Poll: How's your iPhone 3G reception?

We've been getting scattered reports that Apple's shiny new toy might not be snagging as many bars as it should for a lot of users. In our own tests, we've noticed the iPhone 3G fairing poorly in spots where other 3G devices exhibit strong signals, and the Apple support forums are alive with displeasure over what might be a widespread issue. We're curious to know what you -- the reader -- are experiencing. How's your mileage with the new phone? Let us know in the poll below.

How's your iPhone 3G reception?

Great! Not only is my phone better looking than yours, it sounds better too.Pretty good. It's on par with other phones I've used in the same areas.Sometimes I only get one or two bars, but the service seems fine.Not as good as I expected, but definitely useable. AT&T just needs to expand the network a little.Awful. I have to turn off 3G to make a call.This is what I waited in line four hours for? It's totally unusable.Don't have an iPhone 3G, don't want one.Vote

[Eric @ Jul 17th 2008 2:05PM]

Well 3G isn't everywhere yet....turn off 3G if you are not using the internet and i am sure you will get a great signal.

[Duke 2 @ Jul 17th 2008 2:11PM]

talk about entirely missing the point...

[LondonConsultant @ Jul 17th 2008 2:11PM]

Both my LG Viewty and my old Nokia N95 had the same problem and solution: switch from 3G to 2G to get both much better signal strength and double the battery life. A no-brainer...

[who? @ Jul 17th 2008 2:15PM]

Seconded, if you switch to EDGE your signal will blow through the roof!

The truth of the matter is the iPhone is getting a better signal:

In spots the other 3G devices aren't even picking up a 3G signal, they have more bars because they switched to EDGE. The iPhone is still able to pick up the 3G where they can't (better!), and so it displays lower 3G signal.

[martin @ Jul 17th 2008 2:19PM]

well then you have an original iphone, tell me, why did you buy an iphone 3g if you just turn the 3g off?

[JK @ Jul 17th 2008 2:20PM]

@Who?
Your reply makes perfect sense and at the same time made this entire discussion a moot point. I was thinking the same thing. :)

[Eric @ Jul 17th 2008 2:23PM]

You tell me why you chose a 3G iPhone if you live in the middle of the desert. Check at&t's map of where 3G is before you buy it. Plus now you can use it almost all over the world, which you couldn't do with the first Gen iPhone.

[oki @ Jul 17th 2008 2:26PM]

@martin

better battery life, gps...

[Cagrino @ Jul 17th 2008 2:28PM]

Talk about missing the point... Why does Engadget always put a nonsensical option in their polls? If you didn't buy an iPhone 3G, your opinion on this matter is irrelevant!

[Duke 2 @ Jul 17th 2008 2:33PM]

Is there a mass wave of imbecility sweeping the masses or are people just reacting in convenient denial rather than face the prospect that they dropped a large chunk of change for flawed subpar reception??

Whether or not you *can* switch backwards to edge is totally evading the point (to say the obvious). YOU bought a premium device whose release was explicitly around 3G capability - and your answer to how it's reception is compared to other 3G devices is "Oh just turn it off!"

DUHHH???

I'm a fan of Apple anything and can't stand the whole Apple i-sheep bashing, but I gotta tell ya, this is making me think twice!

Just junked my Profile refrigerator for a newer model with a high-end water dispenser built into the door. It cost me $500 more and it doesn't work, but IT's ALL good- I just use the ice cube tray!!

Prozac makes eeeeeeeverything seem just OK doesn't it? :)

[Andrew A. @ Jul 17th 2008 2:33PM]

Turning off 3G doesn't make any difference. You get much better QoS from 2-3 bars of 3G voice than you get with 4-5 bars of 2G voice.

[Steven @ Jul 17th 2008 2:40PM]

@martin

Well, i bought the phone because it pulls girls :D so i could care less if it just like the "original" mine has aGPS and the "original" ones don't so mine is better.

[Macro @ Jul 17th 2008 2:40PM]

All I have to say is AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[supes @ Jul 17th 2008 2:55PM]

What sucks is all the people that use EDGE on their 3G to save battery life (or who don't have any 3G coverage) are still paying $10 bucks more a month now for the data plan.

[Wei @ Jul 17th 2008 3:10PM]

Well, when I was paying $20 for EDGE, I was mostly using it through my Wifi... go figure.

[Jeff @ Jul 17th 2008 3:26PM]

Cagrino:

The problem is I don't remember there being a way of seeing the results without voting. I don't have an iphone but I was curious to see these results, so I voted the last option.

