After investigating complaints from users about reception on the iPhone 4, Apple has discovered a major flaw in one of its formulas for the smartphone.
The smartphone manufacturer says it was surprised to read reports of reception problems, since the iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple's history, with 1.7 million units being sold in the first three days. “It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and users have told us that they love it.”
Apple says gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce reception by one or more bars. “This is true of iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, as well as many Droid, Nokia and RIM phones.”
User complaints were that the iPhone 4 drops around four or five bars when tightly held in a way that covers the black strip in the lower left corner of the metal band, according to the manufacturer. It admits this is a far bigger drop than normal.
Finding fault
“We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising.” Apple says investigations showed that the formula it used to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is “totally wrong”.
It explains that the smartphone generally displays two more bars than it should for a given signal strength. “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 four or five bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.”
WWW Strategy MD Steven Ambrose says some merit can be given to this explanation by Apple, but it's “disingenuous”.
“Apple has always overstated the reception on the iPhone.”
Correct formula
To fix the problem, Apple will adopt a formula recommended by international telecoms operator AT&T.
The signal strength will remain the same, but will be reported much more accurately by the smartphone, according to Apple. “We are also making bars one, two and three a bit taller so they will be easier to see.”
The manufacturer says it 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.”
SA support
Despite this problem, Apple says the iPhone 4's wireless performance is the best it has ever shipped. However, it still apologises to users who have experienced the problem.
Ambrose says the next six months are going to bring huge innovation in the mobile market, which will be flooded in September, when Apple will start sales of the smartphone here. “This will dilute the impact of the iPhone 4,” adds Ambrose.
However, he says the reception fault with the smartphone will not lessen any sales Apple could have expected to get in SA. “If it was an HTC they would probably have to bring out a new model, but this is an iPhone.” He explains that avid supporters are not likely to be put off by the signal issue.
“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,” adds Apple.
Share
