Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

0 points

the real reason for bad reception PART 2!

This is the second part to this thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2475309&tstart=0&start=1035

*BREAKING UPDATE:*

My iPhone 4 still exhibits signal gain when I'm at work and I hold it!

Haha.

Anyway, since Apple kindly locked out the other thread because 100k+ views were starting to give legitimacy to the reception issue let us press on and continue to discuss.

But seriously guys...tell me about your sim-reseting/bumper placing/ducktape solutions for my problem! //sarcasm

Original Quote from OP:

smithx41 wrote:
if you look in the video from this guy, he tells you the problem. its when you >cover the little black lines around the outside. mainly the left one. try it. >there is no doubt about it. wrap your hand around the phone without covering >the lines. than put your finger over one and youll see its the problem.
all credit goes to this guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-BR-LgA9Lw

*Partial Solutions Identified*
-Bumpers: Helps to varying degrees, but not much.
-Popsicle Stick: Complete fix for those that like the Popsicle stick style.
-Sim removing: doesn't work
-Casting Voodoo on phone: inconclusive
-Returning Phone: Only Real fix at the moment.

Message was edited by: gfgrimm

Core i7 920 @ 4Ghz / 6GB DDR3 2000 / 128GB Intel X25-M / BFG Geforce 260 GTX, Windows 7, iPhone 1/3G/3GS/4

Posted on Jun 30, 2010 7:10 AM

239 replies

Jul 10, 2010 2:52 PM in response to ed2020

So aside from the antenna issue has anyone noticed the poor sound quality when using a headset? It's got to be related to the noise cancellation feature because I didn't have this problem with the 3GS. The sound comes through tinny with an digitized quality.

ed2020

Level 1

69 points

Jul 10, 2010 3:00 PM in response to keithn916

keithn916 wrote:
It's got to be related to the noise cancellation feature because I didn't have this problem with the 3GS.

All cats have four legs. My dog has four legs. Therefore my dog is a cat. 🙂

Ace1104

Level 1

4 points

Jul 11, 2010 7:53 PM in response to Beardy man

I have had the iPhone 3G, 3Gs and now the 4 here in my home, always had full service and no issues. I have a bumper on my 4 and still suddenly lost all service...noted because I couldn't send a text msg. Checking my micro-sim, I noted that two of the pads are shorted by the aluminum holder. Small piece of tape on the sim, trimmed to the edge, solved the problem. Apple likely needs to have the sim cards coated on the edge experiencing the short (alternatively, coat the holder) to solve the issue. By the way, the bumper case *DID NOT SOLVE* the issue!!

Jul 11, 2010 9:04 PM in response to Ace1104

Ace1104 wrote:
I have had the iPhone 3G, 3Gs and now the 4 here in my home, always had full service and no issues. I have a bumper on my 4 and still suddenly lost all service...noted because I couldn't send a text msg. Checking my micro-sim, I noted that two of the pads are shorted by the aluminum holder. Small piece of tape on the sim, trimmed to the edge, solved the problem. Apple likely needs to have the sim cards coated on the edge experiencing the short (alternatively, coat the holder) to solve the issue. By the way, the bumper case *DID NOT SOLVE* the issue!!

Bumpers and cases only diminish the issue. Check your data speeds. There's the big issue for me. I rarely use the phone, just data

Jul 11, 2010 9:55 PM in response to ed2020

That all sounds well and good... except (unless I missed it), I never saw any data included in the review about antenna sensitivity or signal quality or signal to noise ratio. I don't even remember seeing the actual signal strength measurements - only attenuation levels. I may be wrong.

If those are the important aspects, why did they not include them. Instead, they provided statistical data showing a greater drop in signal with the iPhone 4 than either of the other phones, but then said that it was clear the iPhone 4 had far better signal than the 3Gs. Obviously, whether you can make a call or not is the most important thing, but it's also the least scientific.

If AnandTech's article had instead shown numerically that the iPhone 4 had superior signal but then stated subjectively that they had a lot of dropped calls and data loss, everyone would be dismissing it as unscientific. We would be told that the data is what matters and that the subjective experience is affected by too many variables (location, signal strength, etc.)

ed2020 wrote:
Ultimately Anandtech's review looks at the most important factor. The signal strength readings and SNR readings are neither here nor there. Either you can transmit and receive voice and data traffic reliably or you can't.

