Jan Zdarsa Steve Jobs was asked by email what Apple intends to do about the iPhone 4 problems that all Apple servers are talking about. Apple answered simply, signal drops are not a problem according to him.
According to Steve Jobs, just hold the iPhone 4 differently. He later elaborated on his answer:
“Holding any cell phone in your hand will result in a drop in antenna performance. The drop may be higher or lower depending on the location of the antenna in the phone. This is a fact of life for any wireless device. If you have a similar problem with the iPhone 4, try to avoid holding the phone in the lower left corner, which would cover both sides of the black bar. Or just use one of the available iPhone 4 cases.”, wrote Steve Jobs.
To significantly reduce the performance of the antenna, you need to hold the iPhone 4 in one specific place and cover it completely with your finger. But this will only apply in places where the overall signal is weaker and by this grasping we will weaken it even more (which is logical and applies to every phone).
In addition to this response from Steve Jobs, we have the previously mentioned response for Walt Mossberg where Steve Jobs mentioned that they are aware of the signal issues and a software fix is being worked on. Apple is thus able to debug a significant decrease in the signal indicator, but of course it does not affect the performance of the antenna, so with a worse signal and "bad" holding, you simply will not have a signal.
The Jablíčkář.cz server has already been contacted by three Czech owners of the new iPhone 4 (currently in the UK), who tried to replicate the same problem on their iPhone 4, but they were unable to "fix" the signal drop. So it is necessary to recall the worse AT&T mobile network in the US, where people have signal problems with every second phone. By the way, I've tried it myself and I remember once having to talk to a Motorola hands-free phone with the phone leaning against the window. Some operator services are expensive, but the services are much better!
Updated 15:27 p.m – I decided to show you some more videos so you can make up your own mind if all this iPhone 4 signal problem is unnecessary hello..
Comparison of iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS with the new iOS 4
In this video, the author covers the bottom of both phones to give you an idea if this topic is really as hot as some servers make it out to be. Isn't this a software bug in the new iOS 4?
Trouble-free calling even with a "weak" signal
The author covers the phone to keep the signal as low as possible and then makes a phone call without any problems. In my opinion, call drops can occur if the software reports a signal drop, although in reality there may be a signal (speculation).
iPhone 4 without signal problems
A user on the AT&T network with 3G turned on tries his best to lower the signal indicators. But the fight is futile, the lines don't even move.
A user in the US with the AT&T network (much criticized) tried a similar test. But the problem just didn't show up. If he tried a similar experiment in New York in Manhattan, it would certainly look different (here the network is tragic). However, this is not a widespread problem and in the Czech Republic, in my opinion, we do not need to solve this issue at all.
Updated 22:12 p.m – We are adding a video that shows two iPhone 3GS phones, but each with a different OS. While the problem-free iPhone 3GS uses iPhone OS 3.1.3, the problem phone uses iOS 4. So is it really not a software bug?
source: Macrumors
Personally, I think OS4 has a hand in it too. I've been living through hell with it for the last two days :-)
Some applications don't want to be uploaded back to me, the battery ran out overnight, the GPS didn't work, then my wifi kept connecting and disconnecting all the time. Just a complete jam. Restore a third time and without a backup, it seems to have helped. I have a feeling that the OS is simply not even for 3G :-)
Well yesterday when I read signal problems. So I tried it on my phone, and even if I tap it with my whole hand, I lose at least two lines. I don't know, I've never watched it before... so I don't know what to attribute it to...
And you see, that's the difference: I take that answer as an acknowledgment of the problem, the immediate and total solution of which is to put the phone in a case...
So I would interpret it not as "Signal drops are not a problem" but as "Steve Jobs admits problems and recommends buying a Bumper Case". I don't know if the lack of criticism towards everything Applím and the trivialization of problems is not already going over our heads in the Czech Republic. While I understand it's of reader interest - the masses of iPhone 4 excited people ready to spend simply don't want to hear about any problems with their beloved phone :)
PS This is nothing against you Honzo and your articles (thanks for them), just a complaint about the general uncriticalness of the apple community as a whole….
Buying a case is definitely not a "total" solution. By holding the phone in your hand, you dampen its signal a bit.
