Has anybody considered that the issues being reported by people are actual quality control issues?
Every iPhone 4 we upgraded has some different issues. The one with network issues isn't from holding the phone, it can be laying on the table next to a 3Gs and other 4 with the 3Gs and other 4 working flawlessly.
It could be as simple as the pre-order demand was so high they shoved a few hundred thousand thru production with inadequate quality control.
There are issues with these phones and I don't discount that people are having reception issues. Especially since many came from a previous model of iPhone and can directly compare. My reception is crap, holding/not holding the phone, case on/off, at all times when compared to my 3G.
But, I am certain it is a hardware issue cause other 4s and early models in the same location work great. Tho, I must say I am annoyed we have to shell out 30 bucks to have them replaced when they are less than a week old.
OK I just visited the ATT store yesterday. Indicated 5 bars there and I had no problem w downloading 3g webpages. Left store, went 50 yards away (no buildings or obstructions anywhere around and same 5 bars indicated) and- download stopped cold while touching bottom left antenna (decreased to 2 bars shown). Downloading resumed immediately after lifting finger. Duplicated again to verify results. So -- you tell me this is a software fix? Don't believe it.
But, what if:
-- the 5 bars in the AT&T store were accurate as AT&T had a special cell connection
-- the 5 bars at the other location were over- reported as per this thread
So, in the store, you had an excellent connection, reported as the max of 5 bars?
Outside the store you had a marginal connection, say, 1-2 bars, that was over reported as 5 bars. I would expect the results you experienced-- when the marginal signal dropped to a certain level (the 2 bars were over reported, too), the app stopped downloading data. When you repositioned your hand the app resumed.
It would be interesting to see what would happen on a 3GS in a similar situation-- would you even be able to make a connection?
From what you've reported previously, it appears that you, likely, have a defective iP4.
I have additional iP4s coming in the next few days to replace a 3G and a 3GS.
Your experience has made me think-- rather than upgrade immediately (and deactivate the old SIMs), i''ll just switch SIMs among the iP4s. That way I'll be able to the 3s and 4s side by side.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
They did not, in the letter, address the issue of why service loss from bridging the seam occurs on some phones and not others, even when those phones should be receiving the same signal because they are right next to each other. It's entirely possible that this is a software issue that will be quietly addressed. It's also entirely possible that it isn't or won't be, at least not at this time.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
But the location you're not supposed to touch is where you would normally put your hand while holding the phone. That's like saying there is a design limitation in your car. Don't ever turn the steering wheel to the right and you'll have no problems. Oh, by the way this car has the best ride in history, as long as you don't have to make a right turn.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
Maybe they can detect when you touch the phone there and emit a loud warning sound.
if you're not supposed to touch it there, why the heck would that put it in a place where it's inevitably where you WILL touch it! I wish i could find that post that showed a photo from every iP4 commercial/ad showing everyone holding the phone "the wrong way".
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too. This really isn't a big deal. They still sell the 3GS if you want a weaker signal that is harder to disrupt. Personally, I think the tradeoff is worth it.
Maybe they can detect when you touch the phone there and emit a loud warning sound.
crack is wak!
So ATT will have to revise the commercials to "fewer bars, but fewer dropped calls, in more places".
But the location you're not supposed to touch is where you would normally put your hand while holding the phone. That's like saying there is a design limitation in your car. Don't ever turn the steering wheel to the right and you'll have no problems. Oh, by the way this car has the best ride in history, as long as you don't have to make a right turn.
I always held the original iPhone from the bottom of the phone. I had to train myself to hold it differently. It is the same case here. In fact it is exactly the same. Hold the phone higher up and you will not have problems. A better analogy would be the car turns fine unless you try to steer it with your feet. Or maybe you are one of those one handed guys that goes through contortions to avoid putting your other hand on the wheel. You need one hand for those fast gear changes... even though you drive an automatic.
Considering every iPhone is redesigned each year I guess your pretty safe on being able to claim victory on your prediction. Being pragmatic isn't a crime.
Yeah, and considering the small problem of its bad design.
I use a case with mine so it's not the end of the world, BUT.....I have tested this phenomenon and visible bars have nothing to do with it. With my case on I get 2000kbps down and 1200kbps up. With my case off, holding the phone in the mid section, I get 250kbps down and around 100kbps up. Holding the phone in the "death grip" I get 0-50kbps down and 0-50kbps up! That is a huge problem for people who don't use a case. I can't believe apple is lying so badly about this problem. It speaks volumes.
