Apple affirms: no software fix for iPhone 4 antenna issue

In case it wasn't obvious enough from Apple's agitated response to our question during today's iPhone 4 Q&A session in Cupertino, there's no software fix in the pipeline for the antenna issues that are plaguing users today. A prior report in the New York Times seemed fairly confident that the troubles could (and would) be solved in the near term by a simple software update, but the company's own Scott Forstall called said report "patently false." So, there you have it -- the only thing that'll be fixed via software is how big your smallest bar of signal is. Beyond that, you'll need to grab some Duct tape, a free case or a white glove if you're looking to avoid attenuation entirely.

[onlysublime Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:41PM]

what happens at September 30? no free bumper for you!

[SExpress Posted Jul 17th 2010 1:49PM]

@Mike10010100 Do you own an iPhone 4?
Do you have direct personal experience to talk about?
Didn't think so - now STFU.

[magallanes Posted Jul 17th 2010 2:11PM]

Take note that Apple *did not* say that the "bumper" will fix the problem.
Apple is just citing some comments saying that someones has fixed the problem.

Apple's marketing and PR division are a bunch of trickster.

[Instantpontaneous Posted Jul 17th 2010 2:54PM]

Someone should submit this to www.thereifixedit.com

It would fit in nicely. Steve, are you reading this?

[Kuro01 Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:24PM]

Who the fuck needed confirmation that this obvious hardware design flaw could not be fixed with a software patch?

Please tell me. -_-

[johnc22 Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:43PM]

"there's no software fix in the pipeline for the antenna issues that are plaguing users today. "

Really? Plaguing? So are you as a blog suggesting that Steve Jobs flat out lied about the severity of the issue and the number of users experiencing it? "Plaguing" suggests that large percentages of iPhone4 users are having horrible reception problems with their iP4. That's simply not the case. Is it that Engadget (which I read religiously) is seeing an easy, zero work effort story slipping through their fingers? Instead of doing the heavy lifting like Consumer Reports or Anandtech, you just requote them and call it a plague?

[spanchangam Posted Jul 17th 2010 3:47PM]

iPhone humor: Holding it is lyk
holding a girl. U touch her @ a wrong
place she's gonna cut u off, & u'll
always need piece f rubber 2b safe

[donnation Posted Jul 17th 2010 5:59PM]

You guys are actually saluting to someone on here named LordVader? A star wars geek being loved on a tech blog, how original.

[Jeep02 Posted Jul 17th 2010 6:08PM]

Dang. So what would Apple need to do to make you guys happy? They offer a case for you broke ass people for free. I have had every iPhone made. Put a case on all of them. That's why when the new one cameos out I'm able to sell my old phone to pay for the cost of the new phone. Plus make a profit. But I'm still amazed that there is this much bitching.

[pintolulz Posted Jul 17th 2010 11:10PM]

iPhone 4 can't be Apple's Vista. Vista was fixed with a software patch.

[androidxxxlover Posted Jul 18th 2010 5:25AM]

I am an android user, wait i forgot what my phone model is..i think its hdc2 or something..

[whatsnottaken Posted Jul 18th 2010 11:45AM]

This article is unfair to Apple. First off, there IS a software update that significantly improves the signal strength algorithm. Second, the quote you show in the picture in the article headline is from consumer reports and does not demonstrate the actual solution Apple has proposed. Third...if you expect a software update for a hardware issue, you shouldn't be posting to any technology related forum aside from posting questions on forums to educate yourself (which you clearly need).

If you want to read more technical details about the what the software update actually does (rather than increase the size of the low bar, which is not really what happened), there is lots of good conversation around this topic on http://whatsnottaken.wordpress.com

[Andrewjv Posted Jul 18th 2010 12:30PM]

I called Apple Customer Service this morning because I pre-ordered the I-phone, bumper and charger back in June. The guy I spoke with about a refund had no idea on earth what I was asking for with regard to the bumper reba te. I explained it to him and he said that he heard that there would be a training for Customer Service Reps on how to handle refunds and then there would maybe be some type of notice or maybe not! I then said I could call American Express and dispute the charge and he was dumbfounded.

[Walid Posted Jul 18th 2010 1:59PM]

All of them are diverting people's attention. (The soldiers of the apple) The iPhone has always had a weak signal. The problem lies elsewhere! . The iPhone4 is not a product to combat the latest news and features of Android.

[jrb58 Posted Jul 19th 2010 5:32PM]

Haven't checked, but has Apple updated its specs with increased dimensions taking the case into account?

[1016JP1 Posted Jul 20th 2010 2:02AM]

Join the Facebook group: iPhone Sucks!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134564703249907&v=photos#!/group.php?gid=134564703249907

[sir1honda Posted Jul 20th 2010 3:24AM]

