iOS 7 update brings more Wi-Fi issues for some iPhone 4S owners
iPhone 4S owners have taken to Apple's support forums by the hundreds with complaints that iOS 7 has caused a new round of problems with the phone's Broadcom Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controller, echoing issues that reared their head during iOS 6's release.
The issue reportedly causes the WiFi option in the iPhone 4S's Settings app to become unavailable, or "greyed out." Other iOS devices ??including the iPhone 5, iPad 2/3, and iPad mini ??are also cited, though sparingly, as being affected.
Many users report that cooling down their handset's hardware by placing it in a refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes temporarily resolves the problem, pointing to heating issues as the likely culprit. Users speculate that either a long-running Wi-Fi process ??like that enabled by iOS 7's new background data transfer features ??or a balky firmware update for the phone's WiFi controller are to blame.
The iPhone 4s uses a Broadcom BCM4329 WiFi and Bluetooth controller, according to a teardown by iFixit, the same chip likely used in the iPhone 4. The BCM4329 is a popular choice for mobile applications, where it may be in use in hundreds of millions of popular mobile devices ??processor analysis firm Chipworks estimates that the chip was found in more than 50 million devices in the fourth quarter of 2010 alone.
For Apple's part, there seems to be there seems to be a break in communication between Apple headquarters, its customer support staff in different countries, and its carrier partners around the world. Some users say that upon contacting Apple, they were immediately given a replacement handset regardless of their current warranty status, while other say they were advised that they would need to pay $199 for a refurbished replacement device.
Affected customers who contacted their wireless carriers, rather than Apple directly, say they were met with replies that the problem is "known" and that the Cupertino company is working on a fix, though no timetables were given.
The same issue was reported during last year's rollout of iOS 6, when a 91-page thread ??now repurposed for discussing the issue as it relates to iOS 7 ??appeared in September. Many users at that time found the problem could be resolved by downgrading to the previous iOS release, something that is not possible with iOS 7.
The issue reportedly causes the WiFi option in the iPhone 4S's Settings app to become unavailable, or "greyed out." Other iOS devices ??including the iPhone 5, iPad 2/3, and iPad mini ??are also cited, though sparingly, as being affected.
Many users report that cooling down their handset's hardware by placing it in a refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes temporarily resolves the problem, pointing to heating issues as the likely culprit. Users speculate that either a long-running Wi-Fi process ??like that enabled by iOS 7's new background data transfer features ??or a balky firmware update for the phone's WiFi controller are to blame.
The iPhone 4s uses a Broadcom BCM4329 WiFi and Bluetooth controller, according to a teardown by iFixit, the same chip likely used in the iPhone 4. The BCM4329 is a popular choice for mobile applications, where it may be in use in hundreds of millions of popular mobile devices ??processor analysis firm Chipworks estimates that the chip was found in more than 50 million devices in the fourth quarter of 2010 alone.
For Apple's part, there seems to be there seems to be a break in communication between Apple headquarters, its customer support staff in different countries, and its carrier partners around the world. Some users say that upon contacting Apple, they were immediately given a replacement handset regardless of their current warranty status, while other say they were advised that they would need to pay $199 for a refurbished replacement device.
Affected customers who contacted their wireless carriers, rather than Apple directly, say they were met with replies that the problem is "known" and that the Cupertino company is working on a fix, though no timetables were given.
The same issue was reported during last year's rollout of iOS 6, when a 91-page thread ??now repurposed for discussing the issue as it relates to iOS 7 ??appeared in September. Many users at that time found the problem could be resolved by downgrading to the previous iOS release, something that is not possible with iOS 7.
Comments
Works flawlessly every time. :smokey:
Or if Bill had a problem it would be Gates-gate ...
No issue on the 4S I gave to my daughter. 4 works too.
"You're holding it wrong!"
Works flawlessly every time."
I couldn't agree more. It's a pain-in-the-butt but seems to solve all problems.
Very often yes, and it seems to be the one thing they haven't tried.
And you don't even always have to start totally over. I don't use iTunes backups but I have reloaded several iCloud after issues and never had the condition return, whatever it was.