And to answer for Walt Mossberg: I wouldn't take it so seriously, manufacturers (in my experience I have encountered this many times even with the biggest ones) can promise reviewers almost anything in the future regarding the product, just so that the review comes out positively. It always happens when the text of the review goes from the reviewer to the manufacturer for professional proofreading - the manufacturer then tries to trivialize all the mentioned problems, pointing out their insignificance and very easy solution just so that the review is positive and does not affect sales. And in more than one case, the solution is then stuck (which, apparently, will not be the case with Apple).
So, in conclusion, I would like to add this: I will be very happy if it is just a software error, but for now I am restrained about these statements. And I'm afraid that ala Potemkin's solution will not be used: that is, the signal strength indicator will not react immediately to the loss but with some delay, so although the strength will be down for a short time after grasping, the indicator will not even move and the user will feel that the problem is solved: )
I think that this is exactly how they will solve it :-) if there is no other way :-) But it can be easily verified. Run speedtest.net and see. :-) Then Steve gets a set again...
He won't get it - because then the discussions will be full of lawyers from the people writing that it's a mushroom test that doesn't say anything and that no one uses speedtest.net anyway and the like. In short, the justification of the investment above all :)
Vláďa J.: I am not always uncritical of Apple, but it is true that in these articles I am more like a counterweight to your articles. A golden middle path would be ideal, but I'm trying to balance the Apple universe in the Czech Republic :D
The error appeared on a certain percentage of phones, some reputable servers say that they are unable to replicate the error (AT&T in the US have problems with the signal all the time) and Czech iPhone 4 owners (from my sources) do not report problems.
The question is if there is a problem with people grounding the antenna or if the problem is just interference - in this case it is more of a SW error. In the end, it will be a combination of both, but I certainly wouldn't write any catastrophic scenarios like those. I just know from my experience with Apple that if they say they will fix a bug, they will fix it. I think that even you didn't really believe that the software would fix the yellow spots on the iMac display.
I've never seen yellow spots on an iMac (I've always been lucky, not a flawless piece), but rather than the software, I'd believe the use of the same immature glue as (supposedly) on the spotty iPhone 4 - so time solved everything...
That will be a bit more of a problem - already even foreign commentators are starting to think that Apple will start adding Bumper to every phone within a week or two and will give vouchers to customers who have bought so far - and in the spirit of this information, I would definitely go for Softare didn't bet…
And let's just balance, otherwise the universe will explode :)
Is there a video demonstrating that someone is not having this problem (when connecting both antennas on the iP4)?
Completed with videos..
So I can only confirm that it is normal for every phone. I have a normal Sony Ericsson and I never had a problem with the signal, still all the bars - signal full. When I "hug" it in my hand, after a while I have a signal on 2 lines. However, one has to hold the mobile really strangely in order for the signal to disappear, this does not happen during normal use.
But this problem is a bit different – while you have to fully hug the back of the normal phone (where it has the antenna), here you only need to gently place your finger in the appropriate place and "connect" the two parts of the antenna...
It's definitely a problem and I don't know to what extent it can be improved in software. From my point of view, even a bumper is not exactly a solution, who is worth putting a colorful frame on the iPhone 4, which looks quite luxurious, BUT if you look at the videos on YouTube, it is clear that the signal loss occurs only with a relatively strong and unnatural holding of the iPhone. The user (john4lakers) did not confirm any loss of signal in one video when he was holding the classic iPhone. He then updated the video, and openly says that he strongly presses the muscle under his thumb to the incriminated left corner. After all, no one holds an iPhone like this, it feels the same to me as if I should hold my ordinary phone with the back of my hand during a call.
(I don't see if you're getting emails from me, Honzo, I sent a link to the photos at 8.50.) (Burn after reading)
I wouldn't take it so seriously, there is still room to fix the error (besides, ONLY SOME users have this problem).
Vlad, you can complain about the lack of criticism, in any case, POST-PURCHASE DISSONANCE is a well-known and quite understandable phenomenon, so you cannot demand objectivity from customers. As for reviewers, the situation is somewhat different there.
It rather bothers me how Apple sometimes downplays some problems and does not comment on them.
