And now, to answer the question that’s on everyone’s mind: Does the just released iOS 4.1 update fix the iPhone 4′s death grip issue — or at least appear to?
No, no it does not. At least in our testing of iOS 4.1 in its current state (intended primarily for developers to use to ensure their apps don’t break), the phone appears to drop signal just as easily as it did on OS 4.0. We’ve got a video of a quick test going up on Youtube right this second — check back in about 3 minutes for that. see below for that.
Update: The video! It may take a moment for YouTube to finish processing, but here’s the embed so you can get at it the second its alive.
Shocking.
Software doesn’t fix a hardware defect. I want my recalled white iPhone, or more importantly the “we figured out what was wrong and fixed it White iPhone”
The software fix was so that the bars more closely related to actual signal strength, not to fix a hardware issue.
Note that the phone in the video was only showing three bars. It seems to reliably demonstrate this problem, you have to seek out an area of poor reception.
If you’re in a weak transmission area, on AT&T and the phone is struggling to make a call AND you touch the antenna then the call MAY drop – but it’s not happening in REAL WORLD PRACTICE.
Even breathless tech bloggers who can demonstrate the magic disappearing bars quickly add they “themselves” cannot make calls drop.
http://www.eddale.co/general/on-reception-the-iphone-4-hysteria-the-real-lifelab-test-conundrum
@JW Sure they can
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PQyWp0mWE
Well, it happens to me, friend. My iPhone 4 drops calls all the time in the real world, where my previous 3GS rarely ever did.
I even went out and bought a bumper (and I’ve NEVER owned a case before), which does help. But the reception is still pretty bad and I’m still dropping calls.
“weak transmission area, on AT&T” – is there a good transmision area on AT&T that I should be aware of?
By the way, I am now at my 3rd iPhone 4 unit. The previous two were defective. An awful phone tied to an even worst service provider
NOT true. According to Apple there IS no hardware problem. The whole thing was just a big misunderstanding created by an inaccurate display of signal strength. So yes, according to Apple this IS supposed to fix the problem. But, as everyone who is NOT Apple has been saying, you can’t fix a hardware design problem with a software patch!
Face it: all that they have done is stopped producing a signal strength display that fraudulently displays a stronger signal than you actually have. In other words, your signal always sucked. But now you can see just how bad it sucks, instead of seeing a sanitized blue sky version of suckage.
Honest question: are bars on phones from other brands linear or logarithmic?
Just updated to 4.0.1… No change in the issue. I want a new iPhone. Oh, and I’ll take the free bumper for my troubles.
Fixed it perfectly, but then I’ve had no dropped calls. I can hold on the antenna “seam” and it stays strong. Thanks, Apple! You’re the best.
Agreed, I could make the bars drop one or two if I really squeezed- but never drop any calls.
Not surprising. Plan B, hand out free bumpers.
Plan C. Handout free gum tapes to paste on that corner. Thick enough and transparent.
Make a recall.
Plan A for me: buy a different phone
For some reason, I can’t reproduce this on my iPhone 4 at all.
I cannot get the bars or the reception to drop no matter how I hold it.
Weird that so many people seem to have this issue.
I can’t duplicate the issue either.
Me either. My iPhone 4 works just fine. I wonder if it were just a bad batch?
Obviously, CR is lying and there is no issue at all. It’s all a huge conspiracy theory fabricated by Google, Microsoft and Techcrunch against Apple.
@Tom – the funny thing is that there are actually people interested in blowing this out of proportion. Not Apple’s competitors, hedge fund managers hoping for a slingshot effect!
http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/175064-jason-schwarz/81440-apple-hedge-fund-slingshot-is-back
Never had a problem either. My problems have been software related, specifically with the camera. Photos don’t always show up in the album after I take them, unless I back completely out and then restart the app.
High frequency.
Issue depends on what frequency you phone is working at, among quad bands. Less attenuation if high frequency.
