iPhone 4 antenna problems

[Sagath]

I don't know how reliable this site is, but they claim to have an Apple CSR memo:
Leaked: Apple’s internal iPhone 4 antenna troubleshooting procedures Boy Genius Report

No mention of a software fox for the antenna either.

Check out anandtech's writeup on the iP4. He has some great finds on the reception numbers.Basically, the amount of attenuation occuring by being held is about 24dB. This is totally in line with other phones on the market today.

The problem? The "5 Bar" scalar system isnt linear. If you are on the low end (say 84dB) of "4 Bars" (which goes from something like 83 to 112 dB, 112dB being about the best you can get in 3G) and grab the phone, a 24dB drop will put you to "1 Bar" and make it look like you lost (nearly) all reception. Its really just trickery of the eye based upon the bar system representing reception quality.

I suspect Apple's 'fix' for this problem will be to mask the 5 Bar systems scalar value differently. There is no firmware update fix to actually improve the dB loss of our meatbag bodies otherwise. Either that or get a case, and only suffer a 10-12dB all the time.

 

[Cheator]

Check out anandtech's writeup on the iP4. He has some great finds on the reception numbers.Basically, the amount of attenuation occuring by being held is about 24dB. This is totally in line with other phones on the market today.

The problem? The "5 Bar" scalar system isnt linear. If you are on the low end (say 84dB) of "4 Bars" (which goes from something like 83 to 112 dB, 112dB being about the best you can get in 3G) and grab the phone, a 24dB drop will put you to "1 Bar" and make it look like you lost (nearly) all reception. Its really just trickery of the eye based upon the bar system representing reception quality.

I suspect Apple's 'fix' for this problem will be to mask the 5 Bar systems scalar value differently. There is no firmware update fix to actually improve the dB loss of our meatbag bodies otherwise. Either that or get a case, and only suffer a 10-12dB all the time.

Its not just causing lower bars, its causing droped calls. Engadget replicated this on video. As have others.

Solution to this problem: Get a nexus one. I did, have it on wind, love it way better than iOS 4

 

[chrisk]

I suspect Apple's 'fix' for this problem will be to mask the 5 Bar systems scalar value differently. There is no firmware update fix to actually improve the dB loss of our meatbag bodies otherwise. Either that or get a case, and only suffer a 10-12dB all the time.

You called it:
Apple ‘stunned’ by iPhone signal glitch - The Globe and Mail

That drop seems exaggerated because the phone can wrongly display four or five bars of signal strength when it shouldn't, Apple said.


“Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place,” the company said in a statement.
.....


Apple, which is based in Cupertino, Calif., said it will fix its signal strength formula to conform to other AT&T phones through a free software update for iPhone models 3G, 3Gs and 4 within a few weeks.

This will fix the 'low bars' and get better WiFis, but will do nothing for folks with dropped calls.

 

[Sagath]

I want mai cookie, Chris.

Dropped calls are explained by the anandtech article too, Cheator. That doesnt mean I'm saying that iP4 is fine, just that they have work to do on 4.1

 

[Neolithium_Wpg]

Too bad the antenna issue isn't the only thing now making me weary of the iPhone 4. A number of Americans report having fewer dropped calls compared to their 3GS's, I think Jimmy Fallon even did that on live TV going through several dead spots in New York that the iP4 kept going where the 3GS would cut you off.

Edit - I now remove BoyGeniusReports from any "possible" credible news source:
Apple PR: Latest Steve Jobs Email Exchange is Fake - Mac Rumors

 

[chrisk]

Well, looks like Consumer Reports has found that the iPhone 4 is indeed more prone to dropping calls than the iPhone 3GS, and other phones:

Here is their findings in a nutshell:

According to the consumer magazine, the iPhone 4, which is not yet available in Canada, has a problem when a user puts his or her finger or hand on a spot on the phone’s lower left side.



When a person does this, the signal can significantly degrade enough that you actually lose the connection altogether, according to an online report.


The team at Consumer Reports tested three different iPhone 4s, bought at three different retailers in the New York area.


The iPhones were tested in a controlled environment – in a special radio frequency isolation chamber.
The phones were then connected to a “base-station emulator,” a device that simulates carrier cell towers.



Other phones beside the iPhones were also tested this way. None of them lost their connection or signal, according to the magazine.
The findings call into question the claim by Apple that the iPhone 4’s signal strength issues were largely “an optical illusion caused by faulty software that mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength.”

Consumer Reports won?t recommend iPhone 4 after tests reveal problem - thestar.com

Looks like it is not just the software that calculates the bars.

Edit: Heh...there was a thread in the Apple forums linking to a newspaper report on the CR story, but it disappeared. :doh:

 

[Sagath]

Well, looks like Consumer Reports has found that the iPhone 4 is indeed more prone to dropping calls than the iPhone 3GS, and other phones:

Here is their findings in a nutshell:
Consumer Reports won?t recommend iPhone 4 after tests reveal problem - thestar.com

Looks like it is not just the software that calculates the bars.

Edit: Heh...there was a thread in the Apple forums linking to a newspaper report on the CR story, but it disappeared. :doh:

Time to wait for iPhone 4.1 :blarg:

 

[chrisk]

Time to wait for iPhone 4.1 :blarg:

Actually, I think there will now be quite the demand for iPhone 4.0.

The Steve Jobs just issued a press release, stating that the ultra-sensitive antenna is not a flaw, but a feature. No refunds of course.

Here is a quote:

The iPhone 4 was designed with men in mind; when your wife calls, simply place your thumb over the bottom-left corner and your call will get very choppy, and then get dropped. We call this feature 'iTune-out'.

I anticipate longer than normal lineups for this phone when released in Canada, with a high likelihood of BBQs and beer tents for the release.

 

[Mena]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!

Thats awesome...but pretty stupid of Apple.

They created a LEMON....they have to learn to take the rap and IMPROVE upon it.

 

[klaiboi]

Does anyone know if this issue has been entirely fixed with the phones being shipped now? My contract is up on the 26th so not really an option to wait....well I could but I'll be giving up the credits I'm currently getting