TUAW posts antenna video with ACTUAL numbers

[elistan]

I also find it hard to believe, especially since they probably have hired some of the best engineers in the world. That leads me to believe that they've been gaming the numbers this entire time, and now it is biting them in the ass, as Gruber put it.

Particularly since, despite their claims in their press release, Apple's first-gen iPhone (or at least my first-gen iPhone) calculates bars very differently. Based on using field test over several days an observing signal strength and bars displayed, I put together this spreadsheet.

 

[TrickyTree1984]

Has anyone questioned why this fix is going to take Apple "2 weeks"? A company with their resources should be able to bang a fix out for a relatively simple "bug" like this much, much faster than that. I work for a UK bank as a programmer, we roll out bug fixes same day if it is affecting customers. We have 15 developers, how many does Apple have?

I suspect that they did the press release to cool the waters a bit. They still do not know how they are going to fix a hardware issue without recalling all the phones!

 

[thetexan]

Yes, that's a big part of the problem here. Some people see 5 bars, when it's actually a wide range. Hopefully once this is fixed it will help to better explain why some people see this and some don't. Right now 5 bars could mean a lot of different things.

And Apple was totally fudging the numbers. This isn't that big of a surprise after using iPhones for three years.

It explains why iPhone users complain of dropped calls more than AT&T's other customers. I also believe the numbers were intentionally fudged. It's going to be interesting to see the "average Joe" complaints about a bad signal nearly everywhere he goes.

For comparison when I'm around 100db on my Droid I have one to two bars out of four. 95db was a OK signal at best, and it's not earning of "5 bars" by any means.

 

[dagomike]

Has anyone questioned why this fix is going to take Apple "2 weeks"? A company with their resources should be able to bang a fix out for a relatively simple "bug" like this much, much faster than that. I work for a UK bank as a programmer, we roll out bug fixes same day if it is affecting customers. We have 15 developers, how many does Apple have?

I suspect that they did the press release to cool the waters a bit. They still do not know how they are going to fix a hardware issue without recalling all the phones!

I'm thinking they want to properly field test it. It would be really bad if they screwed up the fix.

There's also a PR factor in letting everyone cool off for a couple weeks before issuing something that's not going to fix their problems.

 

[itsmemuffins]

If it was an ATT problem, then the 3GS would perform similarly.

And it does and worse according to the Yanks always bleating about the iPhones previous to 4 always dropping calls and how bad at&t is.

In my year of owning the 3G I never had one dropped call, but then again I'm not on at&t.

Go somewhere you have three bars and try it. Any test with five bars doesn't prove anything. Either way, you're a single datapoint and that doesn't disprove anything.

Data is most certainly affected. It's been widely demonstrated even in this thread by my screen shot comparison. Holding the phone kills all data.

Your post makes no sense. All the "death grip" tests show 5 bars good "death grip" 1 bars not good, I show you hte opposite and you have a problem with it? And as far as holding the phone kills all data my screen shot shows to the contrary.

Yes there is a problem with your phone as well as everyone else. You may be able to demonstrate that you do not have sufficient attenuation in a high signal area such that it does not affect the performance of your phone, but in areas of medium to low signal strength you will easily be able to demonstrate the same problem everyone else has.

Posting high signal strength tests proves nothing at all and is a waste of everyone's time. Post the same test starting with 4 bars on your phone and that would be a credible addition to the discussion, but no one has been able to do that.

Tha's fair enough, my in laws live an a pretty weak signal are. Next time I'm there I will conduct the same test and post my results.

 

[dagomike]

And it does and worse according to the Yanks always bleating about the iPhones previous to 4 always dropping calls and how bad at&t is.

Irrelevant. The phone is either better, worse, or same as previous iPhones. The carrier making up for poor phone performance doesn't excuse the phone.

In my year of owning the 3G I never had one dropped call, but then again I'm not on at&t.

I dropped very few calls on my 3GS and original iPhone.

Your post makes no sense. All the "death grip" tests show 5 bars good "death grip" 1 bars not good, I show you hte opposite and you have a problem with it? And as far as holding the phone kills all data my screen shot shows to the contrary.

No, many tests show 2-4 bars going to no signal. Some show 5 bars going to 1 or none, but that entirely depends on what the five bars actually mean. 5 bars represents nearly 60% of the iPhone's reception.

 

[TrickyTree1984]

I'm thinking they want to properly field test it. It would be really bad if they screwed up the fix.

There's also a PR factor in letting everyone cool off for a couple weeks before issuing something that's not going to fix their problems.

I think you are right about the PR. That was kind of my point. I don't think apple can fix it.

 

[itsmemuffins]

Irrelevant. The phone is either better, worse, or same as previous iPhones. The carrier making up for poor phone performance doesn't excuse the phone.



I dropped very few calls on my 3GS and original iPhone.



No, many tests show 2-4 bars going to no signal. Some show 5 bars going to 1 or none, but that entirely depends on what the five bars actually mean. 5 bars represents nearly 60% of the iPhone's reception.

Well my experience with the iPhone 4 is excellent. Im sorry yours isn't.

 

[wattsja]

2. Irregardless isn't a word.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless


irregardless

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less
Pronunciation: \ˌir-i-ˈgärd-ləs\
Function: adverb
Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless
Date: circa 1912

nonstandard : regardless
usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.


Point is .. it IS a word. Now as to it being a proper or standard word .. that is another matter.