I have had none of the issues that have been reported. I lub my iPhone 4…. On another note, one of my buddies is having the signal loss issue. He bought the bumper and it still didnt fix the issue.
If you are either incredibly misinformed (which is unlikely because you are commenting here) or apple tools. Read this and you’ll know why it doesn’t happen to everyone at all the time. But, it can happen to anyone in the right place (wrong place in this instance) http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/the-iphone-4-review/2
Every Phone in the world can lose signal when the intent is to cover the antenna… Case In point:
HTC EVO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh6pUNY_rv8
HTC Evo Signal Attenuation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pj2YBYTbag
Samsung Galaxy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPCQdYtPihg
Droid Incredible: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaDE941PzQk
Droid Incredible (With Network Extender in Room): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpEQH9_A5jw
Nexus One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIA_lMwqJA
Nexus One vs. iPhone (start at 1:29): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvMoV4_C4aA
Nexus One: http://posterous.com/getfile/files.p…n_-_iPhone.m4v
Nexus One (after Google’s update to correct): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2g5J4qPp54
Nexus One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deCkjeHYT-g
Android G1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CDaxhjUs9M
I am not experiencing dropped bars either. I guess that 4.1 won’t fix anything for me then?
My husband & I each have the new iPhone 4. No reception issues, no dropped calls, just great video & wow! graphics.
Me Evo doesn’t have screen separation or bad battery life, so apparently no one else ever really experienced those issues.
well it’s clearly not present on all phones! :)
There were rumors of it being a coating issue. Also keep in mind that it mainly occurs when you have low or medium coverage. If you have good coverage, the issue won’t be visible because the drop in signal (~25-30dBA IIRC) still leaves you with plenty of bars. Which is not to say it’s a non-issue.
The antenna issue is only if you actually have full bars in a low signal area. People are over reacting the signal problem is just the phone displaying your actual signal, if you do it in places with actual full signal it won’t work. If you don’t believe me try it with other AT&T phones. My dorm was a low signal area for my iPhone 3G running the 3.0V of the IOS and i always randomly lost signal or was pushed onto the Edge network. Got my new iPhone 4 and had full bars in my room thought it was a little odd then saw the antenna problem. Tried it and it worked, in my dorm. I did a little research and found that outside I couldn’t replicate it, but inside I can. I also found a couple articles online that explained the same thing so I know it isn’t just me.
Your phone is worse. Other phones at least SHOW the drop. Yours does not even show it. Hope it does not stop working all of a sudden as soon as your warranty is up.
It all depends how strong ur signal is. I have the IP4 and in my bedroom i can drop the bars too zero but outside in my driveway i cant make the bars drop no matter how much or how long i hold it
It affects every iphone 4, but it all depends on the strength of signal where u try it
Im right handed but i hold my phone with my left hand in the “death-grip” fashion
I have 1 more week untill my 30 day return window is up. Cant make up my mind on returning it or gettin a case or bumper. The vapor aluminum bumper looks great
I can’t replicate it either when using the “death grip”
I stick it up my butt like Steve Jobs said and I don’t get any bars dropped either.
I think my experience indicates there isn’t a problem with any iphones.
It’s called “Facetime”, not “A$$time”. You clearly aren’t using the phone properly ;-)
reason could be is that u are not holding it down long enough. hold it by the bottom left corner for at least a minute next time. i returned mine back to at@t last week and waiting to see if new batch of iphone4 still have same issues. i had antenna, proximaty and few other OS bugs on the one i returned. btw….at@t charges 10% restock fee lol.
I agree.
hmmmm with all the hoopla!
I still Love my iPhone 4G :-)
Did you seriously just call it “iPhone 4G”?….you have no right to comment about the “iPhone 4″ on the 3G Network until you learn more about the device you support.
