Steve Jobs denies iP4 reception issues!

[MacGiver]

Whatever the IOS4 update will be i hope it will not only fix that issue but also the HUGE EXCHANGE issue a lot of people (especially business/enterprise) are experiencing!
C'mon Apple release that OS update and next time do a better job at beta testing.
X

 

[Plutonius]

And if there really believed that there wasn't a reception issue why would they not issue a statement before now and avoid all this bad press?

Do people actually think before posting ?

Maybe because it takes engineering some time to isolate the cause of the problem and figure out a fix to it.

 

[Fuchal]

Whatever the IOS4 update will be i hope it will not only fix that issue but also the HUGE EXCHANGE issue a lot of people (especially business/enterprise) are experiencing!
C'mon Apple release that OS update and next time do a better job at beta testing.
X

Yeah, I've found a number of 4.0 bugs in Mail, Photos, SMS... but I have no doubt those will be fixed.

 

[idude1471]

If there are 3GS's having the same problem that upgraded to ios 4, then the fix is software.. Wait for an update... After reading and talking to people I am confident that Apple can and will fix this issue. I drop alot of calls with my new phone and know it is frustrating, but when it's fixed the phone will be perfect..I'll continue to wait.

 

[-aggie-]

Ok I will play. I am in indoors right in front of a window, 1750 ft from a ATT cell tower.

TEST #1 BUMPERS ON (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding in left palm
0s: 5 bars 3G
8s: 4 bars 3G
10s: 3 bars 3G
15s: 2 bars 3G
32s: 1 bar 3G
until 3:00 1 bar 3g
remove from hand and put on desk
3:05: 2 bars 3G
3:07: 3 bars 3G
3:08: 4 bars 3G
3:09: 5 bars 3G

TEST #2 BUMPERS OFF (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding in left palm
0s: 5 bars 3G
8s: 4 bars 3G
14s: 3 bars 3G
16s: 2 bars 3G
32s: 1 bar 3G
1:58: 1 bar edge
until 3:00 1 bar 3g
remove from hand and put on desk
3:02: 2 bars edge
3:11: 3 bars edge
3:14: 4 bars edge
3:18: 5 bars edge (remains at 5 bars, edge until)
4:30: 5 bars 3G

TEST #3 BUMPERS OFF (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding with thumb and index finger only on sides of phone: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed

So, bumpers don’t fix the issue, huh?

 

[Tonewheel]

you're welcome

You should thank Steve-O for his in-depth comments too


"You're Holding it wrong"
"No reception issue, Stay Tuned"

lololololo

Don't deflect. I'll take the word of the Apple CEO over "word up".
Although you are cooler.

 

[Tonewheel]

So, bumpers don’t fix the issue, huh?

A credible test would be to actually be making a call during those hand gestures and phone placement and report the results, not just bars on your screen.

 

[master-ceo]

Don't deflect. I'll take the word of the Apple CEO over "word up".
Although you are cooler.

I can digg that. The CEO will always be the man with positive answers to his loyal consumers. The CEO will always go out of his way to make his customers happy and feel welcomed after they spend their hard earned money on the latest and greatest.

God Bless the CEO

 

[elchup]

Has anyone tested the signal issue for an extended amount of time? We all know that when you hold the phone like that, it goes down, then you let go to show it go back up. But yesterday when I tested it, I held it until it went to no bars, then kept holding it. After about 3-4 minutes, my bars actually started to go back UP to 4! Then it went down a bar, then back up a bar. Has anyone experienced anything like this?

 

[Silverado]

Explain to me how touching the antenna has anything to do with software?

If it's all hardware, the bars should be all lost immediately and calls should drop immediately. But the bars are lost slowly and then the call is lost. When you mess with antenna on a TV, for example, the picture is not lost slowly, but is gone immediately.

So, it is the software that is not able to handle the change in reception and eventually loses the call.

 

[duction]

i wouldnt worry, if you still drop calls after the update then we know its gna be a recall.

 

[Plutonius]

Explain to me how touching the antenna has anything to do with software?

When you touch any antenna, the antenna signal is affected. In most devices now, software controls amplification, signal sampling, etc (i.e. everything is done in software). Apple is modifying IOS4 to hold signal when the antenna is attenuated.

 

[gri]

You know, there are two ways that this could pan out:

Best case - software update released immediately which actually fixes the issue.

Worst case - Apple redesigns the antenna, adding whatever insulating film needed, and issues a recall.

For stockholders' and customers' sake I hope it's the former.

No - worst case: Apple silently redesigns the phone and brings it out a few months from now with larger RAM to cover the actual reason up - and all the people (including myself) with the first batch are screwed.

 

[ski1ski1]

Do people actually think before posting ?

Maybe because it takes engineering some time to isolate the cause of the problem and figure out a fix to it.

Hmmm, Apple is trying to have it both ways. First they admit there are reception issues if you hold the bottom left corner. A place many people naturally hold their phone. Now they say there is no reception issue. This is all our imagination. Then what are we staying tuned for ? A rumored 4.01 software fix to the non-existant reception issue ? Apple...you can't have it both ways. So there is no reception issue, but yet you are coming out with a fix to the non-existant reception issue. LOL

 

[Jaxdialation]

Seems credible to me. Are you suggesting the problem is that the bars are inaccurate? Or that signal strength is not relevant to voice calling?

