with your hand???
This is why there are partitions on the sides of the phone.
Seems like Apple knew about this and this was their brilliant idea to help remedy it.
Why not engineer the antennas in a place where people don’t touch; like the top back side.

Attenuation:
electricity) The exponential decrease with distance in the amplitude of an electrical signal traveling along a very long uniform transmission line, due to conductor and dielectric losses.
physics) The reduction in level of a quantity, such as the intensity of a wave, over an interval of a variable, such as the distance from a source.

 

[azentropy]

I CANNOT reproduce this with my iPhone (no yellow screen either!). I live in a suburb of Phoenix.

Which suburb? I have an office at the Tempe/Chandler boarder, live in Surprise, and my parents are in N. Phoenix and easily reproduced the issue in all 3 areas yesterday (yes it was a long day of driving).

 

[distortedloop]

I am sure that other phones do this, but the iphone is all people care about.

I don't see lines of people to get the Droid. Even if it did this also who would care.

People stood in line for the EVO 4G ( a "Droid") just a couple of weeks ago, and for the almost-as-over-hyped-as-an-iPhone launch Palm Pre release. Lots of other devices cause lines too. Lines and shortages are now part of the marketing plan of many consumer electronic devices companies. Perhaps you just read Apple-related sites so you don't notice that non-Apple-only folks get as excited about the new toys from other companies as the Apple-faithful do…?

noooooo.....

The best thing about android is strains and groans from the owner/manufacturers to extrenuate and try to clone everything that the iphone represents... and that the iPhone already is... from hardware to software...

Android is a geek phone, simple as that...and developers will never make money from open source... it's already a proven fact, AKA Sourcforge, linux... blah blah blah.

It's nothing to do with fan-ism, it's simple historical fact.

Get real, dude. Android tries to copy Apple? Apple is notorious for ripping off other companies' ideas. EVERY "hot" new feature in iOS is OLD NEWS if you've used a jailbroken iPhone, a Palm Pre, or any Android phone released in the last 6-8 months, and even the old Palm Treo and Palm Pilots.

It could be argued that Apple takes someone else's ideas and improves on the user experience with them, but to claim that Apple is the leader in original ideas (outside of aesthetically pleasing physical design) doesn't stand up to the test of actual historical fact.

 

[viewfly]

WOW people we are comparing our brand new iPhones to this Nokia I had when I was 12 years old. There should be some signal strength improvements. I think it is utterly insane to even compare these to phones in any way (but its sad to say its happening). Who would have thought the new iPhone 4 would have signal problems of a 8-10 year old Nokia. BTW that was a solid phone. Had a couple cool pre loaded games too

Actually, people use phones like the Nokia as a standard to see how the RF compares to new smartphones coming out...like Androids or iPhones.

It's a good comparison.

 

[furi0usbee]

Conspiracy????

Hey, have you looked at the Apple Bumpers? They have the sleep/wake and volume buttons already built into the bumper. Meaning, with the bumper, you never actually touch the stainless steel with your fingers. Now, the guy at the Apple store put it on for me, so I didn't get a chance to see the inside, but if there is a rubber membrane under the bumper buttons, as so no metal touches the actual buttons, then Apple probably full well knew about these issues, since the bumper makes it impossible to touch the metal with your hands.

It's funny how Apple had these made for the device. To my knowledge, they didn't make 3GS covers, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, something smells funny. Luckily, my iPhone 4 works fine with bumpers (haven't tried without) and my screen has no yellow blotches.

Apple, you little deceptive devils..... or are they? See, I'm just asking questions.

 

[rsocal]

Lol, so 3G/3GS-users who experience the same problems discovered it now, 1-2 years from when they were launched? Really? (However, I'm not experiencing those problems with my 3GS, in some truly magical way. Well, if I hold my phone as it should be held that is, and not by squeezing every tiny inch of it.) This "problem" is common in about every phone out there. Cover the antenna and the reception will decrease (link).

The link you suggest here is a very good read. I have seen this on my first Gen. iPhone, 3G & 3GS but never anything that caused me any problems. As for my new iPhone 4 I really can't get it to do it that bad at all. I can't believe how people will make such an issue out of any little thing they can when it comes to the iPhone. When you make the best product somebody allways wants to bring you down.

 

[transmaster]

Idiots

I am a amateur radio operator. I build antennas for all frequencies. You can only do so much with the tiny amounts of transmitter power that is safe at the various cell frequencies in use. Before you start gassing about Steve Gates, Apple bla-bla-bla no good iPhone, evil conspiracy black hole of control, anti-Christ Please take the time to understand how a transmitter and antenna work at the very high frequencies a cell phone uses. Once you understand things you will be able to get even better use from your iPhone.

The bottom line is this is a NON-ISSUE !

