The General iPhone Thread and FAQ

[telandy]

Wait until they fix the problems!!

[Gastro Gnome]

It might be useful if some of us posted results using the speedtest.net app, saying which version of an iPhone, which version iOS and which network . . .

I'm using a 3G running iOS 4 on Orange.

I just tried and got approx. 700kbps download and 100kbps upload. This is in Zürich with 4 bars of 3G reception.

Not that impressive . . .

[magyir]

	Quote:	ric
	Any word yet on Sunrise offering the iPhone 4?

they've sent a mail last week to existing customers that news will soon be forthcoming.

[Gastro Gnome]

	Quote:	Gastro Gnome
	It might be useful if some of us posted results using the speedtest.net app, saying which version of an iPhone, which version iOS and which network . . . I'm using a 3G running iOS 4 on Orange. I just tried and got approx. 700kbps download and 100kbps upload. This is in Zürich with 4 bars of 3G reception. Not that impressive . . .

Hmmm . . . tried this a few more times. Everything from 2000kbps to 200kbps on the way to work this morning.

[esto]

The problem with the iPhone 4 is that the metal part of the antenna is on the exterior of the phone. That's a big RF no-no, because when you touch the metal part of an antenna, your body becomes part of the antenna and changes the size of the antenna ...and since the antenna length must be proportional to the wavelength, if you change the size of the antenna, it becomes useless. If you touch one antenna, you kill that one. If you touch both at the same time (ie: "death grip") you kill both, and have a massive signal loss. If you are in good coverage, maybe a -20dB drop won't affect you. But if you're in a so-so or poor coverage area you will have a dropped call.

It's a hardware problem, that's why they are telling you to go buy a case, to insulate the antenna. No software patch is gonna fix a hardware fault.

Here's a read:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/t...one-4-review/2

Speedtest

3G (not S) running OS4 on Swisscom, with full (5 bar) reception near Sihl City:

Download: average = 1300 kbps
Upload: average = 125 kbps

[Castro]

	Quote:	esto
	It's a hardware problem, that's why they are telling you to go buy a case, to insulate the antenna. No software patch is gonna fix a hardware fault.

I'm sure Apple employ the pick of the crop when it comes to engineers, physicists etc.. so how could such a seemingly elemental mistake have been made, or is it just the media over-simplifying a much more complex phenomenen that was unforseen during development?

[Jaro]

	Quote:	Castro
	I'm sure Apple employ the pick of the crop when it comes to engineers, physicists etc.. so how could such a seemingly elemental mistake have been made, or is it just the media over-simplifying a much more complex phenomenen that was unforseen during development?

true true, however like with most things (cars, gadgets etc) my approach is never to buy from early production. I will wait till iPhone 4 hits CH, wait for the hysteria to calm down and go for later batches of the phone when hopefully the hardware and software concerns are worked out. From what I've read it is indeed a design flaw and not software problem.
Apple offering bumpers is ridiculous. They shall fix this sooner or later...

[esto]

	Quote:	Castro
	I'm sure Apple employ the pick of the crop when it comes to engineers, physicists etc.. so how could such a seemingly elemental mistake have been made, or is it just the media over-simplifying a much more complex phenomenen that was unforseen during development?

Apple is a software company, they have only been doing RF for a couple of years now (since what 2007?). They, as a company, don't have the experience. They can buy a few RF engineers, but, well, a few people can be wrong sometimes. ...actually they are suddely searching for 8 new RF engineers since the s**t hit the fan with the iPhone4 antenna problem (see here)

I don't really have confidence in them when it comes to RF. They made big mistakes before (see iPhone 3G) but that was found and solved by AT&T's engineers (Apple was unaware) and corrected with a software patch. This time it's a hardware fault. That's harder to correct. I guess you just have to "hold your phone differently, or buy one of the multi-colored cases Apple sells for $29.99"

[Worm_Buffet]

	Quote:	esto
	They, as a company, don't have the experience. They can buy a few RF engineers, but, well, a few people can be wrong sometimes. ...actually they are suddely searching for 8 new RF engineers since the s**t hit the fan with the iPhone4 antenna problem (see here)

Those dates are actually from before the launch and before the antenna controversy started!

Surely nothing can stop Apple now, now that they have achieved clairvoyance.

[dawiz]

What I don't get is how they possibly could have missed that problem in their lengthy testing-phase.