Your a dumb ass it is the 4 generation iPhone hence the 4g just like sprints 4g network is the 4th generation data network for sprint; which btw there is no standard for what determines a network is 3G, 4g, or 12g for that matter.
*You’re a dumb ass.
The fact of the matter is that it is not, and never has been, called the ‘iPhone 4G’. If you follow your logic, you should have called the iPhone 3G the ‘iPhone 2G’ and you’d still be a dumb ass.
4G refers to the fourth generation of the device.
No, it does not. In the world of mobile devices, 4G is a type of network.
Or maybe 4G refers to 4 Gonads, which what Steve Jobs has to have to brush this issue aside.
Just admit the phone was not done right to begin with. I guess Steve has to let someone go.
Omg Apple NEVER said it was going to fix the antenna issue. Wow, I’m very disappointed in you guys for not having your facts straight. You’re suppose to be professionals. Please go back and reread the statement Apple released over a week ago.
Exactly. This is brain dead journalism. Apple never said “This will make your reception perfect.” They said “this will more accurately report your initial signal, so that you can know when to be careful not to attenuate it”.
It’s fair to criticize this as an inadequate response, it’s BS to misconstrue the response as a promise to give the iPhone 4 bionic reception.
Then it’s an insane PR fuck up. If they choose to not act on this, it will follow them and haunt them.
Have you seen the stock dips? It’s just starting. If they don’t make this right on Friday, and I’m not talking about a case because fuck that. You should NEVER NEED a case for a phone to operate normally. No, I’m talking about an honest to God fix.
It’s a bad design, and it’s time for them to fess up, fix it and be done with it. Or push the iPhone 5 out now and trade everyone with a 4.
No. Apple’s stock isn’t off in any way you could attribute to this. They’re still valued at more than Microsoft at a much higher price to earnings ratio, meaning investors believe they have a lot more future earnings upside.
Best phone I’ve ever had. No complaints, except by my son who loves to hear Apple put down. The best is always being attacked. Way it is.
You are absolutely right, Frank; though to be fair, they did suggest this was the only “real” issue.
btw
as i write this inside a building, i got full signal.. no much problem on my end :-)
I guess nowadays anything that bears the half-eaten apple logo will sell, regardless of quality.
Agreed, just got a new MACBook Pro “17 antiglare screen and the molding around the display is peeling off… It’s awesome! $3500 you think they could use quality glue!
Duh! Of course it doesn’t! Appalling Apple continues to keep it’s head in the sand….
@Max
With the iOS4.0 display method, if you’re at the end of the 5 bar spectrum, applying the ‘touch’ will not change the display (you’ll still see 5 bars).
That’s because the 5 bar display is 50% of the total available values. almost everything shows up at 5 bars basically.
Reference the anandtech.com review for more detail.
Maybe the fix is in a 4.0.1 branch that isn’t contained in this 4.1 branch? It seems likely that 4.1 would have been in development for longer than the current antenna kerfuffle, which triggered work on a 4.0.1 hotfix.
With modern source control management, there could easily be 2 separate branches in development. 4.1 hasn’t been announced to the public yet, so speculation on whether it should fix a potential antenna issue won’t get you very far.
Good explanation. Apple releases 4.1 and then later the promised 4.0.1. That makes a whole lot of sense. Perhaphs to shleep, it does.
I have hated every one of your replies, until now. lol
You’re right, of course. If there was a 4.1 already in the pipeline, the new “fix” would have wrapped into it, or perhaps a 4.1.1 fix, but they’re not going to do that because it would admit failure.
I thought update 4.01 would fix the signal issues. Maybe iOS 4.1 is just a beta for the next release, and not a patch.
New, major release are usually preceded with 4-5 betas by Apple over the course of weeks and months, because they modify the API and developers need to adapt existing apps to the changes or learn how to use the new features.
A small hotfix wouldn’t get the same kind of pre-exposure that 4.1 is currently getting as a beta on Apple’s developer site.
