My wife and I both have an iPhone X, hers in an Apple Silicone Case and mine in an Apple Leather Case. There have been multiple instances of us being right next to each other and her having superior cell signal (we are both on Verizon), usually more bars and occasionally some signal when I have none. Anyone else experience this?
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iPhone X Worse signal with Apple Leather Case
- Thread starter acousticbiker
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Leather and TPU cases have no effect on radio waves. Why? Because leather and silicone are non-conductive materials, so neither will block signals going to, or out of, your phone. Metal and carbon fiber will though.
From experience I can say that the Apple silicon case does block the signal. In some places just removing the case makes the phone usable again. This doesn’t seem to happen with the leather case though.
Any case will effect the signal. Some so slight it make no difference while other it can make the difference on if you can make a call.
That's not entirely true, the material doesn't need to be conductive. All material has some attenuation, including leather and silicone, but usually it's negligible.
swap cases and re-test --
water and oil can block RF
RF transparent materials is a better term -- microwave in this case.
if a non metal items get hot in a microwave oven it is not very RF transparent which is why some plates can get very hot.
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water and oil can block RF
RF transparent materials is a better term -- microwave in this case.
if a non metal items get hot in a microwave oven it is not very RF transparent which is why some plates can get very hot.
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Yes, if you want to be extremely technical, they can block some signal. But TPU and leather is so negligible, it's not worth mentioning, especially when there are Carbon Fiber and aluminum cases out there that actually do effect signal strength.
My point was that saying they don't effect signal because they are non-conductive is wrong. I.e. concrete blocks signal, so does plaster and hard wood. What matters is the attenuation the material adds due to absorption, not how conductive it is.