So I can't help but wonder what the calibration for the 3GS was? Did they change the formula for the iPhone 4? If so, why? But if they were using the same calibration, then this software "fix" seems more of a coverup.
I'm in a wait-and-see mode before making any decision. Apple is correctly explaining the effect of attenuation when something (ie, your hand) blocks part of the signal. But that is a different effect than coming in direct contact with the antenna itself. Apple's explanations have so far completely ignored that issue.
We'll see...I'm in no hurry to run out and make a purchase. I'll let the rest of you be guinea pigs.
Of course they changed the calibration formula; they changed the antenna design. That is what calibrating is for.
I finally gave up the ghost and coughed up $150 to AT&T for a MicroCell. For what it's worth, my iPhone now works great at home! Has my fanboyism gotten the better of me? Perhaps, but I'm happy and that's what matters.
Not that it matters since you have wifi access anyway, but does data over a micro-cell (presumably going over your network then) count against your data cap?
As a reminder, if you are not fully satisfied, you can return your undamaged iPhone to any Apple Retail Store or the online Apple Store within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.
Still waiting for 3gpro to retract their BS statements regarding Apple's return policy on the iPhone4.
I always held the original iPhone from the bottom of the phone. I had to train myself to hold it differently. It is the same case here. In fact it is exactly the same. Hold the phone higher up and you will not have problems. A better analogy would be the car turns fine unless you try to steer it with your feet. Or maybe you are one of those one handed guys that goes through contortions to avoid putting your other hand on the wheel. You need one hand for those fast gear changes... even though you drive an automatic.
Ya, except for watching the entire presentation on June 7th with Jobs holding the phone exactly the wrong way.
Still waiting for 3gpro to retract their BS statements regarding Apple's return policy on the iPhone4.
The silence is deafening.
It's great. I'm really happy they stated this in writing. It is different than their standard website written policy. Good news all around regarding this.
OK, let's review. There are 3 issues that may combine to produce call and signal issues:
Attenuation caused by touching the antenna
Complete data service intrruption caused by bridging the seam
Misfuntioning of the proximity sensor
The promised update doesn't actually address any of these, although, it seems that it will more accurately reflect what's going on in relation to the first issue. However, I don't think this was ever really as big an issue as many thought it was.
The third issue, which is probably responsible for at least some "dropped calls", may be quietly addressed by a software update, and since it hasn't really been the focus of a lot of attention it's not too surprising that they haven't specifically mentioned it.
The second issue, which seems to be the most significant real issue, doesn't seem to be addressed at all. Since it doesn't affect all phones, I don't think it's a design issue, which leaves the possibility of some sort of manufacturing issue, which could be hardware (e.g., improper assembly) or software related (e.g., improper firmware version). It will be interesting to see if this issue goes away after the update, or remains as an actual problem. But, it doesn't seem particularly reassuring to me, and I'm sure not to iP4 owners afflicted by this issue, that it remains unaddressed through this announcement.
Okay. Here's my story. I took my iPhone back to BestBuy and they refused to give me a full refund. They wouldn't refund the sales tax and they charged me the 10% restock fee. So Apple lied and I got screwed.
No they didn't. I'm lying. See how easy it is to spread stupidity at these websites? Can anyone really believe what they read here? I have read Apple's explanation at Apple.com and I will wait to hear from users what the iOS4 update did to mitigate the reception anomaly.
BTW...I don't have an iPhone because I'm one of those silly Verizon holdouts.
Even if it dd happen, Apple wasn't lying anyway. Their press release said nothing about returning your phone to Best Buy.
But you make a valid point - anybody can lie in a forum post. Especially when it involves individual experiences that cannot be verified. Heck, I could claim to be the King of Siam. But I am not...
Ya, except for watching the entire presentation on June 7th with Jobs holding the phone exactly the wrong way.
The entire presentation was using WiFi and has nothing to do with this. And, oh, BTW, he was holding the iP4 in his right hand, 3GS in the left, although I'm sure the conspiracy theorists and trolls will try to make hay with that, too.
Yeah, and considering the small problem of its bad design.
There you go again making sweeping accusations you can't back up with any facts or even anecdotal experiences. Do you even wonder why your biggest supporters on this forum now are ones that get banned on a regular basis?
