Apple: iPhone 4 reception problem is a software issue, fix coming in 'a few weeks'
By Thomas Ricker 
posted July 2nd 2010 8:32AM
posted July 2nd 2010 8:32AM
Sure, the odd way Apple calculates bars has been noted before, but what's troubling is that this is the second time Apple has blamed signal strength / reception issues on software and it doesn't fully explain calls dropping and data degradation when the iPhone 4 is held in a very particular (but common) way. It's also worth noting that Apple in no way admits to an antenna design flaw. Read the full press release after the break.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.
Letter from Apple Regarding iPhone 4
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
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
@engaged
That is complete BS. Sorry but:
"Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place."
Thanks for lying Apple.
@engaged
You can put lipstick on a pig...
@cybertrash It doesn't dropc alls for me even at -113dbm, but it does KILL data, so Apple needs to admit this is broken and it's partially a design issue.
@engaged: Too create another magical and revolutionary product that will result in Apple continuing, in the words of JP Morgan, "...to be the high-growth, technology leader having no rival for some time."
I own a 4, and the reception and voice quality is far superior to previous generations of the iPhone. Combined with a form factor that makes the Incredible, Evo, Droid X look like some, sorry old-tech, yesterday phones, The 4 slays all comers. Which is what they will become in three months after the Android camp release even more new phones in a desperate attempt to keep up with Apple.
Sorry Goog, you fail again.
@BrookLynnsFinest
There's an influx of YouTube videos with people showing the issue right in front of your face if you want to see it so bad. Nobody's making this up. Also, people expect Apple to fix the problem... as they should. That's more than enough reason to hold off returning their phone. But if Apple's gonna keep beating around the bush like this sooner or later it's gonna come back on them full force.
Also... enough with Apple Hater shpeal. It makes you look juvenile. Stop doing that to yourself.
@blindguymcsqueezy Right, so rather than using the formula provided and recommended by someone who has some idea of these things, Apple of course thought they could do it better, and were ridiculously wrong.
Anyone that believes there's no hardware issue.. I have some land for sale in someplace you've never heard of. But Steve Jobs says it's totally awesome land.
@skyblaze
dear skyblaze,
i implore you to please not feed the troll (brooklynnsworst). Just downrank and move on... the best way to silence the trolls is to not respond to their nonsensical posts.
Thank you and come again. :)
@engaged
Another mindfuck by Apple??
@etwashoo2 Compared to what phones? The Nexus One and Droid Incredible both do the same thing. Theres no one calling for HTCs head over it.
@BrandonHarris
That video doesn't show the strip under his hand at any point, it's quite easy to cover it with a label, tape, etc temp. to do a video like that.
@cybertrash
This is a perception fix. In every case. When you have a strong signal (4 bars) and you death grip your phone, you lose 3 bars and the call drops. Wow. That is one flawed antennae design there.
When you have 1 bar and you death grip the phone and the call drops, you will move your hand elsewhere until you find a better signal.
I have walked around my house while on a call (Sprint in my case) and stand on a stair or something if I have to to finish a call, this happens all the time.
Apple is trying to resolve the perception that iPhone 4 is horribly worse. It isn't. It is marginally worse, and sure, they should have insulated the antennae in the first place, but for most people this is not a deal breaker. Most people think the iPhone 4 has greatly improved reception. In fact, this is reported in every review ever posted so far. Even Jimmy Fallon thinks so.
If I hold my phone just so I can lose a bar or two. What most people perceive here is that if I hold my phone just so I can lose 4 bars. Apple has determined that the initial display of signal strength is inaccurate and they are adjusting it. Once fixed, perception will match reality and people can determine from there if it is a tragic flaw.
@BrookLynnsFinest i think its funny how you apple fanboys have been downplaying the issue the entire time. you even go as far as to say that the problem doesnt even exist, that its entirely made up by fandroids. turns out there was one. of course apple tried to blame att as always. the point is apple played you for fools. theyve been lying to you the whole time. yet in spite of all this you still dont believe it. so now apparently not only are fandroids against the iphone4, but apple must be too.
@Marko - Perhaps they can prepare an update, where the phone zaps you with a small electrical charge whenever you 'touch' it in an 'inappropriate' way?
@kevout I don't think they quit.
@NHAnimator
No but you can put nail varnish on a Iphone apparently.
@cybertrash
"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"
So it takes Apple a couple of years and iP4 for them to realise this error. Hmm.
"To fix this, we are adopting AT&T's recently recommended formula for calculating how many bars to display for a given signal strength"
What about other networks in europe?, What's their calculations?.
Sounds like a cheap excuse.
I was at the Apple store last night to (finally) check out the new iPhone. Naturally, I had to see if the "death grip" would occur in an Apple store. Cradling it in my left hand (like I was holding it on a call), the signal faded from 5 bars down to 1.. IN AN APPLE STORE! Granted, it took 30 seconds to get down to a single bar but it went from 5 bars to 4 in under 5 seconds.