There’s nothing from Apple that says this is the update that will fix the reception issue.
There’s nothing from Apple that says ANYTHING will fix the reception issue (apart from a £25 piece of rubber)
Just checked if 4.1 was available for download when I attached my iPhone 4G in iTunes. Nope, it’s not there. Says 4.0 is most current
It is for paying developers. Labeled as beta. Technically TechCrunch is breaching the Apple Confidentiality agreement by showing it in a video.
That is a valid point, but I wonder whose account they are using? The world may never know… lol.
Thanx you for the clarification
You do NOT own an iPhone 4G. Please read the on-line user manual to learn about your iPhone 4.
Semantics, shemantics . . . Calling it a 4G is useful, especially when shopping for items on eBay and other online sources, because if you just search for iPhone 4 you will get a lot of hits for 1st gen iPhone 4GB and/or for iOS4. Also, it IS the 4th generation iPhone, so it can be properly called 4G for that reason, just like there are 5G iPod models. So 4G has a different meaning in this case, i.e. 4thGen, rather than what you apparently mean, the ability to receive 4G signals. I know this will cause some confusion. This is why iPhone HD would have been a better monikor, IMO.
Or just iPhone works…
Calling it a 4G is a misnomer and incorrect information. Call it what the fuck it is or don’t talk about it. Period.
I didn’t expect this update to really fix the reception problem. I’m not having any death grip probs tho after replacing my iPhone 4 for a defective audio when recording with the video recorder
The software update isn’t supposed to fix the death grip problem. It is supposed to address Apple’s claim that the iPhone didn’t accurately display the true signal strength to begin with.
Where did you get that sweet wallpaper?
http://www.effektivedesign.co.uk/#476578/Grid-App-for-iPhone-iPad
Enjoy! The pretty shadows all get added automatically.
The original videos I saw showing this problem showed the phone going from 5 bars to no signal, so this is an improvement! I can make my iPhone 3G go down two bars if I hold it right.
Site should be called Tech Dunce. 4.1 is a development release that has no changes for signal indication.
I dont think 4.1 will solve the problem.
Can you please indicate that it is iOS 4.1 Beta in the youtube video. As others have mentioned it is not the same as a real 4.0.1, which is not released yet.
Also, does your call drop as the bars drop? That is the only thing that matters, which your video fails to show.
Dropped Bars have nothing to do with call quality on a digital phone.. You are either ON or OFF ..
Why would you not make a call and see if you get an actual drop out..
Showing bars drop ? Who Cares..
Dropped bars do have *something* to do with call quality—it’s just not as clean and direct a relationship than most people think. And the continued blathering on by people in the gadget press who have no technical knowledge beyond “strong signal good, weak signal bad” has not helped.
The real issue is whether or not the phone will drop calls. Every phone has attenuation issues and the only difference you have with the iPhone 4 is that you can go to a specific point to create attenuation. That is because the antenna is the metallic band on the outside of the phone, whereas other phones have the antenna on the inside. In other words attenuation occurs, but it isn’t as obvious as with iPhone 4. Test to see whether or not the phone, having a healthy signal, will drop calls, that is the real test.
My iPhone 4 showed the attenuation issue, without dropping calls, in my home, which doesn’t receive good reception from AT&T. I had the same problem with my 3G iPhone. The thing is that when I am in a good coverage area I get no apparent attenuation issue, looking at the bars on the phone, and I receive data up to 2.5 Mbps download and 1.2 Mbps upload. I get this with what I will describe as a bear hug, which is more of a death grip than the left palm on the antenna in the lower left corner of the phone.
This is much ado about nothing. I wonder why I don’t hear much from folks in other countries with the phone. Is it that their phones are on much better networks than AT&T?
Yes. There is a difference between signal strength and signal quality (SINR/SINAD), and precious few people in the gadget press seem to appreciate that.