Comments
Every iPhone 4 we upgraded has some different issues. The one with network issues isn't from holding the phone, it can be laying on the table next to a 3Gs and other 4 with the 3Gs and other 4 working flawlessly.
It could be as simple as the pre-order demand was so high they shoved a few hundred thousand thru production with inadequate quality control.
There are issues with these phones and I don't discount that people are having reception issues. Especially since many came from a previous model of iPhone and can directly compare. My reception is crap, holding/not holding the phone, case on/off, at all times when compared to my 3G.
But, I am certain it is a hardware issue cause other 4s and early models in the same location work great. Tho, I must say I am annoyed we have to shell out 30 bucks to have them replaced when they are less than a week old.
OK I just visited the ATT store yesterday. Indicated 5 bars there and I had no problem w downloading 3g webpages. Left store, went 50 yards away (no buildings or obstructions anywhere around and same 5 bars indicated) and- download stopped cold while touching bottom left antenna (decreased to 2 bars shown). Downloading resumed immediately after lifting finger. Duplicated again to verify results. So -- you tell me this is a software fix? Don't believe it.
But, what if:
-- the 5 bars in the AT&T store were accurate as AT&T had a special cell connection
-- the 5 bars at the other location were over- reported as per this thread
So, in the store, you had an excellent connection, reported as the max of 5 bars?
Outside the store you had a marginal connection, say, 1-2 bars, that was over reported as 5 bars. I would expect the results you experienced-- when the marginal signal dropped to a certain level (the 2 bars were over reported, too), the app stopped downloading data. When you repositioned your hand the app resumed.
It would be interesting to see what would happen on a 3GS in a similar situation-- would you even be able to make a connection?
From what you've reported previously, it appears that you, likely, have a defective iP4.
I have additional iP4s coming in the next few days to replace a 3G and a 3GS.
Your experience has made me think-- rather than upgrade immediately (and deactivate the old SIMs), i''ll just switch SIMs among the iP4s. That way I'll be able to the 3s and 4s side by side.
.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
They did not, in the letter, address the issue of why service loss from bridging the seam occurs on some phones and not others, even when those phones should be receiving the same signal because they are right next to each other. It's entirely possible that this is a software issue that will be quietly addressed. It's also entirely possible that it isn't or won't be, at least not at this time.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
But the location you're not supposed to touch is where you would normally put your hand while holding the phone. That's like saying there is a design limitation in your car. Don't ever turn the steering wheel to the right and you'll have no problems. Oh, by the way this car has the best ride in history, as long as you don't have to make a right turn.
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too.
Maybe they can detect when you touch the phone there and emit a loud warning sound.
if you're not supposed to touch it there, why the heck would that put it in a place where it's inevitably where you WILL touch it! I wish i could find that post that showed a photo from every iP4 commercial/ad showing everyone holding the phone "the wrong way".
just sayin!
They said it was a design limitation. You are not supposed to touch it there. There will be no software fix except to report bars correctly. If you have one bar, you should take extra care to avoid the forbidden crack. If you have five bars then it will not matter. If you had one bar on the original iPhone and covered that plastic antenna cover it would drop your call too. This really isn't a big deal. They still sell the 3GS if you want a weaker signal that is harder to disrupt. Personally, I think the tradeoff is worth it.
Maybe they can detect when you touch the phone there and emit a loud warning sound.
crack is wak!
So ATT will have to revise the commercials to "fewer bars, but fewer dropped calls, in more places".
But the location you're not supposed to touch is where you would normally put your hand while holding the phone. That's like saying there is a design limitation in your car. Don't ever turn the steering wheel to the right and you'll have no problems. Oh, by the way this car has the best ride in history, as long as you don't have to make a right turn.
I always held the original iPhone from the bottom of the phone. I had to train myself to hold it differently. It is the same case here. In fact it is exactly the same. Hold the phone higher up and you will not have problems. A better analogy would be the car turns fine unless you try to steer it with your feet. Or maybe you are one of those one handed guys that goes through contortions to avoid putting your other hand on the wheel. You need one hand for those fast gear changes... even though you drive an automatic.
Considering every iPhone is redesigned each year I guess your pretty safe on being able to claim victory on your prediction. Being pragmatic isn't a crime.
Yeah, and considering the small problem of its bad design.
Didn't Brain and Anand state that reception was indeed better on the iPhone 4?
With a case it's revolutionary.
