iPhone 4 Reception Issue Could be a Software Bug [Video]

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Posted June 24, 2010 at 6:45pm by Shalom Levytam

A reception issue reported by new iPhone 4 owners may actually be a software problem in iOS 4, according to a BGR report.

Evidence continues to mount that suggests the problem is purely the result of a bug in the current build of iOS 4. As proof, a YouTube user has posted a video of his iPhone 3G, held in a similar fashion as the iPhone 4s in the YouTube videos we showed you yesterday, losing signal strength as soon as it is clutched. As this did not happen with iOS 3.0, this suggests a software bug which affects the signal meter the user sees.

Many users are reporting that despite displaying a weak signal their iPhone 4 is still able to make calls as though nothing was wrong.

Have a look at the video below and let us know if you are experiencing similar issues...

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Patrick D Conner - July 5, 2010 at 2:29pm

Just spoke with a Senior Advisor for Apple and they are "NOT" fixing the hardware issue with the phone to keep it from shorting out and dropping calls. I just hung up from him and he said I have 2 weeks to get it to apple for a full refund. They said the fix that is coming out will "Only fix the issue of the bars at the top but will not do anything for dropping out calls when holding it without a case on the phone" He said they will not issue me a free case and that I had to get it on top of the price of the phone. I am taking the iphone back to apple and going with a different phone. Untill they fix the body issue of the phone.

Avelarix - June 25, 2010 at 9:39pm

I have the same issue with iPhone 3G.

edtv82 - June 25, 2010 at 6:12pm

how could they miss something like this during the testing? I guess there was just an assumption that AT&T's service was that shitty... (not claiming they have great service). I'm curious if I can cancel my pre order? ??

dean - June 25, 2010 at 5:51pm

just tried on my 8gb 3g iphone running ios 4.0 and the same happens to me the signal bars start to go down 1by 1 got to be firmware issue

edtv82 - June 25, 2010 at 6:08pm

I'm gonna have to call nonsense on this poster...

john - June 25, 2010 at 9:47am

what did the little red banner at the bottom of the screen say? the phone is not jailbroken? so why does his network provider's name says "Heath" next to the signal bars? Is there really such a network?

tommy - June 27, 2010 at 12:04am

yeah what a liar. only way to change the network name is by jailbreaking and using something like "make it mine" app from cydia unless iphone data was restored with itunes from a backup of a previously jailbroken phone :)

challo - June 25, 2010 at 7:20am

I can't replicate this at all with my 3G, running iOS 4.0. And btw, how should the iPhone recognize that you are holding it that way? Is it thinking "Oh you touch my tralala, let's shrink the bars"? - definitely not

Junaid - June 25, 2010 at 5:41am

hey chris, i think you havent seen the structure of iphone 4 the steel band consist of three antinas one for signals , second for wifi, third for bluetooth, see June 7th steve presentation at launching of iphone 4, and that could be the reason, but i believe apple dont make this kinda lauzy thing which cant gets signal even of its tight in hands.

Junaid - June 25, 2010 at 5:38am

well i have 3gs with ios4 i have tried but not a single bar goes down, even since when i upgraded my bars are always on 5, never happened in 3.1.3 even most of the time it goes on searching, i think its not iphone issue its cell phone company.

Marcus - June 25, 2010 at 1:03am

I have a 3GS with running thw 3.1.3 firmware. I have the same effect, which ich no surprise and obviously has nothing to do with the iphone software! Guess what, when you put your iphone into a lead box, you will have no reception al all. Go complain to Steve on that one:)

sillydrew - June 24, 2010 at 11:22pm

OK well my iphone 3G doesn't do this and I am running iOS 4. I don't think its iOS 4. I am pretty sure that since those black banks separate the antenna from other antennas when you hold it in that way it is causing interference. If that is not what you think it is then why does my iPhone 3G not do the same thing your iPhone 3G is doing when holding it that way?

V - June 24, 2010 at 9:40pm

I guess Steve J him self just confirmed it is a harware issue by saying "Just avoid holding it in that way." Ok, iPhone has issues now you can either live with it or you can't- Atleast we don't need to blame others!

Faisal - June 24, 2010 at 9:06pm

Hi, its defo a hardware issue. Because iphone 3g's antenna is on the top and the guy in video is holding the phone from top as well if he removes his top finger phone will not lose any reception i bet. BR

mohsenahmed - June 24, 2010 at 8:30pm

the modem firmware on iphone 4 is 01.59.00

jvuong - June 24, 2010 at 8:19pm

My iphone 3g, is running fine on 4.0, just slower but I don't lose reception at all.

V - June 24, 2010 at 7:20pm

Part 2: Just tried it with my iPhone 3GS and iOS4. And it confirms my previously comment. Letting the phone rest on a table without touching gives me 4 bars using 3G Picking it up and holding the phone as shown the bars dropp to 0 and the phone switches to 2G network.