I'm going to assume that, like every cell carrier, they have a femtocell on site to give the best possible demonstration of their wares. Furthermore, I'm going to assume that the signal in an Apple store is going to be the strongest, purest signal an iPhone will ever be lucky enough to utilize. There is no such thing as "bad coverage" inside a cell store.
So tell me: hardware, or software?
@who said what
And Orange, O2, T-Mobile, 3, Vodafone...
Must be the telco's doing, they are all in cahoots to make Apple fail hard.
@BrookLynnsFinest I used to, I shoved it up theirs since day 4. I can't believe I lasted that long with that crap.
@icase81
Those are the phones(Nexus One for sure) that shine in comparison to what the iPhone does. I think one test on anandtech show this.
@BrookLynnsFinest
they dont return the phone cuz they would have an apple iBrick that dosent make calls, than not have it, simply because they are fanatics blinded buy reality and gassed up on an contagious apple high!
@who said what EXACTLY.. I thought the same thing.
Typical of Apple to put the blame somewhere else [AT&T] for the issue.
We can play this game: If AT&T is to blame, then how did you not catch this earlier and let it be an issue for over 3 years? How do you explain the poor call and data quality when the phone is held?
@TWiz
Really dude? Conspiracy theorist ruin the world. I guess Stephen King killed John Lennon too?
@intros
It fixes the users "experiencing" signal loss. :P
@tones44
Yeah sure....OR the phone part actually DOES work and you fandroids REFUSE to see that.
It kills you that the phone is SO amazing that it sold 1.7 million in a matter of days.
Its not just Apple fanboys who are buying this phone. Plenty of people who are into Windows/MS and other companies own iPhones.
@thegreatino foolish you. They cant do anything if its a signal strength problem. It explains why i havent been having any antenna issues. I havent gotten a droped call since ive had the phone. You know why cause in southern califorina where im at at&t has great reception.
@Beatnik Personally, I couldn't care less about fashion. All I know is that the iphone has the most useful, polished, stable OS of any phone I've used, especially the car-crash that was android on a Nexus One (six months of my life I'm not getting back). Your generalisation that 'all apple fans are fashion over function' is too sweeping...
Apple tries to deceive us!
1. “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.”
This of course is not something that they did not know about. I even dare to speculate they used this way of calculation on purpose to deceive iPhone users in the first place. The way the iPhone displays signal strength, is helping in covering up how strong the signal really is. The user sees full bars and assumes they have good coverage while it mustn’t necessarily be true.
Another indication is that the range of values for each bar is not calculated, like a logarithmic scale, but are made up values. http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/iphone-4s-antenna-problem-looks-worse-than-it-is-but-its-stil/
2. “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…”
This is really it. This statement is so obnoxious and revolting I almost don’t know what to say! Apple is feeding you this crap and expects you to accept it.
They purposely are mixing two separate, entirely different, things in order to deceive consumers, and hide the fact that they screwed up. Here are the facts.
It is true that a person can somewhat decrease the signal strength the mobile phone ‘sees’ by shielding the antenna whit body parts such as a hand. This, like Apple said, is true for every mobile phone. It is true for all antennas which are designed to pick up frequencies that are also sensitive to human tissue. This is not the issue though! But Apple makes it sound as though it is.
Here is the real issue: When you touch an antenna you are changing its characteristics. For certain frequencies this is not a bad thing. Like our old TVs a person can act as an antenna and give certain gain to the TV antenna by touching it. This is not true for cell phone frequencies. When you touch the antenna on the iPhone you are dampening the reception! Even worse when you ground it by connecting both metal rims between the gap you are completely destroying the signal for the processing chip!
THIS IS A DESING FLAW! NOT SOMETHING A SOFTWARE UPDATE CAN FIX! DON NOT LET YOURESELFS BE LIED TO!
3. “We are also making bars 1, 2 and 3 a bit taller so they will be easier to see.”
I shouldn’t need to but I’ll say it anyway. TALLER BARS DO NOT MEAN BETTER RECEPTION!
Shame on you Apple. All you care is money and that is it! Admit your fault and you will come out of this with scrapes and bruises but nothing worse. But with this deceive full attitude the people that adore you will eat you alive!
@cybertrash because you make a call when you have 4 bars, when in actuality you have 2 bars, then you grip it and drop it to one bar. There's your dropped call
Come on Apple, this is the best your marketing/PR could come up with? I am positive they can do better than that... I have seen it before!
@ravissimo
i actually don't even downrank him... his ignorance can be pretty entertaining in all honesty. but you're right... seems pretty wasteful anyway. just don't be surprised if i can't hold back a flame or two in the future =D
@blindguymcsqueezy - Exactly!
