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• Reputation: 474 Q&A: 9 0 7 165 13 0 Classifieds: 2 0 what's this? Expert: 2 topics Geek Week Questionland Redesign Moderator Anthony Hecht is a moderator on Questionland Seattle Follow Following 0

  3 0 As Brian said, most of us here haven't had those kinds of significant issues, and from what I've read, very few people really have. Lots of bloggers and tech journalists are able to replicate the signal-drop issue if they specifically try to do it, but in real world use, most testing and reporting I've seen concludes that the signal is as good or better than previous models. Of course, that means nothing if the places you live and work (or your particular hands?) happen to trigger this issue much more than average. Have you tried a case? Bottom line, if it doesn't work for you, return it. The 3GS is a very good phone, and if that worked for you in the past, there you go. I'm sure the next model will have a differently designed antenna. Anthony Hecht answered in Geek Week about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by protosaurus… 0 0 That's the big thing: "I'm sure the next model will have a differently designed antenna." I totally agree, and I don't want to be holding a first-gen iPhone4 when it happens with a year+ left on my contract. Although I tend to agree most people are fine, I think I can wait it out. protosaurus commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  2 0 We've answered this already this week on Questionland and the consensus is, most of us here at The Stranger with iPhone 4s haven't had an issue with dropped calls or data. Where do you live? The strength of the AT&T network in your area appears to be a big factor. Have you tried it with a case? I am holding mine with the death grip right now on the corner of 11th and Pine and no bars are dropping at all. Maybe that's an anomaly but that has been my experience in Seattle. I'm happy with the reception and i'll happily take a free case. You say never a 'significant' problem with your 3GS but that insinuates there was a minor problem. The iPhone 4's exposed antenna does affect people more in poor service areas. Your 3GS may have been better due to the plastic shell than the 4 with it's exposed antenna. I doubt you'll see a design revision until next summer. I'd just order your free case and deal with it if you're not wanting to get something other than an iPhone. Brian Geoghagan answered in Geek Week about 1 year ago | Report 1 comment by protosaurus… 0 0 Eh, sure the 3GS was a little spotty with 3G data for a few months but AT&T got bigger pipes and it was fine when it got retired. Never any problems with calling :( And I searched QL up and down for this question assuming it has been asked already! Either I suck at searching or QL's search sucks. Sorry for a dupe. protosaurus commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  2 0 I'm on a 3Gs, and I'm keeping it for the time being; I like to stay six months to a year back on hardware of all kinds. That said, had I an iPhone 4, I probably wouldn't return it. But I'm the kind of nerd who would find a way to fix the antenna issue myself with duct tape, band-aids, and other materials. But if you're not willing to hold it a certain way or use the case, then return it. We're not sure if there will be a design revision -- Apple's a smug bunch sometimes -- but if your 3Gs works for you, use it. Mine works just fine for me. Matt Hickey answered in Geek Week about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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• Reputation: 77 Q&A: 1 0 1 43 6 0 Classifieds: 0 0 what's this? Follow Following 0 Nathaniel Irons

  1 0 Aside from 520 westbound, the only place in Washington where I ever had more than brief signal trouble with my 3GS was a friend's place in Kirkland. I just spent a few days there dogsitting, and the iPhone 4 never dropped a call, which was pretty good compared to the 3GS. It also fits Anandtech's findings that the new antenna design is significantly better than predecessors at holding onto calls in areas of low signal. Does your new iPhone hold signal worse than the 3GS, even when both are lying on a table, and you're using either the speakerphone or the headphone mic? If so, that would indicate you've got other issues than the antenna bugaboo. Maybe it's lemon hardware — if you've already swapped it out once, it's not inconceivable that the replacement also had problems that went uncaught in the refurb process. I've seen that happen a time or two with Mac hardware, and Apple's typical response when it's still under warranty is to give up after the second or third failed repair attempt and hand you a new one of the current model. Could be tricky under current iPhone demand, though. Sorry to hear you're having trouble. I love mine. Nathaniel Irons answered in Geek Week about 1 year ago | Report 2 comments by protosaurus and Nathaniel Irons… 0 0 Well my 3GS doesn't have service anymore so it's hard to do any side by side comparisons but all I know is I have had a very noticeably worse time using the thing as a telephone compared to my previous 2 models and 3 years of iPhoning it up. I think what gets to me is the seemingly inevitable antenna redesign in the not so distant future (a year? if that, I can wait) and, like I commented elsewhere, I don't want to be holding a first-gen iPhone4 with a big contract in front of me when it happens. That's the kicker. protosaurus commented about 1 year ago | Report 1 0 If you still have the defunct SIM from your 3GS, try cutting a hole with an x-acto knife to accommodate the iPhone 4's micro-SIM. How-to guides dot the internet on that topic. It'd be interesting to see if you got materially different reception from the 3GS and the iPhone 4, in the same location at the same time, ideally with the same firmware so the signal strength meters are consistent. If the iPhone 4 is significantly worse, that'd point to a hardware problem. Would also be interesting to test with another iPhone 4 side by side, and just for science, to use it with a rubber glove. Nathaniel Irons commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  2 1 As a long time mac guy (I have one from before color and hard drives) I would never buy anything from apple until three months after they start shipping it. If you think the iphone has problems let me tell you about the first i-book... Kip Waddle answered in Geek Week about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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