iPhone '4' thread

lucylucky

Kavanne wrote: »

Apple's statement on the matter

Not sure why your reply got posted twice?

"Dear iPhone 4 Users,

The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by some reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and some 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. Wrong? Why use it then, have Apple never encountered this before? Our formula,(now admitted to be wrong) 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 (so this is a US only fix) 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 (how long is 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. My word it has taken an amazingly long time to discover this fault.

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. (unless lots of people want to use the wi-fi at the same time as Steve Jobs) 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. Which means what?

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. Will the "fix" be available before the 30 days are up?

We hope you love the iPhone 4 as much as we do. Oooh tacky

Thank you for your patience and support.

Apple

I take it the above was a spoof:D

(my wee bits in red)

lucylucky

doodledoodle24 wrote: »

I came on here to look for constructive advice on whether to get the i phone4.........instead i find abuse and arguments.......im turning around and walking straight out again, so dissapointed...mse used to be friendly back when i 1st joined! I'll leave you all to it!

What questions did you ask that you felt got less than helpful answers?

Do you have specific queries that people can help with?

secretmsg

Three has stated that it will have the iPhone 4 before the end of July, and T-Mobile has stated that it should be able to supply stock at around the same time.

http://www.whatmobile.net/News/mobilephonenews/526304/three_to_stock_iphone_4_before_end_of_july_tmobile_close_behind.html

ampletime

I would be cautious of how Apple have responded. First there wasnt an issue, then they said customers are holding it the wrong way and now they say there is a problem with a maths equation. I think Apple have shot themselves in the foot on this one.

The amount of money they demand for it this sort of problem shouldnt come about. I will be keen to see this software update, should it reach UK shores. I am not though that confident it is a software issue and that the update will just mask the problem.

custardy

ampletime wrote: »

I would be cautious of how Apple have responded. First there wasnt an issue, then they said customers are holding it the wrong way and now they say there is a problem with a maths equation. I think Apple have shot themselves in the foot on this one.

The amount of money they demand for it this sort of problem shouldnt come about. I will be keen to see this software update, should it reach UK shores. I am not though that confident it is a software issue and that the update will just mask the problem.

exactly,showing no signal and having no signal are two different things
I wouldnt be paying Iphone prices until i knew i wouldnt be stuck with a phone i could be struggling to get signal on

gjchester

ampletime wrote: »

The amount of money they demand for it this sort of problem shouldnt come about.

To be fair Apple phones are not really that expensive compated to the competition.

Apple charge £499 for a sim Free Iphone 4. Looking at Expansys for SIM Free prices the Desire is £399, the Nexus One £549., the SE X10 £429.

The difference is how much they are subsidised by the Mobile companies, Ie I'm on Vodfone, on a £35 PCM Contract. I got a Iphone 4 @ £169 for the handset, but on the same plan I could have got the other three phones were free. Given they are all about the same price, theres £170 less subsidy (or greater profit) in the Iphone for Vodafone or Apple. Either way it's fits the marketting of Apple (as I've said many times) as a premium product, ahnd will not cause canabilsation of sales of ipod / Nano / Shuffle because oit's not being given away like the others.

This problem should not be on any handset at this level, but the cost paid by the consumer is not relelvent here over the competition, the cost is just the marketting of the product, not the R&D costs

ampletime wrote: »

I will be keen to see this software update, should it reach UK shores. I am not though that confident it is a software issue and that the update will just mask the problem.

I'm not seeing the issue but that was my thoughts too...

Oscar_The_Grouch

ampletime wrote: »

I would be cautious of how Apple have responded. First there wasnt an issue, then they said customers are holding it the wrong way and now they say there is a problem with a maths equation. I think Apple have shot themselves in the foot on this one.

I disagree with you on this one. I think Apple have used their usual smoke and mirrors to avoid telling people what the real problem is. I think the maths issue is something that could be contributing to the problem, but not the actual cause.

You will know from this forum that many people are saying that they do not experience the problem with the signal dropping off and I'm pretty confident that if you mapped out their locations, you'd find the majority of iPhone users in their area also are problem free (with the ones who do complain being people who move from one signal area to another).

If, as expected, the main problem is caused by the software that detects and changes the frequency, there will be areas where putting your finger/thumb across the bars has little or no effect (the frequency change is not the "killer" one) and others where it causes significant issues. This would also explain why 3G users suddenly experienced the problem of dropping signals after updating to iOS4.

I expect that the reason iOS4.0.1 (or whatever they number it as) will take a couple of weeks is to allow them to correct and test the frequency issue. The maths problem has probably already been fixed.

I know there were a large number of "expect"s in that post, but until the release comes out, we're not going to know whether it does or doesn't work.

Now can we PLEASE talk about something else?

griff2010

Haha I love all these people who are seething about the iphone, they must be searching the internet trying to find any article that makes the iphone look bad. Then they most likely get all excited and post it here when they have found it. Well seethers I have the iphone 4 and it's the best phone i've ever had and it doesn't give me no problems at all but i'm sure you's will continue to ignore all the people who say it gives them no problems and continue to look for negative things to post on here about it.
The jealousy must be eating you's up inside because you's don't have an iphone 4

space_rider

Waiting for mine to be delivered on Monday.

ampletime

gjchester wrote: »

To be fair Apple phones are not really that expensive compated to the competition.

Apple charge £499 for a sim Free Iphone 4. Looking at Expansys for SIM Free prices the Desire is £399, the Nexus One £549., the SE X10 £429.

The difference is how much they are subsidised by the Mobile companies, Ie I'm on Vodfone, on a £35 PCM Contract. I got a Iphone 4 @ £169 for the handset, but on the same plan I could have got the other three phones were free. Given they are all about the same price, theres £170 less subsidy (or greater profit) in the Iphone for Vodafone or Apple. Either way it's fits the marketting of Apple (as I've said many times) as a premium product, ahnd will not cause canabilsation of sales of ipod / Nano / Shuffle because oit's not being given away like the others.

This problem should not be on any handset at this level, but the cost paid by the consumer is not relelvent here over the competition, the cost is just the marketting of the product, not the R&D costs





I'm not seeing the issue but that was my thoughts too...

I agree. What i was trying to say you have said for me. Apple market it as a premium product and as such they shouldnt have these type of problems.