Apple Releases Statement Addressing iPhone 4 Reception

ByMike Moffit

This morning, Apple released an official statement addressing issues surrounding the iPhone 4’s antenna and reception. Many early-adopters of Apple’s latest flagship device have noticed less than desirable reception when gripping the phone in a certain manner. Isolated to the lower left portion of the device, holding the phone in an alarmingly normal position can result in abrupt and significant signal loss for some users.

In an official letter to iPhone 4 owners, Apple has admitted that the issue is real and that they are actively working on a software fix. Apple claims the issue is rooted in an improperly calculated algorithm which correlates directly to the number of signal bars displayed by the phone. Due to an erroneous calculation, the iPhone 4 displays more bars than actually exist in some areas of weaker service.

The letter mentions that a software update is currently in the works, and should be released sometime within the coming weeks. While this update will correct the amount of bars displayed in weaker service areas, Apple has oddly omitted any information relating directly to the phone’s hardware and design. Apple claims this reception problem also persists in the iPhone 3G and 3Gs models and that both devices will be included in the update.

In an effort to quell anxiety surrounding the issue, the letter mentions that signal loss is normal in any mobile phone when gripped in a certain way. While this statement undoubtably carries a defensive tone, Apple remains objective by clarifying their return policy for anyone who is unsatisfied with the new phone.

While this issue is not universal, it has affected a substantial number of iPhone users. Even if Apple’s fix doesn’t fully resolve the technical issues surrounding the phone’s antenna, it will at least provide users with a more accurate depiction of signal strength. The letter in its entirety can be found here. If you’re an iPhone 4 user experiencing this problem please feel free to comment and share your thoughts below.

Similar Posts

  • Apple 802.11n Enabler Released

    Apple also released an enabler for 802.11n. The update only applies to a few computers so BEFORE you buy it check to see…

  • Leopard Delayed Until October!

    Well, this news is a bummer – today Apple announced that they will not release Leopard (OS 10.5) until this October. Previously Apple…

  • iOS 5 Available October 12 (that's next week!!)

    On Tuesday Apple announced the October 12 launch of iOS 5—a free upgrade for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch 2nd and 3rd generation, iPad and iPad 2 and a standard feature on iPhone 4S. iOS 5 will include over 200 new features, and Scott Forstall—senior vice president of iOS software—gave an overview of the top ten new and enhanced iOS 5 apps:

    Notifications
    All of your notifications—from email and text messages to social media updates—will be housed in one location that you can access by swiping down from the top of the screen in any app or on the home screen. New notifications will be briefly displayed at the top of the screen in apps so as not to interrupt whatever you’re doing when they arrive. You’ll also be able to swipe to notifications from the Lock Screen.

    iMessage
    Send unlimited text messages to other iOS 5 users from your device via Wi-Fi or 3G. iMessage will support photo, video, location and contacts as well. Messages will be synced to all your devices so you can seamlessly switch from one device to another during a conversation.

    Reminders
    This brand-new app will help you organize your life with to-do lists that integrate with iCal, Outlook and iCloud. Location-based reminders will alert you to to-do items when you when you’ve reached the point where you want to be reminded. iPhone 4S users will be able to use Siri’s voice recognition capability to set reminders.

    Twitter integration
    Now you’ll only have to sign into Twitter once—in Settings—and you’ll be able to Tweet from multiple apps, including Camera, Safari and Maps.

    Newsstand
    Organize your newspaper and magazine subscriptions so you can access them from one location. Subscribe to a publication on the App Store and it will automatically be directed to Newsstand and updated when a new issue drops.

    Camera
    Accessing Camera will be easier than ever in iOS 5 because you can open the app right from the Lock screen. The volume-up button will function as a shutter button for added usability.

    Game Center
    A number of new features will be available in Game Center, including friend recommendations, new game notifications and enhanced opponent score information.

    Safari
    Enhancements to the built-in browser will include Reader, which allows for easier reading of articles, and Reading List, where you can save articles to read later (saved articles will be synced across your devices via iCloud). Tabbed browsing in Safari will be available on iPad.

    Mail
    Text formatting, flagging, mailbox creation deletion, search features and more will be available in Mail. Plus, you’ll be able to create a free email account that iCloud syncs across your devices.

    PC Free
    Device activation, software updates, back ups and more will no longer require syncing your device to your computer. (This is huge!)

    According to Forstall, Apple has seeded iOS 5 to 100,000+ developers who “love it,” and we’re sure we will too! Visit apple.com/ios for more details.

  • Here They Are! The Beatles!

    Apple today announced the availability of the entire Beatles catalog in the iTunes Music Store. After years of back and forth negotiations with…