One is inclined to think that they didn't give a crap and released it anyway :-/

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

[esto]

	Quote:	dawiz
	What I don't get is how they possibly could have missed that problem in their lengthy testing-phase. One is inclined to think that they didn't give a crap and released it anyway :-/ Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

I would guess that testing on Apple campus was fine, because they have an AT&T tower there, and in strong coverage you can still use the iPhone4 even with the antennas disabled. As for off-campus testing, well, remember the pre-release iPhone4 that was lost/found in a bar was hidden in an iPhone 3G housing to keep the new product design of the iPhone4 "secret" until it was officially released, meaning the external antennas of the iPhone4 were covered and this fault wouldn't have been experienced

[flow23]

	Quote:	esto
	. No software patch is gonna fix a hardware fault. Here's a read: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3794/t...one-4-review/2

im no techie and all those acronyms make me dizzy.
but what i got is that the loss of reception happens if you squeeze
the iphone 4 body pretty hard. but nobodys does it as its nor natural way to hold a fon. right? if you want to make the fon 5 bar-safe you can(!) buy a rubber band to have better reception? and there is a difference between the displayed and actual reception, which is actually good? and that in citys/areas with good coverage the signal/calls drop(s) on less occasions? and the the iphone 4 has still better reception in "dead areas" than 3G(S)? im deranged

[Worm_Buffet]

	Quote:	flow23
	im no techie and all those acronyms make me dizzy. but what i got is that the loss of reception happens if you squeeze the iphone 4 body pretty hard. but nobodys does it as its nor natural way to hold a fon. right? if you want to make the fon 5 bar-safe you can(!) buy a rubber band to have better reception? and there is a difference between the displayed and actual reception, which is actually good? and that in citys/areas with good coverage the signal/calls drop(s) on less occasions? and the the iphone 4 has still better reception in "dead areas" than 3G(S)? im deranged

In a word, yes.

People are mostly upset about the amount of bars that disappear when holding the phone the "wrong" way. There have been no reports of an increase in dropped calls AFAIK.

But since the antenna is on the outside, it is quite easy too interfere with reception even when holding the phone in a natural way.

[Worm_Buffet]

A Spanish carrier has announced the iPhone 4 launch date to be 28th of July. It is reasonable to assume it will coincide with the Swiss launch.

	Quote:	http://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/08/next-round-of-international-iphone-4-releases-set-for-july-28th/
	Actualidad iPhone reports [Google translation] that Spanish mobile carrier Movistar has issued a series of tweets indicating that the iPhone 4 is set to launch there on Wednesday, July 28th. While we can't say for certain that the announcement is anything more than speculation, as the Movistar representative does say that there is "no guarantee", the tweets do suggest that the device should be available by that date barring any unforeseen news or issues receiving stock. Furthermore, the representative notes with tongue in cheek that not even Steve Jobs knows the pricing information yet. Apple launched the iPhone 4 in the United States, UK, France, Germany, and Japan on June 24th and has announced that it is planning to launch in an additional 18 countries "by the end of July": Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

[rocksteady]

Hi all.

I am moving to Geneva in September and am planning on getting an iphone 4. Can anyone recommend the best operator and if there are any deals?

On the face of it, the costs seem quite expensive for the packages on offer.

Thanks in advance,

Rock

[portsmouth68]

	Quote:
	Speedtest 3G (not S) running OS4 on Swisscom, with full (5 bar) reception near Sihl City: Download: average = 1300 kbps Upload: average = 125 kbps

Cham 1704 kps 3GS Swisscom 5 Bar - not sure how to test upload I used Cisco Free App

[esto]

	Quote:	flow23
	im no techie and all those acronyms make me dizzy. but what i got is that the loss of reception happens if you squeeze the iphone 4 body pretty hard.

There are 2 antennas on the exterior of the phone. If you touch them both at the time with your bare hands, not squeezing just touching, then the antennas don't work. That's real signal loss. If you put a rubber bumper on, then you are not able to touch the antennas, so they work.

The signal bar thing is a different story, it's mainly about perception. It doesn't matter really. Forget about it. Apple is trying to divert peoples attention with that. It's not going to fix anything.

[magic]

	Quote:	rocksteady
	Hi all. I am moving to Geneva in September and am planning on getting an iphone 4. Can anyone recommend the best operator and if there are any deals? On the face of it, the costs seem quite expensive for the packages on offer. Thanks in advance, Rock

Only a few operators here, so not much choice.

Deals? Well it is going to be do you want one yes or no and hefty price.

[Kittster]

*rant*
Ever since the latest updates, my phone doesn't synchronise properly anymore and iTunes stays resolutely minimised to the Explorer toolbar. Yes, I know, using Apple stuff on Windows is not the way to go but I've tried using Apple things and it just doesn't work with my mind somehow. Anyone else having this problem?