Poor Signal Strength with iPhone 4

I've had my iPhone 4 since this morning and I'm consistently getting either one bar or no service in places where I used to get full signal with my 3G. In my house for example, I have always gotten full signal with my 3G but now I'm alternating between one bar and no service with the iPhone 4, anyone else having a problem like? This is certainly the opposite of what I expected given the new external antenna.

Punter16 said:

I've had my iPhone 4 since this morning and I'm consistently getting either one bar or no service in places where I used to get full signal with my 3G. In my house for example, I have always gotten full signal with my 3G but now I'm alternating between one bar and no service with the iPhone 4, anyone else having a problem like? This is certainly the opposite of what I expected given the new external antenna.

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Not supposed to work all the time! its designed to make your friends go Ohhh Ahhhhhh!

Im sure its just a temp issue no worries its a MAC!

How is the call/data quality? According to Apple, the new antenna system looks for the clearest connection, which isn't necessarily the strongest. So even if it shows just one or two bars, you could still experience great call quality and fast data connection.

As Kash said, there are already write ups where Apple has identified the issue and said (to journalists who have been using the phone for a week or so) it will be addressed in an update. Apple alleges that it's an issue with the display, and that the "low or no bars" is not a meter by which one can gauge quality or speed of the connection. Basically the bar gauge is inaccurate in what it is showing the user. That said, I'm a skeptic. Are you seeing actual slower data rates or dropped calls in conjunction with the fluctuations in the number of bars displayed?

Me Too!

Punter16 said:

I've had my iPhone 4 since this morning and I'm consistently getting either one bar or no service in places where I used to get full signal with my 3G. In my house for example, I have always gotten full signal with my 3G but now I'm alternating between one bar and no service with the iPhone 4, anyone else having a problem like? This is certainly the opposite of what I expected given the new external antenna.

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I also have noticed the more hands/fingers I wrap on it the worse it gets. I was really hoping for better signal strength with this "new" antenna but my experience so far is just the opposite! Very disappointing!

XJ-linux said:

As Kash said, there are already write ups where Apple has identified the issue and said (to journalists who have been using the phone for a week or so) it will be addressed in an update. Apple alleges that it's an issue with the display, and that the "low or no bars" is not a meter by which one can gauge quality or speed of the connection. Basically the bar gauge is inaccurate in what it is showing the user. That said, I'm a skeptic. Are you seeing actual slower data rates or dropped calls in conjunction with the fluctuations in the number of bars displayed?

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I disagree entirely...mine degrades to the point where "no service" message appears!

I noticed the same thing, but I was still surfing the web with lightening speed, so blew it off! It would go in and out, but did not affect my surfing one bit!

We all know how it is in the beggining.... it will be fixed asap, Im sure they are on it as we speak...

Apple has also said there is a display issue fir signal strength that they plan to fix. It may look sometimes like you have low or no bars , but you still have signal.

Bluetooth range REALLY SUCKS!

iWait said:

I also have noticed the more hands/fingers I wrap on it the worse it gets. I was really hoping for better signal strength with this "new" antenna but my experience so far is just the opposite! Very disappointing!

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Also just tried two different BT devices I routinely used with my 3GS (30ft+ easily) but with iP4 the audio starts breaking up at a little over 15 ft.!

Did Apple test this stuff at all?

I'm on hold with Apple tech support now..escalated to "senior specialist".

Maybe I just have a bad phone???

Could also be the area. I'm getting crystal clear calls

You may have gotten a lemon...I'm sure there will be a few of those with as many as they have coming on the market! I bet Apple will make it right, tho!

I am showing full five bars and normally have 3-5 where I'm sitting right now, so no issues yet. i did some speed tests and am getting the same numbers i'd usually get on my 3GS.

There are wide-spread reports that physical contact with the antennae is disrupting the signal somehow. This could turn out to big a huge design SNAFU not easily fixed outside of cases and "bumpers"

iPhone 4 Loses Reception When You Hold It By The Antenna Band?

