Fixed?
Apple have issued a press release over-night in which they address the antenna issue reported by many iPhone 4 owners. The root cause, they say, is both ‘simple and surprising’: according to Apple, the phenomena of reduced signal strength when the device is being held is not new, has happened on past iPhones and other non-Apple devices, and the real problem is that Apple got the formula on which they calculate the number of bars to represent the signal strength ‘totally wrong’.
According to the press release, users who experience this signal loss when applying the so-called ‘death grip’ are actually in areas of weak coverage at the time, but they’re unaware of this because Apple’s flawed signal-strength formula displays much better reception than they are actually receiving. Apple claim this issue was also present in the iPhone 3G and 3GS and that a software update in which they will adjust their formula to match AT&T’s recommendations will fix this in the ‘within a few weeks’.
So, Apple are effectively claiming that the issue is one of perception of signal strength rather than an actual design flaw. Do you buy this? Head past the ‘read now’ to read the full press display and to give us your thoughts.
Letter from Apple Regarding iPhone 4
Dear iPhone 4 Users,
The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and users have told us that they love it. So we were surprised when we read reports of reception problems, and we immediately began investigating them. Here is what we have learned.
To start with, gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce its reception by 1 or more bars. This is true of iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, as well as many Droid, Nokia and RIM phones. But some users have reported that iPhone 4 can drop 4 or 5 bars when tightly held in a way which covers the black strip in the lower left corner of the metal band. This is a far bigger drop than normal, and as a result some have accused the iPhone 4 of having a faulty antenna design.
At the same time, we continue to read articles and receive hundreds of emails from users saying that iPhone 4 reception is better than the iPhone 3GS. They are delighted. This matches our own experience and testing. What can explain all of this?
We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising.
Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.
To fix this, we are adopting AT&T’s recently recommended formula for calculating how many bars to display for a given signal strength. The real signal strength remains the same, but the iPhone’s bars will report it far more accurately, providing users a much better indication of the reception they will get in a given area. We are also making bars 1, 2 and 3 a bit taller so they will be easier to see.
We will issue a free software update within a few weeks that incorporates the corrected formula. Since this mistake has been present since the original iPhone, this software update will also be available for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G.
We have gone back to our labs and retested everything, and the results are the same— the iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. For the vast majority of users who have not been troubled by this issue, this software update will only make your bars more accurate. For those who have had concerns, we apologize for any anxiety we may have caused.
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.
We hope you love the iPhone 4 as much as we do.
Thank you for your patience and support.
Apple
Nice try Apple, but there are two phenomena at work here; absorption and coupling. Of course some signal will be absorbed when the phone is held, and the explanation provided may well be associated with this. However, there is no mention of the problems associated with coupling the two antennas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvH-i7rKPJc
(tonyburton has made 3 comments)
tonyburton wrote:
It’s mentioned here:
We’ll see what happens when the update is released.
(pknz has made 92 comments)
Come on apple… We weren’t born yesterday. All the update is going to do is hide the signal strength or adjust it down. There is a real loss of signal causing dropped calls… Not just a display issue. Tut tut. If it is simply displaying wrong then a lot of those users on the videos should have zero signal as that is what happens when they hold the phone wrong…. I doubt AT&T would be happy with that outcome!!
(camtab has made 464 comments)
At least this will explain why data and SMS take forever to send sometimes when I have 5 bars.
Also out of 1.7m units very few people are reporting dropped calls and signal loss, in fact some people have spent alot of time trying to replicate the fault without success. Apple might be telling the truth (sort of), maybe it is an AT&T problem.
I don’t think they actually miscalculated their coverage bars though, these were probably set higher back in the day to make the iPhone appear to have better reception than it actually has.
(Plamsaglows has made 52 comments)
@ Plamsaglows: yeah agree… Rather than a “miscalculation” it would appear they have been caught out bumping the signal bars up.
(camtab has made 464 comments)
Good read on the issue from Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports – iPhone 4′s supposed signal woes aren’t unique, and may not be serious
(pknz has made 92 comments)
I think it’s best to wait till the update is released and then see what happens
Good thing we’re getting the iPhone in the end of July here, hopefully buy then the launch issues, if they are 100% real and affecting all devices, will have been fixed and dealt with.
I’m not bothered either way… I love the iPhone 4 and I will get it with a bumper… white iPhone and green bumper? Or baybe… black…will see… already bought a shield for it
Waiting for it to be delivered…
(Yaman_NZ has made 184 comments)
I just tried it on my 3GS and by holding your hands on both sides at the bottom of the phone the same thing happens. Give it a go. I knew that cases do impact on coverage but will see when it gets here
(Topes has made 66 comments)
@ Topes: Crazy I just tried with my 3GS and i got it to go down as well but took a few different positions of the fingers/hands. This actually has me feeling better as I have NEVER had a signal issue (dropped calls etc) with my 3GS so the Iphone 4 should be the same. I either hold it ‘right’ (as per Apple haha) or it really is a non event. Guess its a wait and see game and I for one cant wait to get my hands on the Iphone 4
(camtab has made 464 comments)
@ camtab:
Yup will wait and see. Can everyone remember when the 3GS launched about the issue of them over heating exploding and discoloring? Haven’t heard that in a while.
Not saying there may not be something wrong but hoping that it is a minor issue in new Zealand and now wIth the 900 support will further strengthen the handset for Vodafone users.
If you want more reliable connectivity get a landline.
(Topes has made 66 comments)
Does that mean that our iPhones on Vodafone NZ will get even less reception then what they currently do?
(lnr1 has made 10 comments)
lnr1 wrote:
Of course it does, that’s why I said it would further strengthen the handset for Vodafone users.
(Topes has made 66 comments)
lnr1 wrote:
Theoretically, they should get the same amount of reception, just this will be displayed differently on the bars.
Keep in mind the iPhone 4 will allow us to make use of Vodafone’s 3G extended (900?) frequency as well.
(B Gallagher has made 71 comments)
There is no way that I can hold my 3G that causes it to loose signal. In fact I cannot remember the last time I had less than 5 bars, well except when the cellphone blockers hit it.
(Plamsaglows has made 52 comments)
I always found that when using my iPhone 3GS in bed that 3G would always drop out. With all the hullabaloo about this ‘death grip’ I tried adjusting the way I hold my phone, what do you know full bars. I can consistantly repeat holding the phone in ‘death grip’ to cause 3G to drop out, shifting grip and have it come back to 4-5 bars.
(Dezroy has made 20 comments)
@ Dezroy: I have had my iPhone 4 for 6 days. It is great. The reception is a major improvement over my 3G (the reception bars, or lack thereof, have nothing to do with this observation). It is apparent that the brouhaha over the antenna is caused by two factors: Apple has been (mis)computing 5 bars signal strength in weak signal areas (for years), and the spot on the phone that most effects reception is now undisguised. The former is shameful, the latter, rather than being a defect is quite useful! Now that it is clear how to hold the phone to diminish the signal it’s easy to avoid. It’s also easy for the naysayers to demonstrate the diminution. And so they have.
The iPhone is a big improvement in many ways, including improved reception. Also, not generally given notice, is the incredible sound from that minute speaker, the iPhone 4 is now my bedside music system.
I ran into this site when shopping for the best iPhone pouch led me to Ikonic of New Zealand. Also everyone I have ever met from New Zealand has been wonderful.
(IntrepidCoward has made 2 comments)
@ IntrepidCoward:
Thanks for stopping by — I had been wondering whether there had been any improvement in the quality of sound with the new iPhone, so I'm glad to hear that. Can't wait to hear it for myself!