Apple today have put out a press release, which you can read in full below, regarding the reception issues that have been dogging the recently released iPhone 4. When the iPhone 4 was initially announced, a major point was made about how the aerial was integrated into the chassis, delivering a better user experience with reception, such having been a major bone of contention with previous iPhone releases.
But all was not well in the world of the iPhone, as within days early adopters of the new device were making claims about poor reception, to which Apple responded that users were 'holding the phone wrong'.
Now, it seems, Apple have realised there is a problem, and it lies with the software, not the hardware. The formula Apple use in their devices to calculate signal strength is wrong, and this error lies in all iPhone devices, not just the iPhone 4. To correct this, Apple will be rolling out a software fix 'within a few' weeks'.
Here is the press release, in full:
Dear iPhone 4 Users,
The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and 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. Our formula, 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 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 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.
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. 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.
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.
We hope you love the iPhone 4 as much as we do.
Thank you for your patience and support.
Apple
And just in case there is any doubt to the validity of the above, here is a link to the press release on the Apple website.
12:20 pm
Bit of a lame reply. I think the problem is a bit further rooted than they are letting on.
6:24 pm
Everyone tells me that Apple have located a formula problem - but it seems that this gives the user a over optimistic measure of reception. Once it is fixed, the two bar reception will disappear and the phone will correctly show that there is no signal - how is this an improvement? My 3GS phone won't work in the office, won't work reliably at home (both on the boundary of the London postal area). How can Apple get away with marketing this as a phone?
12:40 pm
I updated my 3G S to the 4.0.1 update, and since then reception shown on the device is noticeably worse than previous. Given that I change my handset regularly, I know what the network reception is and how good it should be, and where. The bars shown before the update were more accurate than what I see now. Where I had 5 bars before I'm getting three, where I had three I'm getting one, where I had one I now have none. I'm not impressed, to be honest.
10:19 pm
I have a weakness for my iphone 3g, not quite ready for the version 4, would like to see it tested by others first.