My advice to folks if you are in warranty, especially if it is close to ending, is to backup and make that Apple appointment. Why? Because if they wipe it and your wifi doesn't come back then they are more likely to swap it right then. If you wipe it they might require doing it again cause they won't have the fat stack of errors as evidence that something is up. And make sure they note it in their system. Even if you have to raise a little shit to get them to do it right then in front of you. My ass has been saved by notes that I had been in for the issue when my phone was a still under warranty a couple of times.
And if you do wipe it at home, do it via iTunes and do it as the more thorough DFU restore. Might be overkill but it's only perhaps 5 more minutes in the restore process and can't hurt
FWIW, no problems with my 4S and IOS7. I will admit that when I first installed it I thought my battery life was degraded, but then I found the settings for the background processes, turned a bunch off that I didn't need, and after a couple of days of use everything was back to normal. Nor does IOS7 make me dizzy or sick. I quite enjoy the new look.
Just wipe your iPhone factory- fresh clean and start from scratch.
Works flawlessly every time.
Probably the best route, a phone that old has accumulated a bunch of dustbunnies in the code that can use cleaning out. Every update etc. is an opportuninty for just some slight nicks. And the nicks add up: especially if using an anti-virus program such as Symantecs....
No issues whatsoever on my 4S
No issues with my 4s, across the four networks I regularly connect to.
It was very erratic, during the first week after I updated to iOS 6, it was all fine and well, then the beast came up and I lost my wifi for a week. After that, in about two months, it would go on and off at it own leisure. After that, about december, it died and never returned. Interestingly, my bluetooth, which is controlled by the same chip, never failed.
I contacted Apple Support then (as my warranty was getting to its end, so was my hopes of a bug fix) and they just replaced my iPhone. At the time I was given some explanation that there was some incompatibility between the iOS, the wifi chip firmware, and a specific batch of the chip.
I was wary that iOS 7 update would be a refresh course with "greyed out" wifi, but no. Until now (I updated the launch day) I'm still problem free.
It would be interesting to know the bought period for those affected, to corroborate or bring down the "bad batch" explanation. I bought my faulty iPhone 4S in march 2012. My replacement phone was issued to me in february of this year.
Hundreds have complained, millions have installed.
Works flawlessly every time."
Worked perfectly with the IPad 2. Apparent glitches result from upgrading IOS 7 over the top of IOS 6. My problems were mostly with Safari: made it unusable. Wiped Ipad and restored with fresh installation of IOS 7 in ITunes, then restore from Backup..... All was good after that.
Since most of you commenting don't have this problem, and have never seen it, you don't understand the issue. It is not a software problem, it is a hardware-fault. I have my sister's 4S, which is out of warranty, with the greyed out Wi-Fi. Apple would not replace the phone since the one year warranty expired. She bought a new iPhone using her son's upgrade eligibility when Apple said her only option was to pay $199 for another 4S.
The problem started after installing iOS 6, so the issue has been around long before iOS 7. The problem is the Wi-Fi chip overheating and becoming disabled. Bluetooth continues to work, but you cannot turn on Wi-Fi. Some have found a temporary fix by freezing the iPhone, but that is only temporary. The Wi-Fi will fail again. Freezing did not work with my sister's 4S. Many have found the solution to be using a heat gun to heat the solder joints around the chip and let them cool again to re-seat the chip on the logic board. It is a process known as "re-working" the solder. A small percentage of 4S' have this problem. So not enough iPhones are affected for Apple to issue an extended warranty, unfortunately.
I restored iOS 6 and upgraded and restored using iOS 7, but the Wi-Fi is still greyed out. An interesting bug is in iOS 7. Control Center allows you to turn on Wi-Fi even though the chip is disabled. It doesn't really turn Wi-Fi on. When you go into settings, the Wi-Fi is still greyed out even though Control Center indicates it is on. Apple wouldn't think to troubleshoot this bug since they are not testing it on broken iPhone 4S'.
If you have a 4S still under warranty with the problem, then Apple will replace it, obviously. Many have 4Ss that are out of warranty, but still under contract, so they are stuck in a bind. I need to buy an iPhone screwdriver kit so I could try to re-work the solder to restore the Wi-Fi. So far, my 4S is over a year old and the Wi-Fi still works. I bought it July 2012, so hopefully first run 4S' had the problem, and not the later manufactured models.