Nt02 - June 24, 2010 at 8:21pm

Then maybe the proximity sensor is causing the issue?

V - June 24, 2010 at 8:25pm

I did think of that too. I tried putting my hand below the phone when it was on the table. It ofcourde did raise the phone half an inch or so but the was in my belive no change in how the light hit the phone, the bars wnt down. To make sure it still wasn't prximity sensor I did tilt the phone in different directions using the USB cable attached to the bottom of the phone and the bars then stayed still when my hand wasn't near the phone.

V - June 24, 2010 at 8:30pm

Also trying to get into field mode test but google gives me that it has been removed in iOS4 :( That sucks !

Peter - June 25, 2010 at 3:42am

Mines the same, both 3GS and iPhone 4 lose signal when held in my hand, both result in "searching" being displayed after 30 secs

Hash - June 24, 2010 at 7:19pm

No way... I have had all phones... This is a hardware issue... I lose both 3G voice and data by holding the left side of the iPhone 4... This does not happen on the 3GS using iOS 4

Nt02 - June 24, 2010 at 8:19pm

Good point. Heck, I wonder about the wifi also. When the iPhone 4 wasn't able to connect at the demo, check out the 3GS - doing just fine.

Unforgivable - June 24, 2010 at 7:18pm

Maybe because that isn't the case. Calls are not dropped if it drops to no bars because of a software issue. And you must but an FANdroid or else you wouldn't be so upset about the explanation of the issue. Get a real phone and os with a battery life that will last longer than the time it took to type out this message.

V - June 24, 2010 at 7:24pm

Well, I guess fanboy or not thees are facts and if you can proove me wrong I'm on your side!

Nt02 - June 24, 2010 at 8:17pm

You didn't prove anything. Someone else is coming up with excuses. And this is just as much evidence and the theory as I am assuming. If a software update fixes it - great. Until then, I call it nonsense.

V - June 24, 2010 at 8:32pm

@Name Not sure if your comment was to me or to Unforgivable . Mine was @Unforgivable ...

yiyopr - June 24, 2010 at 8:37pm

There is no evidence to support either side, but because the problem happens to different phones it can be reasonably inferred that the problem is not with the hardware its with the software. The fact that you can make a call while having no bars on the iphone 4 also backs up the previous theory. BUT, we shouldn't jump to any conclusion. Apple, or anyone else willing to open up their iphone and check it out, will come with a press release soon to address the issue and explain it in greater death. Until then, everyone keep your theories to yourself...

V - June 24, 2010 at 8:49pm

@yiyopr . Well I am sure that it is a hardware issue, perhaps the software is flawed too but the dropped calles are evidence enough for atleast hardware. Having 0 bars and making calls is not equal to software issue alone. Having 1 bar and having a dropped call also doesn't say it is software of hardware. It is how the phone reacts to when a conductive matter is close to the phone itself. The only thing the software will do in this case (in my opinion) is to calculate how much 1 bar equals in signal level and how much 2 bars should equal and so on. That of course could be fixed in a software update but that doesn't meen that there is better signal. Dropped calls are a hardware design issue and it has been around since at least iPhone 2 !! Using google to search for "iphone dropped calls" will give you approx. 4.7 milion hits dating back since iPhone 2 ! OS3 did fix the visual (bars) but not the hardware! AT&T got the blame but trust me it is worldwide if you spend some time to read forums all over the world.

V - June 24, 2010 at 7:15pm

That is pure nonsense !! If it is a software bug then there must be a sensor that "feels" your hand touching the phone and only then the so called bug kicks in and the bars drop. Here is my 2c... The flaw was fixed is OS3 to not drop bars when the reception went down. However, if the reception is lousy it will show you only 0 or 1 (or 2 bars). This explains why the iPhone sucks as a phone and is dropping calls more than my 8 years old Sony Ericsson. I remember that this was an issue in the first OS3 firmware that was released and was "fixed" together with the "yellow screen" flaw in a different build.

Onil - June 24, 2010 at 7:21pm

i have an iPhone 3G (Portugal) and it doesnt loose signal.. it even gets better signal than a Nokia perhaps! I guess the problem is AT&T and not Apple!! In this case, i think that the problem might be really from Apple... I just try this on an iPhone 3G iOS4 from a friend and that doesent happen.

V - June 24, 2010 at 7:28pm

Sorry... I am not on AT&T, I am using Telenor (sweden). The problem is that if you are on a low signal the iPhone still shows 4 or 5 bars. It is when you are on a lousy signal it will drop to 0 or 1 bar (dropping calls randomly). If you have good signal and put you hand on the iPhone the it drops to low signal but still shows 4 or 5 bars ! That is why some are not seeing the problem. Trust me it is real !