Apple Promises iPhone 4 Reception Fix; Well, Not Really
Folks who’ve been griping about signal problems with the iPhone 4 might be thrilled to know Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) is planning a software fix in the next few weeks. But don’t get too excited: it’s not meant to actually fix anything but the way signal strength is displayed. Turns out infallible Apple has made a big mistake. We’ll let the company explain via a Friday morning letter that almost could have been authored by The Onion:
“… 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
R2D2 here,
Apple Inc. said Friday that it was “stunned” to find that its iPhones have for years been using a “totally wrong” formula to determine how many bars of signal strength they are getting. Since Job’s first fix “you’re holding it wrong” did not sell well he now has the solution: Use software to pretend that the hardware is working. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Oh, and that new software will also make you weigh ten pounds less and will add 10K to your bank account. Ahhhhhhahahahaha! Oops, help me Obi-Wan! I laughed so hard I fell over and can’t get up.
It’s July and hot on Earth. Better drink up that Kool-Aid.
No such problems with my Droids. The hardware is the best in the galaxy. You earthlings can expect another delivery very soon. The Millennium Falcon has just jumped to hyperspace to get my Droids there without delay.
The Force is with us! R2D2
Good letter from a frustrated buyer –
http://www.facebook.com/notes/jamie-william/my-email-to-steve-jobs-apples-ceo/406739609462
Apple may well be correct in saying they have a problem with the bar display, and yes, software could fix that. But nothing any software can do will change the fundamental problem that if you hold the phone in such a way that you’re bridging and grounding the 2 antennae with your hand the signal attenuates quite substantially much more than many other phones.
I’m headed for the bars. I’ll be out of range and possibly drunk for a bit. I might fall over. Drink up and wait for a fix!
I remain curious how much of this is an issue with the phone or an issue with AT&T. Really wish the phone was on a different network. I think it would prove better for the company.
I got an android, I didn’t want to to be another victim of the iphone. Have you watched someone talk in one as it looses the call, it’s like their giving it BLOWJOBS. We nicknamed it, “You shouldn’t have to give it STEVE JOBS!”
>>I remain curious how much of this is an issue with the phone or an issue with AT&T.
I have a 3GS. In my home, I have a lot of reception trouble. Several other people have come by with iPhones of various ages and have reception trouble. I also have four Nokia phones (I am involved with phone software development), two Sony Ericcsons, one Samsung and one LG. Not one of these phones has reception problems in my home.
This is what is annoying about this constant finger-pointing at AT&T. Nobody bothers to test the iPhone against other phones in poor reception areas. That would show a lot, far more than the non-stop complaining about AT&T that keeps Apple happy.
FWIW, I don’t work for or with AT&T, in fact, I have a fairly anti-carrier stance. I just don’t think it’s right to constantly blame AT&T for iPhone problems when it’s never in the context of other phones.
There is no such thing to fix the antenna & reception by using software to patch it since the signal integrity of the signal is totally depending on the hardware design. It may be just add an additional wire and an isolated inside the phone where the owner will touch the sensitive areas. It solved
My iPhone 4 is better reception than my original iPhone which was still working great until upgraded a few days ago. Something as faddish and popular as the iPhone is under the microscope with the news. All phones have various problems. Although not perfect, Apple’s hardware is better than most.
I don’t think AT&T is at fault for reception issues it is usually the phone. I get reception where no one else can with my phone even though we all use AT&T. My husband used to complain about not getting reception so I had him swich to AT&T we soon realized it wasn’t the reception but his phone that was the problem. I’m not saying AT&T is better but it most likely is the phone. I carry a Nokia N97. I used to have the N92. The N900 looks super awesome and is due to come to the US. Nokia makes way better hardware than Apple. They don’t have all the cool APPs but I get great reception even on beaches in the middle of nowhere. Nokia doesn’t sell much in the US due to contract issues. I use AT&T because you can just swap SIM cards when travelling and having an unlocked phone is really the better way to go for international travel.