How about testing with the full five bars? There are a number of videos on youtube showing a range of Nokia phones losing bars or dropping signal when picked up. Some Nokia devices also have instructions in the user guide showing areas to avoid holding the device to avoid signal loss.
It’s naive to think that any phone won’t have signal loss when handled.
Not saying the iPhone 4 is perfect, but before making a comparison, shouldn’t alternative phones be subjected to the same level of scrutiny in regard to signal loss when handling?
You might want to share this news flash with your colleague.
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/07/04/iphone-reception-problem-may-be-solved-by-software-update/
No defects except for the mere faulty display of signal bars? You can confirm or falsify this claim by checking if all phones, Apple or not, on AT&T’s network at the same time and location as an iphone 4 have indeed no better wireless connection than the iphone. Then talk again based on this scientific experiment, not out of your dumbass religious faith one way or the other.
Like this? http://www.eddale.co/general/on-reception-the-iphone-4-hysteria-the-real-lifelab-test-conundrum
but… does it at least let you send e-mails? *HEAVY SIGH*
For those of you who say your phone doesn’t have the reception issue, what about your proximity sensor? I’ve had 2 iPhone4′s and both are illuminating the screen during calls and my face is pressing buttons, mute, End, etc. Is that happening to you? I feel like this is an issue affecting phones across the board and it’s just not getting as much attention as the death grip.
Greg, can you run some tests for that potential fix on the 4.1 beta please?
Nope. Never had that in my first or second iPhone 4. Only the audio was extremely low when recording video in the video app.
I can’t even reproduce the death grip prob in both of my iPhone 4′s… Guess I was lucky.
Sad thing is there is a slight faint horizontal scratch about an inch long right below the Apple logo… :(
I believe this is a ios4 issue oddly enough because my 3GS is doing that ever since I downloaded ios4. Never had that problem before. Anyone have suggestions on this?
As a side note… Proximity sensors can be controlled by software. Just ask your local car audio installer. You can program a proximity sensors sensitivity using the alarm brain. Should be able to reset that in an update!
Since when has software ever fixed a hardware issue?
You are obviously unaware of the ability to tune antennas via software. This is possible when the hardware has digitally adjustable solid state capacitors to tune the antennas, but we are so far not aware if Apple included this in iPhone 4. Look it up, the capability exists.
This is not a freaking radio, it’s a fixed frequency phone. Of course, anything is possible, but no way any phone would have hardware like that.
Are you fucking high? Of course it’s a goddamned radio. And “fixed” frequencies don’t exist anymore. Not in a long time. It’s a digital radio controlled by software. It’s tuned to a specific frequency, touching the band detunes the radio and the signal fails.
Simple.
Well, if it had multiple antennas for that one fixed frequency it would be possible. (Do a search for “antenna arrays” for more info.) But I agree with you that this has nothing to do with that. Apple never claimed this software update would prevent attenuation from occurring.
There is a difference between signal strength and signal quality. The bar fix alone was never going to prevent gripping the antenna from losing signal strength. Apple never claimed it would.
However, if the internal algorithms were confusing the death grip with a sudden environment fade, it could drop a call when it still had enough signal *quality* to maintain it. It will be interesting to see if the Apple (or, more likely, the radio chip provider) can tune the algorithms to better recognize such circumstances.
If you want an idea how attenuation affects reception look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4rJgLB5U8A
It compares the iPhone 4 to the EVO 4G for download and upload speeds on wi-fi, 3G and 4G in a good coverage area for both Sprint and AT&T.
I see a thin plastic strip around the iphone 4 in the picture in this blog post, is that a different kind of bumper, where can I get that ?
It’s part of the StealthArmor FusionOfIdea’s case. Review of it should be up in a few days.
Cool thanks, will wait for the review…, does it solve the antenna issue?
Wow, anyone who thinks, has thought or whatever, that Apple can fix the ACTUAL issue with a software update is either 1) Misinformed by Apple or Apple Fanboys 2) Are Apple Fanboys, because of course, they don’t think Apple could ever create anything less than perfection.
