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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Letter from Apple About iPhone4

Steve Sherrick

Steve Sherrick

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http://tinyurl.com/2dhs8x8

A little strange that this problem has existed since early iphones and is just being caught now, but I suppose better late than never.

Thought those with iphone 4s might want to see this.
 
Steve, I can't see anything from the link...

edit: found it
 
Here's the press release from Apple...


CUPERTINO, Calif., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ —
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
 
Try the new link I put in there.

Edit: Or just read Jonathan's post. :-)
 
Steven Caesare said:
To see the letter you must have iTunes installed.

Fail.

-sc
Click to expand...

thanks i do, it only opened itunes for more and stopped there. i got it though.

can't wait till this 'fail' trend dies off. actually think it already has...
 
I got a simple black rubber case for my phone and it seems to not be a problem. Before I got it it was a problem. That said if it's just a way in which the signal is displayed than it's a non-issue anyhow cause no matter how you hold it your not getting a strong signal. Personally, I absolutely have a love hate relationship right now with apple and iPhone. Love my iPhone but hate apple for staying exclusive with AT&T. Problem is i just can't bring myself to own another phone right now.
 
KETCH ROSSI said:
I'm one of the lucky's since my iPhone 4 gets reception way better then my 3Gs did.
Click to expand...

An informal survey of people I know who upgraded from the 3GS to the iPhone 4 say the same thing. Reception is noticeably better than 3GS.
 
I don't get the big fuss. The offending band is less than 1% of the surface area of the surrounding band... So just don't tightly cover that tiny little band and your problem is solved. Big whoop.

My 3GS's wifi antenna is apparently in the upper left corner of the device. When I cover that part of the case I lose wifi bars... So I don't hold it that way. Again, big whoop.
 
Jonathan Stevenson said:
Here's the press release from Apple...

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.
Click to expand...


Priceless. On so many levels. Yes, Apple, something is totally wrong here.
 
Because I call tell you as an iphone 4 owner that it really is that bad. To grip my phone to type a text message, it is VERY uncomfortable to hold it in a way that doesn't cover that band. All friends I have who have bought the iphone 4 (which is 4 of them) have the same problem. A case fixes it and I am happy to use it now, but it was a HUGE problem as it is amazing how many hand positions cause it to fail and the phonecall to get disconnected. This is simple poor engineering. The fact no other phone seems to be this bad just shows it is a horrible design.

Second, I agree the reception overall is better than I was getting with my 3G phone, as I know the places I go everyday and since I put the case on, it's been rock solid in those terms. That said, when I compared my voice on the other side, everyone agrees that the 4 audio circuitry is much crappier. I sound robotic and it seems to not do as well with background noise. Two people have complained to me when I called them and told me that my voice wasn't as clear as before.

And to add an ever more annoying problem, apple moved the proximity sensor from beside the earpiece to above it. This means, when I sandwich my phone between my shoulder and my head for a second, the phone shifts enough that my head moves farther from the sensor and the interface cuts on and my face starts dialing, muting, handing up. My 3G never did this. A lot of people are having problems with it, and it is so bad I use my blutooth headset more to stop annoying people. Apparently a software fix is in the works.

I am a long time Apple user, but the arrogance surrounding the iphone 4 just pisses me off. Also, the whole song and dance about being 'shocked' that their algorithm wasn't accurate. I translate their stance as 'we used a logarithmic algorithm to make your signal look stronger so you thought you were getting better coverage with the iphone'

Don't get me wrong, I love my iphone besides its engineering faults. If I were the engineering team responsible for the antenna and sensor issues, I'd be ashamed of myself. I mean, I am an engineer and I am responsible for understanding not only how to make things work, but how to recognize how they will be used. This is just failure, plain and simple.
 
sorry
i'm sitting here on vacation and must see that pros are reacting like lemings.
love to read the red news on an iphone to stay in contact with news from red.
give me a break - this situation never ever had been possible without the cool ideas of apple!
what i hear are crying people don't know how to use the device.
what i hear are crying people dont't know about the real technics
what i hear are people don't trust in inventions! and how about fantasy?
i've used tonns of new invented stuff, maybe yove never heard or even used.
apple has and will have the good tecnics in their mind thats all.
red is starting to do equal things - inventing and developing!
how about this:
nobody is talking on the new displaytechnology apple is using.
4k and more so close and you all give up before done?

sorry for my english - not native
sorry for this yext written on an iphone 3gs
mine is already in the office but i'm on vacation:)

invent!
don't stop until you reach the top:)
franky goes to hollywood - remember?

best ones from here

ps: the network in france did not make it possible to use my ipad on the tour!
global wifi will be and is the next callenge ( london 2012 google for it )
 
Tony Bacak said:
situation never ever had been possible without the cool ideas of apple!
what i hear are crying people don't know how to use the device.
what i hear are crying people dont't know about the real technics
what i hear are people don't trust in inventions! and how about fantasy?
i've used tonns of new invented stuff, maybe yove never heard or even used.
apple has and will have the good tecnics in their mind thats all.
( london 2012 google for it )
Click to expand...


Its in the off topic section so whats the harm, plus as it seems like every DP I have come across in the last three years has an iPhone, it affects the community so its valid.

Apple have created something that is so fundimentally flawed that it custard pie time. When you are in the business of making mobile telephones, regardless of other 'groundbreaking elements' such as 720p video, and are paying a lot of money for said device, you kind of expect, nay, demand that it do what it has been designed to do...connect with a network. Not kind of connect with a network as long as you don't touch the device.

Plus to compound matters market the 'bumper' for £25. So I have spent £500 for a device that doesn't work and then have to spend £25 on a piece of rubber to make it work. JOKE!!
 
verizon..iPhone...January 2011...

trust me when i tell you all your problems will evaporate when you finally get on a real cellphone network and not just a hijacked one.

i own both an iphone and a droid, there is no comparison with phone call and internet speed, iphone and at&t is ten years behind. why?

simple really, at& t was spilt up in 1984, 4/7 baby bells (the markets most of you live in) as they were called eventually merged + GTE to form verizon which included all of the IP from the original at&T regarding cellphone tech/ at&t was just a long distance company, they had zero cellphone capabilities by consent decree. through mergers and technology change some of the lowest tier cellphone companies became At&t along with SBC and had to compete with the true at&t which is verizon. most of the telephone polls in america are owned by verizon, not at&t. more polls better reception, quite simple.

however if you live in...

BellSouth Telecommunications (formerly known as Southern Bell and South Central Bell)
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Nevada (formerly known as Bell Telephone Company of Nevada)
Ohio
Wisconsin
Southern New England (read CT)

then your iphone probably works great.

but if you live where pac tel cellular and gte were located (california), or nynex (ny & new england save CT - it's an acronym get it) or in any state on the eastern seaboard, then your at&t service sucks, cause there are limited cells for at&t.

i have been a shareholder of these companies since before i was born and i have followed all of this very closely as a trained economist specializing in govt regulation of business; esp. monopolies, oligopolies and cartels.

if you are too young to have lived though this, or just partied too hard in the eighties if you are old enough you can get some insight if you go to ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_System_divestiture

then really read and follow around to find the truth...


(edit) - read this... the second paragraph is a riot...they cant even explain clearly what technologies they use...IT IS A MARKETING COMPANY, not a telecommunications technology company...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cingular

dino
 
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