[Nomi @ Jul 17th 2008 3:35PM]

I'd think Apple would have auto-switching when 3G signal is low/non-existent.

[stardash @ Jul 17th 2008 3:52PM]

Look at the poll, do they get we just dont care about iPhones? Ok they are out and people have them. Cover better phones.

[Benson @ Jul 17th 2008 4:48PM]

@cagrino:
Would you rather they'd left that option out? Then we'd have to click the "sucketh with a mighty wooshing" option and pollute the _relevant_ results.

[Zoli @ Jul 17th 2008 8:53PM]

What's annoying is that if there is one bar of 3G coverage, and full Edge coverage, it will cling to that one single bar of 3G goodness for dear life.

[LordFarkward @ Jul 17th 2008 9:39PM]

"Look at the poll, do they get we just dont care about iPhones?"

Actually, no. From looking at the poll, I can deduce that at this point there're 15k+ people (54.5%) who don't have an iPhone but still care to read and vote in a poll that is regarding the iPhone (I'm one of them).

People who don't care (like my colleague sitting next to me) simply skipped the article and is now reading about AMD's results.

[jazztrumpet @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:59PM]

Well, I get either a terrible signal or "No Service" regardless if I'm on Edge or 3G. How about that?

[macgruder @ Aug 17th 2008 7:42AM]

Really?
This is what I would need to do if I turn of 3G:

Take 6 hour train ride across the country. Get onto a plane and fly to Australia. It's 3G or nothing in the country I live.

Still think turning off 3G is a good idea?

[helloUser @ Jul 17th 2008 2:06PM]

Yay! MORE IPHONE NEWS! Well not news, just redundant blog entries.

[Dave @ Jul 17th 2008 2:39PM]

Actually the poll is very reassuring since almost half the people who participated in it don't want a 3G iPhone. Thank God.

This phone is NOT an innovation, it's an improvement/revision. People can say whatever they want but when the HTC Dream comes out with Android, THAT will be the wake up call for the cell-phone industry.

[helloUser @ Jul 17th 2008 2:43PM]

haha, i noticed.

maybe its time for iEngadget to focus on things people DO want?

[Krush @ Jul 17th 2008 3:43PM]

I think Apple should get into the business of selling Butt-Scratchers - that way Engadget can preview it 10 times - follow the release - review it twice post 20 articles ranging from its internals to performance and lastly conduct polls on it.
Butt-Scratcher?Butt-Scratcher?Anybody Butt-Scratcher?

[Spyvie @ Jul 17th 2008 5:45PM]

Open source butt scratchers FTW!

[John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 17th 2008 8:43PM]

@EVERYONE

I FIGURED OUT THE TRICK TO FIX THE IPHONE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES....

OK I upgraded from an original 8 GB iPhone to a 16 Gb 3G iPhone and after I had restored the contacts and information from my first gen one I had some serious connectivity issues with the 3G iPhone. Even with 3G turned off.

To make a long story short ...

I talked to APPLE SUPPORT and they told me there is a software bug that interferes with the 3G's ability to switch between 2G and 3G networks when restoring from your original backup. He suggested restoring my iPhone to its original out of box state AND going to AT&T and having a new SIM CARD installed. Well, I did not restore the iPhone but I did go to AT&T and get a new SIM CARD ... Poof ... Now it works perfectly with 3G enabled ... It worked for me anyway ... I suggest simply getting a new SIM CARD and restoring all your setting to factory settings but not the entire phone ... No way i would manually enter all my phone numbers and lose my notes ...

Hope this very simple fix helps!!

I was having serious connection issues prior to this fix. Going from no service to max bars and back and forth without even moving (even with 3G turned off)

Thats what worked for me!!!

[BluesK1d @ Jul 18th 2008 10:00AM]

@ Krush

lol @ Family Guy
"Not now, Peter!"
*Sad voice* "Buuutt-scratcherrrrrr..."

[Anand D @ Jul 17th 2008 2:09PM]

I'm curious, has Apple indicated any area on the back cover of the iPhone 3G that shouldn't be excessively touched (usually the area directly beneath which lies the antenna) to avoid signal strength degradation. Nokia usually does this and mentions this in their user guides.

[Number_41 @ Jul 17th 2008 2:21PM]

I believe its next to the headphone jack

N41

[MRCUR @ Jul 17th 2008 2:22PM]

On the iPhone area of Apple's site they mention that the chrome around the screen, as well as the metal buttons and ring around the headphone jack are antennas.