Never heard of digitally adjustable solid state capacitors to tune antennas? Look it up.
Your point? Does the iPhone have that? Doubt it.
Whether or not it does, it won’t move the antenna to a different place.
It irritates me when everyone keeps putting words in their mouths. They never said the software update would fix the “antenna” problem. They said that you might be thinking you have 4 bars when you actually have 1 or 2, and holding the phone in the “death grip” causes you to lose 1 or 2 bars, not all 4 like you think. The software update just fixes the display so you if you already have a crap signal, you know it and it isn’t as big of a surprise when you drop the call.
And I’m not a fanboy, I just take into consideration all of the details, not just the parts that I want to and start pointing fingers.
Or maybe we’re radio engineers who understand you can compensate for detuning through software genius.
Go fuck yourself with that fanboy nonsense. You sound like it’s 1994 and you have a cock in your mouth.
I think it is brilliant that a fairly dull topic about mobile phones ends up with people flinging abuse about auto-coitus and c*cks in mouths. Well done, the internet!
Not sure I get the 1994 reference though. Was that a particularly c*ck-in-mouth year? Be glad if someone can illuminate
I work at an Apple Auth Reseller in Myrtle Beach, SC. ATT network is owned and developed by a local telco here. I have always done pretty well in most places, especially at work with my 3GS until my girlfriend broke it… in any case, We put on Pro app training classes here and have people in from other parts of the country. I ask them if they have problems with their “4″ and they say no not really.. then I look at their phone here at work where i always have impeccable signal and they have none….. with bumpers… not holding it. Tell me there’s not a problem…. though I think it possible that it could be a bad batch.
And I am obviously a fanboy…. yet still a consumer. I am holding out for the whiphone.
i’m another iphone 4 user, that cannot get the iphone to drop bars unless i hold it in a really un-natural, would not fit my face way.
congrats idiots, this has filled up all my fav sites with retarded android fan boys spamming a youtube video of omg, bars dropping.
It’s 100% bullshit, and 90% of the people commenting don’t own the iphone 4.
At least when i comment on an evo 4g, i’ve used one long enough to actually compare it to a iphone 4 (which i own)
i could give a fuck who wins any war, i just want a real VNC app, and android doesn’t have that ><
apple makes perfect products. move along now.
Well still shocked never expected such fatal error from apple.But still it will remain my favorite smartphone
What is the normal call experience for people who drop calls due to the “death grip”? Is their normal call quality very good, or do they drop calls regularly anyway?
I can easily replicate the signal display issue by holding the bottom left corner of my iPhone causing my cell signal to drop from 5 bars to 0. However, even with 0 bars, I can establish, maintain, and intentionally disconnect a high quality call at my office. At home, however, I have frequent dropped calls, distorted audio, etc, even with a silicone case.
So, this begs the question, are the dropped calls from the “death grip” really caused by the signal of the phone cutting out, or just a symptom of the long-standing AT&T network problems? If the former, why am I able to make good quality calls when my cell signal shows 0 bars? Maybe Apple is telling the truth and it really is a misrepresentation of the cell signal on the phone… Maybe this software update did NOT intend to fix that problem. Maybe Apple still doesn’t have the formula right.. Whatever the case, I’m not convinced that this “hysteria” over the death grip is fully warranted. My phone works just as good as my 3GS and 3G did, probably better, even if my display shows 0 bars.
Mike, what you’re seeing is a simple consequence of the difference between signal strength and signal quality. If the death grip drops the signal strength by 20dB, then it’s dropping the *interference* by 20dB as well. So guess what? The signal is just as clean. As long as it remains above the detectable threshold of the internal electronics, it can be demodulated cleanly.