Well, let no one be angry with me, but even Fico wouldn't conjure up such a populist and trivializing answer :D and that's enough to say...we have several phones in the family and I haven't noticed a drop in the signal on any of them, as someone here proclaims, I have to really hide it in palms to drop the signal by one point ... and let AT&T have any signal problems, so on the video that is in the article about iP4G problems, it is clear to see that by placing one finger on a certain place, the signal drops from full to unavailable, which I think is the problem altogether and it would be hard to find it in a phone other than the one I'm presenting to us... and advice like holding the phone differently or buying a cover is not at all worthy of such a giant as Apple, I think...
You wrote it nicely.
If that's it, you're using a Slovak site. I also don't complain about owners in the UK en masse. They won't track the owners in CR either.. but AT&T has been bad for a long time and the new iPhone only draws attention to this problem again..
and other cell phones on AT&T have the same big problem? I doubt it, in a better network the iPhone problem won't be so big, but it will still be there
Of course, recent phones have such problems. Some more, some less. It's just the AT&T network.. and the iPhone has never been a phone with the best signal reception, that's just a fact..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnkynGguWG4
...please, the car you bought from us only drives well on summer tires - if you put it in winter (even in winter on snow and ice) it will drive like this and fall like this, it's up to you, but put it on us advice. Oh, and if you would like to be sure - put the car on a hanger and you will be 100% sure.
Blik, do you get the analogy? What SJ spewed out of his mouth is incredible bullshit. Yes, if I take the phone and press it firmly, the signal lines start to disappear (any phone), but I touch it with BOTH HANDS AND FIRMLY! (as written by Makavelli)
Maybe she's joking, not that she's going to tell me how to hold the phone!
Understand that those pointers show the STANDARD phone grip - this is how 99% of people hold it. It's like holding it with 2 fingers while calling?
Comrades simply made a mistake somewhere. And the fact that it will be said that nothing is happening, that's like a joke :-)
Apropos - such "balancing" is completely out of the question!
Read the article supplemented with videos and you need to understand the balance better..
The first video does not show anything at all, in addition, 3G is turned off on one of them (the connection as written by heptau), the video from the UK as well - or can you make phone calls like this?
the last taktez without 3G
And the last thing - why did SJ advise how to hold the phone while talking?
Still nothing?
Searching on Youtube is not difficult and I can easily find a video with a 3G network :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S10QoLBZPxM
And one more thing - it was a joke with those operators and prices, wasn't it? And the file should say "absolutely all" instead of "some" - that would be correct!
There were also problems from Germany and the UK. It seems that the problem only occurs if you are on 3G, several sources have confirmed that if the phone goes through Edge, it does not limit the signal in any way. This could also explain why, for example, the last video does not lose the charms, the iPhone is not on a 3G network.
It's not just about making phone calls, but when you're surfing the Internet, for example, I naturally hold the phone in my left hand and control the phone with my right. And a lot of users came to the problem like this, because the speed is decreasing.
I have an iphone 3G and I'm really looking forward to the new iphone 4 and I've already pre-ordered it, but this problem will be a deal breaker for me. I'm really sorry, but when I'm already buying an expensive phone that I'll have for at least a year, I definitely don't want to think about how to keep it so that my internet goes faster (it's not in the range of %, but in the range of hundreds of %) and that my signal doesn't drop out. The advice to buy a bumper can't even be taken seriously.
Personally, I can say that I would not mind at all if the appearance and size of the phone remained the same as the drive, if this would avoid these problems.
But honestly, don't you think the official advice to intercept differently or to use a bumper is very unappealing?
So I mainly think that it is a useless halo about nothing. Today, I caused signal loss with an iPhone 3GS with iOS4, with a first-generation iPhone with fw 3.1.2, with a Nokia 6230, and with a Nokia E90. The time course of the whole phenomenon was very similar, I would almost be afraid to say that it was actually exactly the same.
This is really what every phone will do if you cover the antenna. I even have the impression that the instructions for the Nokia E72 include instructions on how to hold the phone correctly, because the antenna is located at the bottom of the phone.
But otherwise, it's certainly much more fun to develop various cocooned and scientific-looking conspiracy theories than to tell yourself that it's just the way it is...
well, we'll just see.-) how long will it take...
Personally, I believe that, in addition to what network is used (3G or 2G) and how sensitive it is, it will also depend on the humidity and the transition resistance.