Good day to all,
I would like you to know that I'm super happy as I have a super fast connection provided by Tmobile now. I used speedtest.net in my old & dilapidated G1 and I got 6.5mbps then 2.6 uploads in Houston then when I tethered it in my netbook then use again the speedtest.net I got this http://www.speedtest.net/result/853126141.png ( 25.84 MBPS down - 1.54 MBPS up ) Its mind blowing,then my latency_ping are between 45-60 in my location-shadow creek ranch in pearland (a bit outside of downtown Houston) then 70-150 in other locations. I did the test between 9:30am-10:00am as many people starting to use the service as my clear if that time of usage will be horrible.
I have CLEAR now in the house that I'm paying for $40/month as I bought the modem,so no leasing fee for me just $40/month. That internet of mine hit the highest was 16mbps in early in the morning between (2am-5am) but before or after that time I will hit only 3-6mbps download then 800-900kbps upload unlike Tmobile who has 1mbps-3mbps upload.
I'm always travelling around Texas & I found out that Austin,Houston,Dallas & San Antonio has the highest download speed to compare to any cities when I compare in Westcoast & Eastcoast cities.
Then if ever they will make more fiber optic backhaul, they can minimize the latency problems others have now.I used to have that problem in my location but now its GONE.
I'm not the kind of person wasting time to bash any company but now I will because I was with AT&T and they are full of lies company as I had my iphone 3gs & my wife & we never seen more than 2mbps connection the whole of Texas or whenever I am in California or New York. All PEOPLE WHO WILL SAY THEY SEE 3MBPS OR BEYOND (its not real), THEY ARE AT&T PEOPLE OR JUST ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO DEFEND AT&T EVEN AT&T DOESN'T CARE FOR THEM. Mine is real experience with my wife... I work in IT company & I always use the one that I think is not just cool & good looking but I can tweak & use the heck of it whatever it can offer unlike iphone that YOU can just unlocked & jailbreak (like what i do) but android & windows can be hack & put lots of fast & best ROM that apple iphone cant do. Our iphone is now an mp3 player in our cars, wants some pictures? Then my wife using the EVO as her company pay for her monthly then she just bought the EVO from Sprint. Its a sweet phone but the speed is not consistent & theres time it will be switching a lot of times from 4g to 3g. But still wayyyyy better than verizon & AT&T. Take note, only Tmobile & Sprint didn't have the cap now they will just throttle you if your beyond 5gb but no more paying overages (Tmobile then sprint in 4g mode-no throttling). Can Verizon & AT&T do that? Nope & never because AT&T made the worse decision in lowering the internet usage to 2gb for $25 (Tmobile has $20 for unlimited no cap with super duper fast internet versus 1mbps by AT&T) then Verizon is thinking now to do that also-per usage internet as Sprint & Tmobile will go for no capping.
Theres a lot of fanboys especially in APPLE stuff like iphone that has the basic stuff that was available 10 years ago but Steve Jobs will say its magical & unbelievable, he's the no. 1 liar in the world (I have a friend who still working in APPLE) I'm just new here in Texas as I'm from California & worked with IT company near APPLE. But Texas is the best place to make money now (hehe) then cheaper way of living...He said to me that Steve Jobs is very good in marketing hype but he's not the real guy who's thinking & making apple stuff to work, he's just the marketing guy of APPLE. Then all of his components are made mostly of asus & samsung (not them as other blindly knows) only software & design are theirs, I can attest to that, so wheres APPLE real product-NONE. They are just a big marketing & design company, if you don't believe go to California (to their main headquarter) see if they building any pieces of material to use for their products - none, most of what they are doing is just software & how to market their product. I was there with my friend & I know what I'm saying. Ask ASUS & SAMSUNG then FOXCONN, they will tell you that no parts are made by apple, they will give the design then what materials will use ( APPLE ) then they will wait for delivery and they will use their technology & manpower to build APPLE products ( FOXCONN ).
FANBOYISM towards APPLE is not bad but you should know the reality of what the company you like & love to what they really offer to you & if they lying to you. Even if APPLE will sell ipoop, those fanboys will still buy as long it has APPLE logo on it.
Back to Tmobile, they are the company to watch for & they are not like AT&T that will make advertising 1st before they will do the action, as tmobile will do the work & everything before they will announce in a simple way unlike AT&T like APPLE, they love marketing hype like shortage of Iphone in the 1st day as they know how many people will go & get them but they will not release many units to show they don't have unit to sell, believe me or not those iphone & ipad was made already & its millions now in FOXCONN factory but they will release only hundreds thousands then it will show to their system they don't have stock anymore even they have more, for the people to be more excited & feel the APPLE products are so good that people lining up & their hysteria in getting in store or online, thats MARKETING 101, YOU HAVE TO MAKE PEOPLE EXCITE IN YOUR PRODUCTS THEN THEY WILL THINK YOUR PRODUCTS IS SO GOOD THAT PEOPLE NEEDS TO WAIT FOR LONG TIME.
I hope people will get it now as I want you to be more well aware of what those companies been doing to you, they making you follow them even they are shortchanging you.
I want to share more my ideas, experience & knowledge about all these stuff - just don't go with the hype, test drive it - tweak it & if you feel it has everything u want & its more cheaper - go for it... you can email me at [e-mail] ( i can give you the best advice in telecommunications & computers stuff if I have enough time to answer )
To all those people bashing each other because you like this or that, think first & I suggest that research in google then don't defend what you have that you feel is not giving you the real deal. WE LIVE ONCE NOT TWICE , LIVE TO THE FULLEST ( get the best stuff that you think is appropriate & can make things more easier to you not just LOOKS & BRAND NAME of the products.
Always take care gurls & guys... GOD BLESS YALL...

[muchdrama Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:35PM]

I choose the white glove. Pinky pointing outward.

[deepen03 Posted Jul 25th 2010 9:40PM]

well if you grab a white glove, then the touchscreen won't respond.. lmao. so no point to that.