So frankly I never expected, Apple never expected, and anyone who gave a fair reading of Apple’s press release never expected this to solve the *signal strength* issue. They acknowledged that holding the phone in certain ways causes attenuation. The issue is whether or not the signal management algorithms are smart enough to tell the difference between a signal that’s fading below the interference floor and one that’s simply fading because of the death grip.
Michael,
You obviously know a good deal more about this than I do. So are you saying that because interference is reduced as well, that if signal quality is good in your area, even though the signal strength drops substantially, you will have a good sounding call? What at that point would keep the call from dropping in my example? Furthermore, what actually *CAUSES* a call to drop? Thanks for your help in getting me educated.
Relax. Retire. It’s just a phone. It’s not worth it. Enjoy your family.
Regards,
Stevie Jobs of little App App
The proximity sensor issue is MUCH more severe than this for me. That, and the fact that callers cannot hear me when I’m on a Bluetooth headset.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAHAAHAHHHHAAAAAHHHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And now may I present to you the Applemmings, those faithful, those staunch defenders of freedom, yea, the happy masses who look reverently to their Lauded Lemming Leader, defending him, hark! Hark how they defend him, madly rushing behind him to support him…..gleefully praising his magically unflappable creation all the way dooooooooowwwwwwwwwnnnnnn…..
***thud-th-th-thud-thud-th-th-thud-thud-thud-th-thud-th-th-thud-thud-th-thud….***
Apple did not say it would fix the grip issue. It said it would fix the wrong number of bars showing issue. I have seen this on my iP3G for 2 years. Cover the antenna with your hand on any phone in a weak signal area and the same this will happen.
Perhaps the ‘bad batch’ scenario is behind the pattern of good and bad. The unhappy workers at Foxconn may be making a statement.
No problem since I started using a case (a $20 fitted case from Best Buy, not Apple’s bumper). Even at worst, the iPhone 4 gets much better reception & fewer dropped calls than my 3GS, which often had no service in some parts of my apartment.
I have an iPhone 4 and reception seems comparable to the other 6 iphones I’ve owned. If the problem is really that big, just deal with it like an adult – i.e. hold the phone a bit differently or return it. What are we? A nation of 6-year olds?
Now can we go back to complaining about something that you actually can’t address as a user, i.e. AT&T’s shitty service…
Easy to address that; use another service provider.
I have a quality problem, not with Apple, bhp with Consumer Reports. I subscribed to them about five years back, and bought exactly two devices on their sayso — a washer and a vacuum cleaner, They were both incredible dogs. I did not renew my subscription and have never bought a CR recommended appliance since. Thirty years ago they may have served a purpose, but hey are simp,y outdated now. you’re much better off reading the actual consumer reviews on Amazon or just picking out the prettiest one at BestBuy. Just sayin’.
A Nike or any other cheap sport rubber wristband would fix Iphone 4′s reception problem, similar to the Apple’s genuine bumper. =)
Shouldn’t we all start questioning Apple for having to create a “genuine” rubber cover for the first time ever and was announced right before the launch of Iphone 4? Think about it for a sec, the rubber bumper can be considered useless for not being able to protect the front or the back part of the phone itself… Therefore i am assuming that the only reason this bumper is created in the first place by Apple is for the fact that the rubber stops our skin from rubbing and touching the antennas.
When we thought about this deeply and more carefully, it can be quite controversial. For Apple to create such add-on for the phone with no proper use other than a “cute genuine accessory” to add a “dash of style” to the phone’s look and feel, it could really spins your mind up for a bit…
There’s always something behind the shadows of Apple not wanting to man up and costing us consumers to suffer. There has to be a connection between this incident and the Iphone 4 prototype that was leaked weeks before the actual release. Apple would have known about this antenna problem beforehand, at the same time panicked due to the leak, and took a huge risk at launching the iphone 4 ASAP with the bumper before the other competitors somehow steals Apple’s “brilliant ideas” that would somehow revolutionize the world again. These factors would then resulted in an inadequate or ignored UAT testing conducted by the team within a very limited timeframe.