Personally, I'm not too excited about it and I'm curious how Apple will solve it. The software could switch off the second antenna if the first one is working, but this could also mean that no one will allow you to, for example, play a video via Wi-Fi (Extrem, of course). In terms of hardware, I see it as some kind of surface treatment of the metal antennas so that the surface is not conductive (repainting or something similar), which again loses the beauty - remember that Apple switched from painted titanium to unpainted aluminum for the PowerBook, and this would be the exact opposite. Perhaps, unless it was some kind of colorless varnish and the abrasion would not be visible, only the problem of signal loss would return.
What are you playing for?
There, the iPhone often has to be held in such a way that one's fingers are on the metal frame...
It's not a problem if I can't receive calls while playing?
How will multiplayer be over 3G?
…calls…
:)
I'm really curious what will happen with it. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a simple software fix. Now I read an article that with a similar grip and thus covering the antenna, it also happens to the Nexus One, and there are also videos on YouTube showing that the 3GS has the same problem and the signal drops out almost immediately on the 3G. On the other hand, so many users use "old" types of iPhones and no one ever noticed. I wonder if the signal drops even if I hold it in my palm normally, because in all the videos they almost squeeze the phone. It is possible that the problem could be solved by using Invisible Shield for example, or Apple could solve it directly in production which would be the best.
that -mb- ... well, you probably didn't understand the essence of the whole thing, no one here claims that it is a huge problem of a global scale, but if you want to say that there is no problem, then you are blinded and uncritically worship SJ, because if you can do this with any of these phones ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gb3aQ5XoQw&feature=player_embedded
I'll give you my IPHon with one finger... I also tried to cover the phones, I had them hidden in my palm and it took a lot of effort for them to lose one comma, which is definitely not the case with this video... I don't think it's even about the extent of this problem and whether someone is exaggerating it or not, in any case, it can be seen that some users (I note some) have a problem and it is certainly not caused by the instability of the network, when one finger is attached, the whole signal disappears, but what is most important is the fact that the "apple icon" comments on the problem of these users " if you have a problem, buy a case or hold the phone differently" .. well that's important, it's funny
And what do you say about the last video in the article, where on the same phone with iPhone OS 3.1.3 the signal holds quite well and it drops easily on iOS 4? You say that you covered your iPhone and didn't lose anything, there are a lot of videos on Youtube where you cover iPhone 4 as much as possible and they don't lose the signal... (the video is also in the article)?
I don't mean to argue about what is and isn't ridiculous and which one of us is blinded (a little orientation aid - I don't really care) - I'm just stating that I have 4 phones with all of them showing the same "problem" and yet only one of of them have iOS4 and none of them are iPhone 4.
It just depends on the location of the antenna and the strength of the signal in the place where one tries it - and under certain circumstances every phone will have a problem imho. In other words, the advice "if you're in a place with a worse signal, don't make your phone worse yet" seems quite pragmatic to me. When I'm driving in the car and keep my phone in my pocket, it has significantly worse reception (and in some places even disconnects from the network) than when it's lying loose on the seat, and I'm also not freaking out and writing to Finland to get Nokia to do something about it.
Well, I'm not claiming that it's a global problem, but some users simply have this problem, and I emphasized "some" on purpose, and I'm also not claiming that it's some huge manufacturing defect, as you indicate, after all, it could also be an IOS4 error... it just doesn't seem to me the top representative of such a renowned brand will give me an answer if you have a problem, buy a case or learn to use the phone so that you don't lose the signal... heh, that's the only thing that bothers me about it, even an averagely intelligent local businessman from HORNA Maliková could give a more intelligent answer... how about e.g. "some local problems have appeared, we are investigating the mentioned problem and in case the problem is on our side (he can calmly add that he doubts it) we will make a concerted effort to eliminate it as soon as possible" and not shake the morons like Would you like it if a renowned car manufacturer released a series of cars that brake badly, let's say out of 1000 cars out of a million, you just buy one and the manufacturer would tell all 1000c customers with a defective series to buy a parachute for this car or drive so that you don't have to brake :D ...
and what you are talking about -mb- refers to the drop in the signal by one or two dots and it is clear that when you travel there are places where you lose the signal, but if you notice the video, the signal is full and after placing one finger it disappears to unavailable and when he pulls it away the signal is fully restored again, so this is a slightly different case than you describe and it will probably be some kind of error, and since this is not the only user who has this error, it would certainly deserve a more adequate response from Apple, and no one here is talking about signal loss by one dash or loss of signal in weakly covered areas when you move
But it doesn't matter that it's one finger, but it depends on where it was placed :-) If I also take into account that the "number of dashes" is a completely abstract concept and nothing can be deduced from it, actually the whole one-finger experiment is completely pointless - and that's the reason why it happens to some and not to others - the elmag field is really a bit more complicated than being described by the bars on the signal status indicator, which are just a funny attempt at visualization , so that people have something to look at.
