Apple Blames iPhone 4 Reception Issue on Faulty Formula

I am not married to any one phone or company. I have a large family and rely heavily on push email, calendars, and contacts to keep all of our schedules, etc. in "sync." As a consumer, no access or desire to use Exchange, Mobileme is extremely easy to set up and use - yes it has its problems, this is not a Mobileme commercial. The point is that I am not sold on iPhone 4 and feel obliged to look at Android offerings. The real problem is not losing all of the functionality I would give up with Mobileme. I am not looking for mutli tierd work arounds, google only options as these are not push based. Has anyone actually tried Spanning Sync or other such software to "mimic" the functionality of Mobileme or actually improve on it. Again, alt...
(continues)

So instead of fixing the problem, they change the way the problem is reported? Does this not seem like a cop out? Instead of actually fixing the problem they are just going to report poor signal. Btw, I have had over 50 some phones and this is the first time outside of the RZR/KRZR line that this is so pronounced.

I had just decided that I was going to get an iPhone...

Don't Let the Air Rule You!

Apple's "Signal Formula" has been hiding actual crappy AT&T coverage all along! Just another way the 2 companies have been working together to drive revenue streams from the sale of the iPhone from day one, while sacrificing the needs of the customer.
How long has the iPhone been on the Market? 2007!! And, they just figured it out.....

...that Phone Scoop is advertising Cell Boosters on the same page as this forum topic. 🙂

In Consumer Reports recent user surveys, AT&T still scores WELL BELOW other big three.

1. Verizon - All RED Circles across the board.
2. T-Mobile - All RED Circles in EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.
3. Sprint - All BLACK Circles in EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.
4. AT&T - ALL BLACK CIRCLES, Rated WELL BELOW Average in the areas of Voice Quality, Signal, and EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.

Now you know why I'm not an iPhone owner.

Any questions ?!?!?!??

I wonder how many other phones have this "flaw"? Those who can should work to keep phone makers honest.

This is amazing to me. I actually thought something wasn't quite right with my original iPhone and later my 3GS.

I got the original iPhone in 2007. Then, I got a 3GS in 2009. It did seem that my signal bars were almost always at 4 or 5 bars anywhere I went. I wondered if this was just a great phone with great reception or if it was too good to be true.

Now, having read this news from Apple, it leads me to believe the latter. Apple, how have you just now figured this out? Why would they have chosen to use their own "math" for the signal strength indicator as opposed to the service provider's? Wouldn't the service provider have the most accurate representation of signal strength determination?

It also has me thinking that AT&T could...
(continues)

Overstating signal strength is an old trick used to by manufacturers to make their phones appear powerful. Sanyo did this about four or five years ago and got a jump on their competitors by doing that same thing. Back then, everyone was saying how great the reception was on their Sanyo phones, but it was all BS. Now, Apple got caught doing the same thing. Apple says that they were surprised to learn that they were overstating their own signal strength! Oh, please....really? lol Every dog has his day!

This boondoggle aside, It's a known fact that ALL iPhones have subpar reception when compared many of the phones out their in the market.

Apple isn't an RF company and the have never been known for their abilities to tackle this issue.

Not only that, ATT would have certainly dropped other phones that perform this poorly, but they waived too much for this phone.

According to a recent Bloomberg report stating this and Apple coming forth and basically saying At&t's network....well....sucks! I think this spike in complaints are from people that just recently signed up with At&t from other carriers to get the iphone 4. Previous customers must have been accustomed to the state of At&t's network...which apparently is over exaggerated. I always hated At&t's stupid dancing bars that fluctuated so much you could barely count the damn bars. All this At&t backlash is quite comforting given all of the crap they gave me over the years....aah 😁

Has anyone actually confirmed that the $30 rubberbands aka Bumpers fix the death grip signal issue?

If so does it completely fix the issue or does it help but not 100% fixed?

How many idiots out there are going to believe that Apple the power house of revolutionizing the cell phone game with the Iphone, has had 3 iphones out and all had ****ty service. All of a sudden they make this out date iphone 4 and because you hold it it drops signal and its not their fault. You can kiss my A&& apple, they just can nto admit what they have done and your telling me when you hold the phone and it has two bars will actually have no signal at all? I cant stand this any more. Its so ridiculousness that this is even happening, this phone was all hype and not is all crap. Take a Androud phone any day after this, all the customization that you want, all the free apps that you want and guess what it can make phone calls. This is so ...
(continues)

I received my iPhone 4 in the box and have not taken it out. I have all sorts of apple stuff from the MAC to the iTV to the Power Book and this I have to say is a real let down. Steve JObs really did a number on this issue and ended up losing allot of loyal apple fans. Why he listened to his RND dept and not fire them all I can only wonder. Since it is the RND dept that is responsible for testing and insuring quality before market launch. I purchased 2 of these phones to grade them from the 3Gs and YUP when you touch the antenna; signal drops like a ROCK 👿. Steve Jobs really has become a corporate greedy SNOB.

Does any one DROID works on MACs?
😈 😢

In Consumer Reports recent user surveys, AT&T still scores WELL BELOW the other three.

1. Verizon - All RED Circles across the board.
2. T-Mobile - All RED Circles in EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.
3. Sprint - All BLACK Circles in EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.
4. AT&T - ALL BLACK Circles, Rated WELL BELOW Average in the areas of Voice Quality, Signal, and EVERY ASPECT of Customer Service.

Now you know why I'm not an iPhone owner.

Any questions ?!?!?!??

Thats pretty much all their is to it.

If you're not satisfied with the performance of your iPhone, bring it back to the store.


I wonder how many people are going to put their money where their mouth is and return their iPhone based on performance? Chances are, a few will. And rightfully so, if it doesn't work for you return it.


Re-stocking fee's?
Expect to pay those with any phone you return, or exchange not just the iPhone. (or any electronic device btw)


Has anyone here changed their mind about purchasing their iPhone, or has anyone here purchased the iPhone and plans on returning it based on performance?* **

*not being sarcastic, I'm just wondering

**This question doesn't apply to those who already hate the i...
(continues)

What do people propose Apple to do about it?

If it is a software issue, a simple update will fix it.

If it is a true antenna placement problem, do they go back to the drawing board and redesign the device and stop sales on the millions of devices already ordered?

What are people's thoughts on how to fix it?

All the iPhone4 preorders are pretty much SOL if they want to wait for this "fix" which is due out "in the next few weeks". By the time the "fix" is issued out, they'll already be past their 30-day period.

Rather than admitting there is a defect in the iPhone's hardware causing faulty reception, they're blaming it on a software defect in how the bars are shown. In other words, in the upcoming weeks, your iPhone4s will still have the exact same reception issues, and your bars will be low enough to reflect that.

Genius on Apple's part, at the expense of their loyal customers.

I ordered mine on line and based on the apple letter that was posted on the APPLE site it stated the following: 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". 🙂
Hey great so I go to the store and NOW they tell me that they do not except on line returns even though the website stated the complete opposite. So I showed them the apple letter and they got tongue tied and still said that it was their policy that they can only take in store purchases.
Not only did they screw up on the reception issue for the phone they cant even communicate the fact that the stores should be taking the phones even if ordered o...
(continues)

Yes, I understand that if you hold any phone near the bottom, it will kill service. That's been proven and is all well and good. I stuck a case on mine, no more drop in service...blah blah blah.

I know this software update will give a more accurate display of signal strength, but how exactly is that effecting my service now? Is it when my phone has 5 bars, it really could have 3 or more instead? So people who have dropped calls are actually in a place of low service, but they don't know that because their phone reads 2 bars extra... right?

I mean, it kind of makes sense, but that'd only be if I dropped a call with 2 or 3 bars left. But that doesn't really seem to address the death grip issue any further than previously. Not that I am u...
(continues)

...for a problem amazingly overlooked by Apple. This makes it worse technically.

This will be fixed by a software upgrade. However; If I am correct, this will only bring realistic signal strength to the display while not solving the dropped call issue. The reception will remain the same.

JB