Unlike the original iPhone, I don't think the antennas are all scrunched at the bottom of the phone.

[Mert @ Jul 17th 2008 2:09PM]

Can't complain. it is working fine so far. Wheever I go it shows 3G but I'm not sure it is full speed 3G or not.

One other thing though, did you guys notice the poor plastic quality of the phone? When you're sliding your hand to the righ on the screen, you can feel the edge on one side and not on the left side. I've checked another unit to see if this si a defect but it has the same situation.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 17th 2008 2:16PM]

I'm getting full 3G coverage and all bars here in Chicago. Perfectly fine for me

[sfditty @ Jul 17th 2008 2:25PM]

Interesting, I never noticed before, but I can feet the same edge on my gen 1 iphone, but reversed- I feel it on the right side, the left is smooth. No biggy though, only noticible when you look for it. Maybe its more pronounced on the 3g.

[Aztec @ Jul 17th 2008 3:23PM]

I get excellent 3G coverage in San Diego. Its works better than my old iPhone. No dropped calls (iPhone 3G) VS some dropped calls (iPhone).

[btran @ Jul 17th 2008 2:14PM]

Low signal strength is a downward spiral: when it is low, the handset has to crank up the amplifier making the circuit really hot and deplete the battery really fast.Maybe their radio chipset is grab.

[digitalh @ Jul 17th 2008 3:44PM]

You mean crap, brother. Not grab. It's okay-you can say/type it. I promise you won't burn in hell. This applies to caffeine and alcohol too.)
Goll, heck, loosen up.

[Tastybread @ Jul 17th 2008 2:13PM]

I would love it if instead you guys talked about how sluggish the keyboard and contacts app can get. I never had as much slow down as I do with the new firmware update. At times I can't even make a phone call because the phone is so bogged down, even after several restart. Please shine some attention on this engadget.

I get better reception btw. Doesn't matter though if my phone doesn't work properly.

[Veraxus @ Jul 17th 2008 2:17PM]

I have that problem too. The phone and contact apps seem to freeze for 4-5 seconds every time I launch either, and they keyboard often seems to freeze the phone for the same amount of time when it's launched. It's really annoying.

[CharlieX @ Jul 17th 2008 2:17PM]

Same problem here. TONS of LAG and sluggish response.

[Andrew @ Jul 17th 2008 3:19PM]

I call BS on all of you - I have never experience lag - especially not in the contact list

[MRCUR @ Jul 17th 2008 2:24PM]

I get this ALL THE TIME in the SMS app on my original iPhone. It's horrible... Thankfully it will catch up so I can still type reasonably fast, but I like to wait to be sure the words are coming up correctly.

This issue is definitely the number one issue I have with the new software. I dearly hope Apple fixes it quickly...2.0.1 please?

[who? @ Jul 17th 2008 2:28PM]

From what I've read, that is a problem usually associated with App Store applications not fully quitting when you push the home button.

Try holding the home button down (=force quit) when ending your games/apps in the future. If that doesn't help, turn push e-mail off, and if all else fails, grab a torch and pitchfork and drive to Jobs' house.

[PeterF @ Jul 17th 2008 2:30PM]

Engadget isn't going to do that, it is only bad for the iPhone, unlike this poll where people can say its good.

[Philster @ Jul 17th 2008 2:30PM]

Yep, same here. Big lag in address book and often big lag when typing in any app. Really frustrating. It's often faster to use the Google App and type in a contact name. Yikes!

I haven't tested a lot, but the keyboard lag seems to lessen when I have 3G turned off, which I've started to do to make the battery last.

[MRCUR @ Jul 17th 2008 2:33PM]

@who?

This happens randomly on my phone, sometimes when I haven't even launched a downloaded app. A lot of times it happens after opening the phone app, which is bizarre because this never happened under 1.1.4 (which of course had the phone app).

Also, I have no email accounts on my phone right now, and have all data pushing/fetching off. So I guess I'll go grab a pitchfork now and head for Steve's...

[BlackBird @ Jul 17th 2008 2:35PM]

Same here, I only have the origional iPhone but plan on getting the new one tomorrow actually. The lag on this new firmware 2.0 is SO annoying! I find that safari and many custom apps just lag out and crash all the time. Especially the keyboard, i find myself having to type quite slow in SMS and safari just to get anywhere and then watch as the letters slowly appear...

[digitallysick @ Jul 17th 2008 2:42PM]

@Tastybread
Same problem here, contacts are extremely sluggish takes me about 3 tries to make a call, or any app that switches to my contacts is almost now impossible with the new firmware.