[for-q-clinton]

Very interesting. So holding the antenna exposes a bug in the software to show the true signal strength. That is a very odd software bug indeed. I wonder if someone can explain how holding the antenna in a certain way would reveal the true signal strength.

[for-q-clinton]

Tech ping please.

Looks like a new spin on the antenna issues.

[RightOnline]

Good news for ‘em, though. FAR easier to issue a software update than a firmware re-design.

[TomServo]

Josh Kleinbaum is a HATER!!!

[tacticalogic]

It appears that what they’re admitting to is having accidentally created an erroneous perception that there is a problem.

[antiRepublicrat]

I wonder if someone can explain how holding the antenna in a certain way would reveal the true signal strength.

In all cell phones, the bars you see are calculated approximations of signal strength over time. The iPhone 4 added quite a bit more complexity to the antenna system in order to get better reception, so probably the bar calculator routine wasn't modified accordingly.

HTC had a "problem" like this a while back. People complained about low bars, but the signal was still good. HTC changed the way the bars were calculated, and customers were happy even though they had the same exact signal they had before.

[Dr. Sivana]

Apple's over-engineering occasionally causes these kinds of problems. Those of us who followed the company since the early days remember their first external CD-ROM, which had an unnecessary cooling fan. This cooling fan drew dust over the 1x CD read head causing failure. The fix was to open the case and disconnect the fan. Oh, and the failures usually came about four months in ... on a 90 DAY WARRANTY.

The 90 Day warranty for the U.S. didn't go away until a bunch of Macs were sold with bad Quantum SCSI hard drives. It seems the lubricant tended to dry out after, say 100 days. Apple was forcing people to buy new hard drives. Meanwhile, Apple was taking those defective hard rives, and returning them to Quantum, as they all had an OEM 2 YEAR warranty!

Some nice products, but not always customer friendly.

[Yossarian]

I think what has happened is:

a) the iPhone 4 has a more erratic antenna design- better in some situations, worse in others, especially when being held, and

b) this did indeed expose the - always known - bogus signal strength display.

Whomever designed or approved an antenna that could be held or put in a configuration where two antennas could be bridged - OR NOT (i.e. the end antenna situation is highly variable) - should have their engineering degree taken away....

[VanDeKoik]

I guess the old “hoping that enough fans and sycophants at tech blogs to cover for us” strategy didn’t quite pan out this time?

[catnipman]

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.

Makes you wonder how much else is totally wrong doesn't it? I have to admit I thought the apple letter was a sick joke until I looked at my browser's address bar and it showed apple.com. Can anyone imagine the howls from the media if Microsoft issued a letter like this?

Only someone young enough to believe in Santa Claus would buy this apple tripe, which I've paraphrased here:

1. This happens to all mobile phones when held in the hand, even ours!

2. But we get letters from lots and lots and lots of people that say it doesn't happen to OUR phone.

3.We just discovered the bars have always been wrong for all of our phones all the time (we somehow missed that for years), and we're issuing a software patch that will show lots of bars all the time, no matter what. That will fix the no-bars problem.

Sounds like a lawyer trying out one lame argument after another until some gullible judge bites on one.

[SmokingJoe]

Biggest piece of BS I have heard in a long time.
Apple is still as full of crap as ever.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Very interesting. So holding the antenna exposes a bug in the software to show the true signal strength. That is a very odd software bug indeed. I wonder if someone can explain how holding the antenna in a certain way would reveal the true signal strength.”

I think these hidden features are called Easter Eggs... :-)

[KingLudd]

I can’t answer your question. I still use the first cell phone I bought 11 years ago. However, I DO know that if I hold my mouth a certain way, I can really catch a lot of fish.

[novemberslady]

I really want an iphone, but won't buy one.
I won't use AT&T.

[RichInOC]

“But they’re dancin’ fools, so things even out.”

[ShadowAce]

[Gondring]

Good info here, from the study:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/the-iphone-4-review/2

[TrueKnightGalahad]

BREAKING: Apple has just released new "How To Hold Your iPhone" instructions:

Hold Different

[Swordmaker]

NBC reports on Apple's open letter about the iPhone4's reception Bar problem PING!

PLEASE NOTE, if you post a thread on APPLE, iPHONES, iPAD, or Macs, and wish to notify the Apple/Mac,iPhone,iPad list, please have the courtesy to Ping me, so that I may ping the list. Certain anti-Apple persons, notably, for-q-clinton (as in this thread), PugetSoundSoldier, and a few others are deliberately NOT pinging me to their negative, anti-Apple threads... for reasons of their own.

Please don't feed the Anti-Apple Trolls™

Apple/Mac/iPhone/iPad Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[big'ol_freeper]

Big time advocate of Apple products...but I can't resist:

Upon investigation, we were stunned our beeber to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong