Apple responds to reception issue. Software issue apparently.
54 replies, posted
[quote="Neowin"][url="http://www.neowin.net/news/apple-responds-to-iphone-4-reception-issue"]For many, it's been a long time coming.
Apple has officially responded to the countless complaints and reports of service dropping on the iPhone 4 when holding it a certain way. Without further ado, here's the letter:
[b][i]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[/i][/b]
So, a software update it is then. It seems that Apple acknowledges that there is a problem, but is still denying that the hardware is at fault. I guess we'll have to see if the software update appeases the horde. [/url][/quote]
The iPhone 4 came out?
Signal Formula. How?
The signal is measured in dB. The formula I would assume converts dB to the standard bars.
But how will that help on the dropped calls? This makes no fucking sense!
:psyduck:
Sounds like a load of bullshit to me.
Well, you just got a agree.
Bullshit Apple. The 3G had the same problem and they did the same solution.
Now they claim the iPhone 4 has the same problem, but then why does it drop calls?
Because the phone thinks there's no connection, when the bars drop.
[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;23054788]Because the phone thinks there's no connection, when the bars drop.[/QUOTE]
Are you really suggesting that if the phone reaches a certain -dB, that it just drops the call?
You know nothing.
It was a goddamn joke. Didn't you see my thread in H&S about iPhone 4 breaking easily? You can imagine I'm not Apple's biggest fan...
I think if it is a software issue, when it reports no bars, and you try call it says 'fuck you, can't you fucking read? no fucking bars' now it will go 'ill give it a shot bu... oh look CALL DROPPED SO FUCK OFF SOFTWARE'
Well, thats how it goes in my mind
That would be kewl burger.
I've been having some pretty troubling connectivity with my iPhone 4 lately..
I'm dropping calls more than I should and my 3G connectivity speed is in the shitter.
If apple or at&t can't develop some sort of fix, I'm backing out. I bought a phone to use as a phone, not some over-glamorized mp3 player. Maybe i'll switch back to my sony ericson.
Well, only Apple and a few others "believe" that this is the fix, while it is clearly buttocks.
There always has to be trolls.
If you have nothing useful to add to this thread besides your ignorant biased opinions don't post anything at all.
This was an official response from apple on this reception issue, and we shall see an official and professional software fix.
How do you put a link into a word, like the OP did?
oh wow here's my formula
how_many_bars = int((signal/max_signal)*max_number_of_bars);
omg it works perfectly
Yeah, no dropped calls, if it doesn't look like you should drop calls!
Fact is that people have experienced more dropped calls than with other phones. This ISN'T a biased opinion, it's fact goddammit.
They are clearly just going to add on a bar or two, regardless of poor connection. Then blame the call dropping on the networks, not their antenna.
The software reads from the signal. If the software reads there is no signal, then the software decides that it has no signal.
what i'll do is buy an iPhone 4 and compare it to my 3G and my dad's/friends 3GS
Hardware issues can't be fixed with software, Apple.
So far I haven't had any reception issues.
[QUOTE=ijyt;23065207]Hardware issues can't be fixed with software, Apple.[/QUOTE]
Oh yes they can.
Though software cannot fix[I] broken [/I]hardware.
Not wanting to sound like a conspiracy nut, but it's intersting to note that the planned fix will be made available AFTER the 30 day return period with AT&T ends.
Not sure of the legal framework in the US - here in the UK you would still be able to get a full refund if the fix is not successful after the 30 days due to the product not being fit for purpose - are you similarly protected in the US?
[QUOTE=alphaspida;23064226]The software reads from the signal. If the software reads there is no signal, then the software decides that it has no signal.[/QUOTE]
What they're saying here is [b]that there are infact a signal, it just doesn't look like there is[/b]. A phone doesn't read how many bars there are, it just get a number in binary and thinks "This should be showed as four bars" if it doesn't get any signal, it shows it as 0 bars.
The input the phone get's is turned into the amount of bars it shows. Just because you change the formula for how to show how many bars there should be, doesn't change the input.
The phone reads the input, we read bars, but just because the phone shows larger amount of bars, doesn't change the input.
You don't belong in the H&S Forum. Or are you just trolling?
[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;23075386]What they're saying here is [b]that there are infact a signal, it just doesn't look like there is[/b]. A phone doesn't read how many bars there are, it just get a number in binary and thinks "This should be showed as four bars" if it doesn't get any signal, it shows it as 0 bars.
The input the phone get's is turned into the amount of bars it shows. Just because you change the formula for how to show how many bars there should be, doesn't change the input.
The phone reads the input, we read bars, but just because the phone shows larger amount of bars, doesn't change the input.
You don't belong in the H&S Forum. Or are you just trolling?[/QUOTE]
You don't get it.
[QUOTE=alphaspida;23079834]You don't get it.[/QUOTE]
Don't get what? That was almost 100% spot on.
[QUOTE=DogGunn;23079900]Don't get what? That was almost 100% spot on.[/QUOTE]
No, your mind thinks you're 100% spot on.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.