Now I have a dvb-t tuner with a 10cm rod antenna connected to it. The signal is ok, the picture runs, it doesn't cut, it's fine. I grab the antenna in any place with two fingers and the image freezes, the signal disappears. Can we conclude from this that I have iOS4 in the dvb-t receiver (and therefore it is a sw problem) or is the 10 cm long wire similarly constructed as the antenna in the iPhone 4 (and therefore it is a hw problem)? Shouldn't I also capture the phenomenon and upload the video to YouTube?
God, has the world really gone mad?
you used a typical example of a typical reaction of a device when you grab the antenna directly and ground it as you lose the signal or, on the contrary, you can improve it :) ... on the video there is an atypical example of an atypical reaction of a mobile phone that no one moves and touches the phone case and not directly the antenna and that the phone will lose the signal from full to unavailable and let there be pointers or dashes, however unreliable, enter any mobile phone, if it says that the signal is unavailable, then you can call, you know where we are already dashed or not ... if you want to tell me that this is a completely common case with mobile phones of phones, so I dare to disagree with you... so this is not a single magician who casts spells on the video, the video is only an indication of a certain problem that not even a single user has, so there will probably be a mistake somewhere
and I didn't really want to argue here about what kind of error it is, what caused it, whether it's software or hardware, I don't care, I'm just a bit taken aback by the rather unintelligent reaction .. in any case, you'll read the article ... that they know about problems with the signal and are working on a software fix ... so there will probably be some problem
But he's touching the antenna directly in that video, isn't he? I don't find anything atypical about that behavior.
I've also seen videos where they had to cover the entire iPhone 4 with their hands, just to wait for the desired signal drop.
It's just that, even if I try, I don't see any sensation :-) I don't know how strong the signal is in the place where the video was shot (I really don't believe in five bars) and the fact that not everyone manages to replicate it, so it's probably not just by putting a finger in and it comes out every time. Maybe it's recording something from iOS4 and that effect accentuates it, because after the 3GS upgrade I feel that it shows less than five dashes much more often :-) but I attribute that to the fact that everyone is always looking and counting dashes and subconsciously too I'm going :-)
Well, I don't know if we're both talking about the same video, but I'm talking about the one where he touches the ring of the phone case with one finger and the entire signal disappears, but as I said, it's not everyone's iph4G's problem and basically I don't care how I wrote, I just have I was shocked by the reaction to the problem that they know about and I'm working on a software fix so I have to buy a case :D ...well, at the moment I'm going to try to cover every phone I can get my hands on and count the loss of signal on the dashes because there are probably more of us out there :D
Yes, we are talking about the same video - the sides of the iPhone 4 are the antenna, or the antennas - that's why they're broken and it's not a solid piece because one part is the gsm antenna and the other part is the wifi antenna - and he puts his finger right where the divide is between those antennas - and god knows what he can do in combined with a crappy gsm signal around.
Otherwise, with a suitable drowning in my hand, I caught up with all the phones I found at home from full signal to disconnect from the network :-) So maybe that's why it doesn't seem like a problem to me :-)
You have described everything here nicely :) it's a shame that someone else will come here to discuss and not read this reaction.. :/
If everyone read what someone wrote before them, the Internet discussion forums would be empty :-)
Now I looked at the video again - you can see how during the decline of the GSM signal the strength of the wifi signal increases for a moment - it is possible that the finger through that gap will not only complicate communication via gsm, but also via wifi, so the phone it reacts by increasing the transmission power of the wifi signal to catch up and thus complicates the reception of the gsm signal a little more and it goes on... The power of neither transmitter in the phone is constant and if at this moment both start trying to catch up with the deteriorated conditions by increasing the transmission power, then can be made into a solid mess.
As soon as I embrace my 3G with iOS4, I lose the signal... And my operator is Tmobile... I had no problem with Drive... Now I keep jumping from 3G to Edge...