So I can't help but wonder what the calibration for the 3GS was? Did they change the formula for the iPhone 4? If so, why? But if they were using the same calibration, then this software "fix" seems more of a coverup.
I'm in a wait-and-see mode before making any decision. Apple is correctly explaining the effect of attenuation when something (ie, your hand) blocks part of the signal. But that is a different effect than coming in direct contact with the antenna itself. Apple's explanations have so far completely ignored that issue.
We'll see...I'm in no hurry to run out and make a purchase. I'll let the rest of you be guinea pigs.
Of course they changed the calibration formula; they changed the antenna design. That is what calibrating is for.
I finally gave up the ghost and coughed up $150 to AT&T for a MicroCell. For what it's worth, my iPhone now works great at home! Has my fanboyism gotten the better of me? Perhaps, but I'm happy and that's what matters.
Not that it matters since you have wifi access anyway, but does data over a micro-cell (presumably going over your network then) count against your data cap?
As a reminder, if you are not fully satisfied, you can return your undamaged iPhone to any Apple Retail Store or the online Apple Store within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.
Still waiting for 3gpro to retract their BS statements regarding Apple's return policy on the iPhone4.
The silence is deafening.
I always held the original iPhone from the bottom of the phone. I had to train myself to hold it differently. It is the same case here. In fact it is exactly the same. Hold the phone higher up and you will not have problems. A better analogy would be the car turns fine unless you try to steer it with your feet. Or maybe you are one of those one handed guys that goes through contortions to avoid putting your other hand on the wheel. You need one hand for those fast gear changes... even though you drive an automatic.
Ya, except for watching the entire presentation on June 7th with Jobs holding the phone exactly the wrong way.
Still waiting for 3gpro to retract their BS statements regarding Apple's return policy on the iPhone4.
The silence is deafening.
It's great. I'm really happy they stated this in writing. It is different than their standard website written policy. Good news all around regarding this.
OK, let's review. There are 3 issues that may combine to produce call and signal issues:
- Attenuation caused by touching the antenna
- Complete data service intrruption caused by bridging the seam
- Misfuntioning of the proximity sensor
The promised update doesn't actually address any of these, although, it seems that it will more accurately reflect what's going on in relation to the first issue. However, I don't think this was ever really as big an issue as many thought it was.The third issue, which is probably responsible for at least some "dropped calls", may be quietly addressed by a software update, and since it hasn't really been the focus of a lot of attention it's not too surprising that they haven't specifically mentioned it.
The second issue, which seems to be the most significant real issue, doesn't seem to be addressed at all. Since it doesn't affect all phones, I don't think it's a design issue, which leaves the possibility of some sort of manufacturing issue, which could be hardware (e.g., improper assembly) or software related (e.g., improper firmware version). It will be interesting to see if this issue goes away after the update, or remains as an actual problem. But, it doesn't seem particularly reassuring to me, and I'm sure not to iP4 owners afflicted by this issue, that it remains unaddressed through this announcement.
Well reasoned!
.
Okay. Here's my story. I took my iPhone back to BestBuy and they refused to give me a full refund. They wouldn't refund the sales tax and they charged me the 10% restock fee. So Apple lied and I got screwed.
No they didn't. I'm lying. See how easy it is to spread stupidity at these websites? Can anyone really believe what they read here? I have read Apple's explanation at Apple.com and I will wait to hear from users what the iOS4 update did to mitigate the reception anomaly.
BTW...I don't have an iPhone because I'm one of those silly Verizon holdouts.
Even if it dd happen, Apple wasn't lying anyway. Their press release said nothing about returning your phone to Best Buy.
But you make a valid point - anybody can lie in a forum post. Especially when it involves individual experiences that cannot be verified. Heck, I could claim to be the King of Siam. But I am not...
Ya, except for watching the entire presentation on June 7th with Jobs holding the phone exactly the wrong way.
The entire presentation was using WiFi and has nothing to do with this. And, oh, BTW, he was holding the iP4 in his right hand, 3GS in the left, although I'm sure the conspiracy theorists and trolls will try to make hay with that, too.
Yeah, and considering the small problem of its bad design.
There you go again making sweeping accusations you can't back up with any facts or even anecdotal experiences. Do you even wonder why your biggest supporters on this forum now are ones that get banned on a regular basis?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzn8QhrYIvI
This one is pretty condemning.... esp. w volume on.
And mine just got prepared for shipment from Shenzhen. Hope it's a one of the miraculously unaffected.