MSE News: Apple offers iPhone 4 fix and refund

lozzaman

There is a movement to reduce the maximum SAR value a phone can have. Since this is measured in the head phone manufacturers have been moving the antenna to the base of the phone, which isn't great since it's an area which will usually be covered by a users hand. Probably in turn making the phone boost transmit power and making the user exposure as bad as before

adobbing

Has there been any confirmation that production of iPhone 4's without this issue is underway?

Presumably it would involve some kind of coating on the metal part of the case to prevent the issues mentioned.

I am interested in getting one but am now deterred by the Antenna issue, does anyone have any info on how to tell from serial numbers etc?

Chiddles

This is NOT A FIX. Its a workaround. If it was a fix, the Iphone4 would be faultless without the need for add-ons. The workaround the problem is to put a rubber band around the antenna they thought they were so clever in placing the outside. Its quite ironic that Apple who pride themselves on style and design have to cover up a significant feature of their phone's style and design to actually make it work. Im glad I dont own an Iphone!!

cjard

I was more amused by Apple's own website tests where Apple phones fell from 3 bars to 1 bar, whereas competitors phones fell from 4, or 5 bars to 1 bar in terms of signal strength.
I know that Apple would prefer to be seen to "lose least" signal, but I couldnt help notice the implication that they started off with the worst reception..

I also loved the bit where a "software update" 'fixes' the problem, basically by altering the reported strength of the signal. e.g. How to stop a phone displaying 1 bar of signal? Change the software so the lowest it can go is 2 bars. Nice.

Exhortation

cjard wrote: »

I also loved the bit where a "software update" 'fixes' the problem, basically by altering the reported strength of the signal. e.g. How to stop a phone displaying 1 bar of signal? Change the software so the lowest it can go is 2 bars. Nice.

There was a suggestion on one of the news channels (Sky, I think) that this "flaw" in the formula was deliberate on behalf of Apple to make the iPhone 2 look like it had better reception than it actually did. It seems Apple simply forgot to revert to the original formula somewhere along the way... allegedly.

rogertyler

This is what happens when a company rushes the release of a device because a competing company (ahem....Android) has them running scared :rotfl:

bubblesmoney

Anyone wanting to use the field or test mode on your iphone 3gs to see signal strength number or other features see http://i.tuaw.com/2007/07/12/more-secret-iphone-codes/

mark-f_2

What amazes me about steve Jobs press confernece on the Iphone 4 last Friday was his complete belief that the Iphone 4 does not have a problem that is not experienced by every other smartphone.

Rubbish, my Iphone 4 keeps dropping calls and I have never had this much trouble with any other smartphone I have owned, including a 3GS.

Fact Steve Jobs said that the Iphone 4 only drops 1 in a hundred calls more than tha 3GS but refused to say how many the 3GS drops. If the 3GS only drops 1 in a hundred then the iphone 4 is twice as bad.

Fact a lot of the independant Labs have shown that the IPhone 4 aerial's are the cause of the problem and that its when you touch them with your hand across the jojn on the lower left corner then the signal is attenuated enough in some cases to drop the call.


I wish apple would wake up and not treat us all as if we are stupid, everyone now knows the Iphone 4 has a hardware problem and should be recalled but Apple dont want to recall over 2 million phones so are trying to cover it all up.

I wonder if it will be 12 months before the 4GS comes out, me thinks it will be a lot sooner so Apple can try and sweep this all under the carpet...oh and then charge us another £500 for a new phone.

Personally I willl take mine back, get a refund and wait till the next version comes along as I bet they test that one a bit better than they did this one before its launched.

Mark

Exhortation

mark-f wrote: »

What amazes me about steve Jobs press confernece on the Iphone 4 last Friday was his complete belief that the Iphone 4 does not have a problem that is not experienced by every other smartphone.

Rubbish, my Iphone 4 keeps dropping calls and I have never had this much trouble with any other smartphone I have owned, including a 3GS.

Fact Steve Jobs said that the Iphone 4 only drops 1 in a hundred calls more than tha 3GS but refused to say how many the 3GS drops. If the 3GS only drops 1 in a hundred then the iphone 4 is twice as bad.

Fact a lot of the independant Labs have shown that the IPhone 4 aerial's are the cause of the problem and that its when you touch them with your hand across the jojn on the lower left corner then the signal is attenuated enough in some cases to drop the call.


I wish apple would wake up and not treat us all as if we are stupid, everyone now knows the Iphone 4 has a hardware problem and should be recalled but Apple dont want to recall over 2 million phones so are trying to cover it all up.

I wonder if it will be 12 months before the 4GS comes out, me thinks it will be a lot sooner so Apple can try and sweep this all under the carpet...oh and then charge us another £500 for a new phone.

Personally I willl take mine back, get a refund and wait till the next version comes along as I bet they test that one a bit better than they did this one before its launched.

Mark

It's been interesting reading the reaction of the likes of Nokia and RIM to Jobs's inferrence that all smartphones suffer in the same way. Nokia's statement was particularly barbed, stating something along the lines of "if we found ourselves in a position where we have to choose between design and function we would choose function every time."

damsl123

Hi i'm new here...hello everyone,

I have never had an iPhone before and was looking forward to this phone when I purchased it...

It is like we're all saying, dropped calls, loss of signal, I also think the camera is rubbish for a 5mp-very dark pics, and when I delete photos I just get a black space between my photos...

Anyway, I bought a case, no change, I updated the firmware to v4.0.1 as Apple reports said but i would say the problem is worse than ever EVERY call is lost and now I am actually embarrassed to use it...

I got a call from a sales person from where i bought it last week, less than a week old and she said she would give me an exchange, I rang today to speak to her but she is off today and the person I spoke to appeared shocked at the suggestion of me getting an exchange.

I'm on Orange and i am taking it all back tomorrow to the shop (4 u) where I purchased it with a report referencing steve jobs saying people could have a refund and HOPING to get a refund and contract stopped.

I will update you tomorrow with my outcome fingers crossed!