This is really freaking me out! I have one reserved to pick up tomorrow, but may just hold off if this has a good chance of being true.

well, mine does it too. it goes from five bars to one if i hold it in my left hand the way the user does in the first gizmodo video in that post.

guess the bumper might fix this... ?

looks like its pretty inherent in the design and we may all need to learn new ways to hold our phone

fleurya said:

There are wide-spread reports that physical contact with the antennae is disrupting the signal somehow. This could turn out to big a huge design SNAFU not easily fixed outside of cases and "bumpers"

iPhone 4 Loses Reception When You Hold It By The Antenna Band?

This is really freaking me out! I have one reserved to pick up tomorrow, but may just hold off if this has a good chance of being true.

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Apple has already stated that the iPhone 4 switches to the band that will offer the best quality, regardless of that band's signal strength. It's a well known fact that lower bands are better at penetrating physical objects than the higher bands. So for all we know, when you hold the phone, it is simply switching to a lower band that can better penetrate your fingers and that band could just have lower strength than the higher bands it was previously on.

Until there is proof showing that this results in degraded call quality, these reports are not definitive proof of anything.

^^ it's all anecdotal at this point, but keep checking that link as they live-update with more examples. At least person has tested it in-call and lost the signal along with the caller has was talking to. A couple others did speed tests that showed significant degradation when in contact with the antennae.

I'm not saying for sure it is a problem. I honestly can't or don't want to believe that Apple either didn't come across this in development, or did and produced it anyway. I'm just saying that it's looking really ugly, really fast.

You don't know what you are talking about!

Kash said:

Apple has already stated that the iPhone 4 switches to the band that will offer the best quality, regardless of that band's signal strength. It's a well known fact that lower bands are better at penetrating physical objects than the higher bands. So for all we know, when you hold the phone, it is simply switching to a lower band that can better penetrate your fingers and that band could just have lower strength than the higher bands it was previously on.

Until there is proof showing that this results in degraded call quality, these reports are not definitive proof of anything.

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There is already enough "proof" if you are one of the masses experiencing the problems. Did you even follow the link to Gizmodo? That's exactly what's happening to mine and I've already talked to Apple tech support. Expect this to really get blown up tomorrow by the mass media after the first big wave of activations happen!

My phone is almost unusable it's so bad! And remember it's the Bluetooth range too!

Apple has really stepped in it this time and may have their own "oil spill" to deal with.

Really unbelievable they didn't catch this issue during testing.

Can you say RECALL?????

iWait said:

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There is already enough "proof" if you are one of the masses experiencing the problems. Did you even follow the link to Gizmodo? That's exactly what's happening to mine and I've already talked to Apple tech support. Expect this to really get blown up tomorrow by the mass media after the first big wave of activations happen!

My phone is almost unusable it's so bad! And remember it's the Bluetooth range too!

Apple has really stepped in it this time and may have their own "oil spill" to deal with.

Really unbelievable they didn't catch this issue during testing.

Can you say RECALL?????

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Somebody likes quote marks!
But let's not insult the good people of the gulf whose livelihoods are in danger by comparing their plight to you not being able to make a call with your new iPhone.

iWait said:

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There is already enough "proof" if you are one of the masses experiencing the problems. Did you even follow the link to Gizmodo? That's exactly what's happening to mine and I've already talked to Apple tech support. Expect this to really get blown up tomorrow by the mass media after the first big wave of activations happen!

My phone is almost unusable it's so bad! And remember it's the Bluetooth range too!

Apple has really stepped in it this time and may have their own "oil spill" to deal with.

Really unbelievable they didn't catch this issue during testing.

Can you say RECALL?????

Click to expand...

Put on your big girl panties and turn it down a notch. If there is an issue, it will come out all over the news as you said. Until then, I'm betting there are folks working overtime to determine what's going on. Blanket statements based on "facts" posted on the internet are, in my opinion, the weakest form of substantiating a position available. Let's get the 600,000 units out and see how it plays out.