It’s suppose to be a win-win situation for Apple to create a bumper for the new iphones for the fact that it would stop the antenna problem and makes the iphone 4 looks prettier, more colorful and personalized, and most importantly, “more profitable”. Imagine what a $29 dollars profit (excluding the $1 cost to make a fancy rubber band) from an Apple branded rubber band would do if you sell them to 1.7 million of users in just three days!
This approach would definitely works for 70% of the iphone users for not having the proper knowledge of how mobile phones should work or how they don’t mind being manipulated by Apple’s heart touching campaigns, but its still unacceptable for Apple for not handling it the right way but to blame the consumers for using the phone in an incorrect way. Devices should be invented to help the consumers not the other way around. =)
Just a penny for your thoughts.
Cheers,
Ando
Absolutely we should question it! Coincidental timing, no? Things that make you go hmm…..
Never had any issues since I got my phone from ATT, cant seem to recreate what these others are speaking about. I live in S florida with very good ATT coverage though. Dont see what the fuss is about if it doesnt work for you return it. Simple.
What happends with iPhone 3GS. They said that I would lower signal strength in iPhone 3. And by what I understand “we are going to lower iPhone 3 indicator so when you compare iPhone 4 has more signal”. Would be nice to compare signal strength for iOS 3, 4 and 4.1.
I have a 3GS and it is NOT affected.
What does the video show? A ‘death grip’? C’mon guys… it just shows that bridging the antenna leads to a worse signal… OMG
It doesn’t fix the hardware issues and simply makes the size of the bars look ugly.
Oooh, where do I sign up?
This whole issue is getting overblown and there’s too much under-informed misinformation being passed around.
The OS 4.1 update will only correct the bar display accuracy and other software correctable issues – perhaps the proximity sensor calibration.
The antenna is a hardware issue. Software won’t fix it. The original production iPhone 4′s are stuck with it.
This is not a deal breaker. The problem really is blown way out of proportion. I recommend reading the Anandtech review (link above). Apple really needs to work on their public relations and perhaps put out a “white paper” explaining the pros of the antenna design what people need to do to avoid problems.
The good news is that the new antenna can give superior reception, probably as good as any cellphone unless it’s one with a pull-out whip antenna – remember those? Reports from users are consistently indicating that the iPhone 4 can perform better in poor signal areas than any previous iPhone – and other phones they’ve used.
The bad news is that Apple screwed up leaving their antennas uninsulated and allowing hand contact. It’s completely true that shorting out the gap on the lower left side will create more signal loss than hand holding other phones (about 20 db average according to various tests I’ve read). This will only be evident in poor signal areas and on the iOS 4.1 the bar display will only show perhaps a one bar degradation. If you are in a borderline signal area (zero or one bar) – you will run the risk of dropping the call if you short this area. Pretty obvious Apple’s pre-production testers all used cases and never experienced the problem.
However every cellphone with an embedded antenna will have reduced cell performance if you wrap your hand around the area containing the antenna. Other phones will behave similarly if you are really “on the edge”. This has to be – the body absorbs RF. This reduced antenna efficiency is unfortunately more pronounced on the new iPhone than on other phones..
So people, there are choices:
1) Purchase a case – 3rd party cases are becoming available and are inexpensive. Problem pretty much solved. Enjoy your iPhone.
or 2) If you don’t want a case or bumper, adjust how you hold the phone. Hold it at the top sides when making calls.
or 3) If you don’t want to do either of the above – return the phone to Apple while you are still in the 30 day return window.
Considering that today the iPhone 4 overall experience and ecosystem is the better than anything else out there I made the decision to simply get a case. I wish more problems in life had a $10 solution. IThe iPhone 4 a superb product with a user correctable flaw.
Also, don’t hold your breath for a recall. We’ll see on Friday with Apple’s news conference..
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