AT&T, THE DEFINITION OF A TRUE HOMIE! Willing to take the bullet for their homeboy Steve OG! Even if it means mass ridicule of their network. There is only one problem, THERE ARE OTHER PHONES and if I am standing next to the guy with the fruit phone in his left hand (post "patch" of course) and he is pitching a fit because his bars have flat-lined, I will make sure to stop laugh HARD, then resume the conversation on my $50 Samsung sporting full bars. Don't do it AT&T, FRACK EM! You have been taking hits since fruit phone 1. So stop acting LIKE AN ABUSED SPOUSE! Sayin...
@engaged
I love how Engadget writers are all over Steve Jobs Nuts. They are totally unbiased when saying that the Iphone is a 9 with a MAJOR flaw. WTF? Apple is trying to push the blame on AT&T and a regluar person (read non apple fanboy) can see right through it. Apple wake up and realize that you have a problem. You have many loyal customers that will love you even more if you fix the problem at hand instead of just ignoring it or pushing it off on another party. Engadget writers, wake up and realize that Apple may be paying your bills but your are biased tward apple. In your EVO Vs IP4 you can see that you are biased tward the IP4. The EVO may not have the screen like the IP4 but it is a far superior phone. WAKE THE EFFF UP! Go back to the days that i actually liked reading about stuff you wrote about because you were unbiased..... (i know this is falling on def ears, but i had to try)
They are not fixing the reception. They are fixing the perception. They should hire 3 editors instead to change the language accordingly in all iPhone marketing materials.
@Why should I have all the fun
It has been proved, iPhone 4s and bars don't get along really well...
@engaged
Um.. probably to design the next 3G iPad....? You know... they have annual release cycles bud.
@engaged
Apple, Bars don't mean shit, please explain this (source Anandtech):
Signal Attenuation Comparison in dB - Lower is Better
a) Cupping Tightly b)Holding Naturally c) On an Open Palm c) Holding Naturally d) Inside Case
iPhone 4 a) 24.6 b) 19.8 c)9.2 d)7.2
iPhone 3GS a) 14.3 b)1.9 c) 0.2 d)3.2
HTC Nexus One a) 17.7 b) 10.7 c) 6.7 d)7.7
(sorry for the double post)
@BrookLynnsFinest
dude, how blind are you? putting the accusations away for a second, Apple, the company that made the phone acknowledged an issue related to the reception and update patches are rolling out soon. think about it pea brain. if the maker is making a 'fix' there is most definitely a problem. you cant blame ppl here for calling out on Apple because even Apple itself is admitting some fault. so STFU and GTFO.
@BrookLynnsFinest
If there is no problem then please tell me why this software update is even coming out
Cut the crap you know there's an issue cuz you commented yesterday about the cheaP peice of plastic that could be wrappped around your precious phone and you yourself said "if it works fore you then kuddos"
@etwashoo2
...kinda mucked up the b) and c) description - one of those should run together
That is such a great idea! Now the phone will keep dropping calls but because since it displays the "right signal" it is not Apple's but users fault for holding it wrong! Smart eh!
@BrookLynnsFinest
You cannot be serious. You think all the noise of this is just by anti-apple people? That's pathetic. The videos of this happening, shown by gizmodo and engadget are clear and calling people fanboys of android or whatever does not change for a second what the video demonstrates - that there is a problem. (Don'tr even launch that argument at me as we have 2 iPhones and I haven't used another brand in 3 years.)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2489962&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2477919&tstart=15
So, in your mind all the people discussing it are liars and out to get Apple. All the people at Apple's website are really just undercover Android agents of some sort? Seriously - take you head out of the sand. Don't be such an ass to everyone because you can't handle hearing bad things.
If you are not having the problem then great! That doesn't mean that you are the sole measure of the problem existing for the rest of the world, many of whom are having issues. It's fine for you to be happy with your phone, and to love it, but that doesn't excuse just telling lies and smearing people because your feelings are hurt on behalf of an inanimate object.
@engaged If the signal bar mess up is legit, we know it was intentional for two reasons:
1) Apple was trying to make everyone not notice how shitty their antennas were by displaying 5 bars when a Motorola would have displayed 2.
2) Steve Jobs thinks that the 5 bars look so much more beautiful than the 2 bars and that is reason enough to just put up the extra bars and damn the consequences.
I always thought Apple took advantage of their ill-informed consumers.
Now. How dumb do they think we are?
@Vrmithrax agreed, maybe theyre gonna alter the logarythm to show high bars - death grip or not?
@engaged
"We are also making bars 1, 2 and 3 a bit taller so they will be easier to see."
sooo: http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/697/fullbars.png
@wtfapple
Just like idroids follow the leader. /rolleyes
@Why should I have all the fun
"Taller bars in more places."
@engaged Apple you gotta be kidding us! You think showing fullbars to users while their signal falls off is not solving your problem.
Again, Apple is an expert at lying to its users.
@engaged
So still a 9/10??