 

[distortedloop]

With regards to ATT's poor reception and dropped calls, people need to start adding Apple to that blame. Listen, APPLE chose ATT as their carrier. They
supposidly did the research and chose ATT as their carrier. Also, at some point Apple could've easily reworked their contract or said the contract is over due to poor performace from their network which doesn't paint Apple's products in a good light. Apple can do that. Hell, any company working under contract with another can do that. Apple has more and better lawyers than ATT. They could've easily broken the contract with NO breach of contract lawsuit. Did they, no. They still continue to do NEW business with ATT with the iPad 3G. So instead of mindless iSheep chatter about how it's always ATT's fault, blame Apple (or Canaduh).

Actually, it was big news on all the news and tech sites back in January 2007 when Verizon announced that they turned down Apple's offer to be the iPhone carrier. Google it, or just check out this Wired.com article as a starter: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/01/verizon_turned_/

Verizon probably wouldn't agree to the revenue sharing Apple got out of AT&T the first year of the iPhone; I am sure it's a decision Verizon still regrets several years later.

 

[distortedloop]

Y'all need to take a pill...

Ever since the industry got away from the external antenna, the possibility for human attenuation of the received signal has existed. I never believed that it could be this pronounced... I can take my 3GS from 5 to zero bars in seconds. I am invincible, feel my wrath!

Before reading your post I was thinking of how ALL my old cell phones from the 1990s had fixed/rigid external antennas at first, them moved to telescoping antennas (like the Star Tac).

Maybe the iPhone 5 should come with a 6" whip antenna...

 

[ericinboston]

I know I am late to the forums but might as well cast my vote...

This "excuse" by Apple is 100% BS...totally UNACCEPTABLE! The !*#@$() phone is MEANT to be held...repeatedly...and somewhat tightly as you do NOT want to drop a $500 phone.

I've been using cells since 1997...Nokia, Motorola, and now 10+ months usage of my iPhone 3GS....never once have I seen, experienced, or even heard of this so-called industry excuse.

If I owned a 4G and this was happening to me, I would return it quickly and get out of my contract...it's DEFECTIVE. Plain and simple. And when Apple releases a new Rev of the 4G in a few months (that's my bet) then I would go back and try it again.

-Eric

 

[nooaah]

Yes, it is. The phone works fine, and some people will stop at nothing to try and take Apple down a peg.

How many reichsmarks did ihr Fuhrer Jobs pay you for your cooperation? I zaw nutteeeeeng!

 

[Smacky]

Lol @ Apple apologists
FEEL the denial

 

[bamerican]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I have not been able to reproduce this problem with my device. In fact, compared to my first generation iPhone (which, I admittedly avoided upgrading because of the service cost increase until now), I actually get better service and am not dropping calls in places where I had spotty service with my first generation iPhone.

 

[fox777]

Yep I am able to reproduce this as well. Goes from 5 full bars to 0. I believe this is major design flaw because my 3G and 3GS NEVER did this and I have used all 3 phones in exact same spot.


Also the reason that Apple did not redesign the chassis:

Simply because they did not have time. It would possibly take months of development to redesign chassis and possibly many other things. If they were to do that would break tradition of announcing Iphones at WWDC. Also, possibly #1 is that if they pushed release to late this year or next year Iphone 3GS is pretty obsolete compared to other devices such as EVO...

 

[22hand]

Lol @ Apple apologists
FEEL the denial

Actually I have a BOLD II 9700 and I have same issue depends on location and how I hold the phone, I do believe this is very common. Because in the past no one like the phone so much and no one will investigate and test so deep about all way of using or even holding your phone ?

 

[furi0usbee]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I have not been able to reproduce this problem with my device.

My friend got her's on the 23rd, and when I tested mine with the bumpers, side by side, I could see her bars go from 5 down to 1 from me holding the bottom left side. Good thing she's not a lefty.

When I only hold the glass, it's fine

So there definitely is a problem. At least this would get me a new iPhone in the future if the same happens to mine. Haven't taken the bumpers off, but when I do, I'll test.

Maybe Apple had a private stock for pre-orders shipped directly and a different store stock?

 

[PstLMac]

Sorry AT&T

AT&T It's not all your fault...it's in the product design as well.

This makes me feel better about signing a contract with AT&T now...lol

Apple...tsk tsk tsk...

I still like the phone & operating system though...

I'll get one in a couple of months...no rush.

 

[paulypants]

I have tried to replicate this issue and have not come close...I have practically smothered my iPhone 4 covering up it's entire surface area, aluminum band and gaps and applying pressure to it, I don't lose 1 bar... yes!

 

[job2]

Got off the phone with Apple. They're sending me a new one overnight. They said they're aware of the issue, and it has something to do with a missing protective coating on some of the parts.

http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/iphone4/index.html#d24jun2010

 

[iphaedrus]

Steve is not getting it! ... this is NOT the same thing as what he is talking about!

Sure, every receiver is affected by changes in its surroundings, but this is signal conflict within the iPhone device itself.

And even the link that talks about the Nexus having a reception problem also states "In all fairness, the phone is pretty usuable unless you're in an area with weak 3G coverage", which leads me to believe that this is NOT the same issue either as my iPhone becomes unusable (the call drops within 30seconds) when I naturally rest the phone in the palm of my hand - regardless of original signal strength.