A credible test would be to actually be making a call during those hand gestures and phone placement and report the results, not just bars on your screen.

 

[adam.posey]

If it's all hardware, the bars should be all lost immediately and calls should drop immediately. But the bars are lost slowly and then the call is lost. When you mess with antenna on a TV, for example, the picture is not lost slowly, but is gone immediately.

So, it is the software that is not able to handle the change in reception and eventually loses the call.

A great point, and let us not forget that this radio wouldn't be active without software of one kind or another telling it what to do at every step. Yes, your hand is likely causing interference but the phone's software is the bulk of the problem.

 

[McGiord]

Ok I will play. I am in indoors right in front of a window, 1750 ft from a ATT cell tower.

TEST #1 BUMPERS ON (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding in left palm
0s: 5 bars 3G
8s: 4 bars 3G
10s: 3 bars 3G
15s: 2 bars 3G
32s: 1 bar 3G
until 3:00 1 bar 3g
remove from hand and put on desk
3:05: 2 bars 3G
3:07: 3 bars 3G
3:08: 4 bars 3G
3:09: 5 bars 3G

TEST #2 BUMPERS OFF (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding in left palm
0s: 5 bars 3G
8s: 4 bars 3G
14s: 3 bars 3G
16s: 2 bars 3G
32s: 1 bar 3G
1:58: 1 bar edge
until 3:00 1 bar 3g
remove from hand and put on desk
3:02: 2 bars edge
3:11: 3 bars edge
3:14: 4 bars edge
3:18: 5 bars edge (remains at 5 bars, edge until)
4:30: 5 bars 3G

TEST #3 BUMPERS OFF (same results with wireless on vs off)
- Reboot & 3 min sitting on desk: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed
- Reboot & Holding with thumb and index finger only on sides of phone: 5 full bars of 3G, never changed

Can you repeat the test with an actual phone call, and if you have the time and desire make some combinations with cell network data usage. Have you experienced any dropped call?

 

[Tonewheel]

Seems credible to me. Are you suggesting the problem is that the bars are inaccurate? Or that signal strength is not relevant to voice calling?

Jax,

When I have 5 bars and place my hand over the suspect area of the phone, it slowly drops to zero bars, but maintains a signal. I tested this with a number of phone calls, and when bars went to zero, the call was just as clear and strong as when there were 5 bars indicated. FWIW, I'm in suburban Chicago.

 

[merlinw]

WOOHOO!!! So we now have official word from Steve Jobs that the issue is 99.9% software and will be fixed with the new iOS4 update which may be out Monday?

Great news!

Good News indeed.
But . . . will it magically change the antenna? or just cover up the problem?

 

[ski1ski1]

When you touch any antenna, the antenna signal is affected. In most devices now, software controls amplification, signal sampling, etc (i.e. everything is done in software). Apple is modifying IOS4 to hold signal when the antenna is attenuated.

It's not antenna attenuation. It's shorting out with the other antenna when you touch it at the seam. If it was simple antenna attenuation, then why does a bumper fix the issue if your hands are in the exact same spot ? Or why if you have your fingers just a few millimeters above or below the seam, without the bumper, the issue magically disappears. It's not antenna attenuation, it shorting out the two antennas due to a design flaw.

 

[chrisk1250]

When you touch any antenna, the antenna signal is affected. In most devices now, software controls amplification, signal sampling, etc (i.e. everything is done in software). Apple is modifying IOS4 to hold signal when the antenna is attenuated.

No - worst case: Apple silently redesigns the phone and brings it out a few months from now with larger RAM to cover the actual reason up - and all the people (including myself) with the first batch are screwed.

Yes, because the amount of RAM directly affects the antenna.

 

[Plutonius]

Hmmm, Apple is trying to have it both ways. First they admit there are reception issues if you hold the bottom left corner. A place many people naturally hold their phone. Now they say there is no reception issue. This is all our imagination. Then what are we staying tuned for ? A rumored software 4.01 fix to the non-existant reception issue ? Apple...you can't have it both ways. So there is no reception issue, but yet you are coming out with a fix to the non-existant reception issue. LOL

Actually, I believe that Apple has said it's a non-issue all along although I believe it is. The two issues are dropped calls and the signal meter.

Apple should be able to fix in software the dropped calls due to antenna attenuation (holding it in the corner) but, I'm not sure how they can fix in software the low bar display (i.e. The phone will not drop calls while holding the corner but the meter will still show no bars when holding the corner).

 

[Daveoc64]

Yes, because the amount of RAM directly affects the antenna.

They mentioned RAM as a possible reason for a design revision. Storage size changes would be the same.

 

[kernkraft]

But have you not heard...

A senior advisor just told me that there will be a software fix to solve the issue.

stevo just said that there was no issue...

Besides, I just spoke to Jesus and he thinks that misleading consumers sucks.

 

[WalterNeff]

A friend of mine

wants to buy my 17" Powerbook G4 1.0 GZh, 1 G Ram, 60G HD, (with padded case, all in excellent condition). What's a fair price?—I have no clue and eBay listings were all over the map.