Jul 11, 2010 10:06 PM in response to Dan Slocum

There was a PCMag article (link below) in which they were dismissing the antenna problem calling it a non-issue and saying it wasn't a "deal-breaker" and discouraging readers from taking it too seriously. They said they completely agree with Apple's press releases.

In their own article, though, they said that their "+download speeds were often reduced by 50 percent or more+" when holding the phone. They also said they couldn't reproduce the problem on either a 3Gs or an HTC phone.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365658,00.asp

And this is from an article calling users' reactions "nearly hysterical"!!

Dan Slocum wrote:
Bumpers and cases only diminish the issue. Check your data speeds. There's the big issue for me. I rarely use the phone, just data

Jul 12, 2010 9:13 AM in response to Denethor1977

Apparently Consumer Reports disagress with AnandTech:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2010/07/apple-iphone-4-antenna-issu e-iphone4-problems-dropped-calls-lab-test-confirmed-problem-issues-signal-streng th-att-network-gsm.html

Spencer Webb of AntennaSys, who was widely quoted as proof there was no problem, also has a different opinion since receiving his iPhone 4:
http://www.antennasys.com/antennasys-blog/2010/7/7/the-iphone-4-smartmodule.html

Jul 12, 2010 9:20 AM in response to Denethor1977

I do not think Consumer Reports disagrees with AnandTech. AnadTech even states that the iPhone 4 sees a drop in signal reception when the lower left seam is covered. AnandTech states that Apple should have put some coat over the antenna to prevent that issue.

Jul 14, 2010 11:26 AM in response to gfgrimm

Hey I want to thank the people at Apple who refuse to respond the the obvious issues that plague many of us. I also love the PR move in telling us that after 20 years of cell phone handling we aparently can not figure out how to hold it correctly. Thank you for the 200 dollar price tag that I coughed up for each of my families iPhones. Thanks for recommending to me to buy a 30 dollar glorified rubber band to solve the issue that your engeneers created in the first place. And last but not least,thank you for subjecting me to the worse carrier in the USA.

hattori

Level 1

4 points

Jul 26, 2010 9:14 AM in response to william summers

I think everyone agrees that signal strength/connection can be affected on all, if not, most phones. Arguably, the fact that you don't have to hold the iPhone 4 in an obscure or unusual way to experience the problem seems to be the fundamental difference.
Besides the current work-around of using a bumper or case, I wouldn't imagine a permanent solution would be too much of an issue. I'm not referring to coating the antenna or suggesting a complete design overhaul.
Would it be that difficult to just relocate the antenna divisions to points where people are least likely to hold the phone? It would make no real difference to the aesthetics of the phone. As to what kind of impact such a revision would have on manufacturing components and assembly, well, I guess that's why I'm posting my thoughts.

Message was edited by: hattori

Jul 26, 2010 2:50 PM in response to gfgrimm

Apple posted a video showing the DroidX death grip. Why is apple pursuing this arguement? The iphone4 doesn't need death grip, you just have to touch the antenna gap with ONE finger. How can you defend that? Just admit it was a mistake in design and move on. Crikey!

BgiPhone

Level 1

33 points

Aug 28, 2010 5:29 AM in response to BgiPhone

Just wanted to post an update on this story.

I have had the iPhone 3GS retrograde for approx. two months. After about 2 weeks I had to return this phone for a proximity sensor that went bad. The Genius had a replacement available from their private stock. The replaced phone has worked as expected.

The 3GS has never exhibited any of the antenna issues that I saw with the iPhone 4.

Aug 28, 2010 8:51 AM in response to gfgrimm

Don't know, so many pages ...

Has this previously been posted?

-> http://www.test.de/themen/computer-telefon/schnelltest/Antennenpanne-beim-iPhone -4-Test-entbloesst-Apple-4116516-4116521/

It's a lab test of the iPhone 4 antenna done by Germany's official consumer good test institute.

Basically, they say that their lab tests show a reduction of reception strength by 25% (for the bulk of phones they test) and 90% for the iPhone 4, when held in a bad way. Report dated July 19.

The report's abstract comments about Job's comparison with other phones during his press conference and concludes: "Das stimmt so nicht" ("That's not true actually").

Ayedzine

Level 1

0 points

May 23, 2011 4:46 PM in response to AMANIQUI77

The Verizon iPhone 4 is waaay better than AT&T

the real reason for bad reception PART 2!