Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes | July 15, 2010, 7:22am PDT

Summary: A few weeks ago Apple promised to re-jig the signal display bars on the iPhone by making the first three bars visually taller. Well, here’s what they look like.

A few weeks ago Apple promised to re-jig the signal display bars on the iPhone by making the first three bars visually taller. Well, here’s what they look like.

Gizmodo have superimposed the old bars over the new bars in the beta iOS 4.1 and here are the results:

As you can probably guess, this doesn’t in any way improve signal, it’s purely a visual tweak that makes bar 1 as big as bar 2 used to be.

It’s a bit like this:

Oh, and the obligatory XKCD cartoon.

Ugh … this is what happens when engineers give in to designers.

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Apple iPhone, Bar, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

non-biased 20th Jul 2010

@dave@... "Since most of the time you will only be getting 1 or 2 bars, according to most articles including Comsumer Reports, let's just make those bigger."

Funny I have read a lot of articles and don't recall any saying you would normally only get 1 or 2 bars. Let alone experience tells me even with the more accurate representation I am on average getting 4 out of 5 bars.

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OMG

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

This just gets sadder and sadder every day.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

zd-crap 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

What an idiot.

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Oh, you're back

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

@zd-crap So yo did get your head out of your ass!

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Sometimes it's better to be smart than first.

zd-crap 15th Jul 2010

@trickytool

That had to be embarrassing, Tricky. You make the first post, no doubt grinning like you just won first place in the Special Olympics. And then three little words sum up what everyone else is thinking.

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@zd-crap: you are totally right!!

NonZealot Updated - 15th Jul 2010

And then three little words sum up what everyone else is thinking.

Yup zd-crap, we all think you are an idiot. happy

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The improvement is ...

RationalGuy 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

... the better algorithm to convert signal dBm to "bars" that better let users know the likely quality of their calls.

This is just a new icon - a visual representation of "bars" - that is easier to see.

There is no implied performance boost. It's just a new icon, and this is not "the fix" as Adrian seems to be implying here. This is a usability feature only.

Why would making it easier for users to accurately gauge signal strength be sad?

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Better? How do you know?

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

@RationalGuy Seriously, for years Apple was apparently using faulty algorithms for displaying signal-strength...now they are telling us that "this one is correct, and see how much better your signal is!".

"Honey..use my tape measure...it's MUCH bigger!"

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They are saying the exact opposite ...

RationalGuy 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

...now they are telling us that "this one is correct, and see how much better your signal is!".

They are not saying this AT ALL. They are saying that your signal strength will remain the same, and that the "bars" you see to represent that signal strength will actually go DOWN, not UP.

They are not saying you will get better reception, or that you will no longer have signal loss.

They are saying that when you have low signal strength, you will see fewer bars so that you can more accurately set your expectations about call quality.

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I love the way you phrased that

NonZealot 15th Jul 2010

@RationalGuy
that you can more accurately set your expectations about call quality.

In other words:
We aren't going to improve call quality, we are just going to lower your call quality expectations.

Classic!! happy

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In so many words ... yes

RationalGuy 15th Jul 2010

@NonZealot

We aren't going to improve call quality, we are just going to lower your call quality expectations.

It may not be pretty, but it is essentially what Apple has responded with.

There is apparently a press conference on Friday. I expect that they will announce the iOS 4.1 release, and a free bumper program for iPhone 4 owners (and refunds for folks who bought the bumpers).

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I agree

NonZealot 15th Jul 2010

@RationalGuy
There is apparently a press conference on Friday. I expect that they will announce the iOS 4.1 release, and a free bumper program for iPhone 4 owners (and refunds for folks who bought the bumpers).

That would be the appropriate thing to do. It is also what I believe they will do.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

Jimster480 15th Jul 2010

@RationalGuy because its obviously deception. WHere people will glance at the bars to see how much signal they have, when they see bigger bars they assume more signal, so when bar 1 is as big as bar 2 and bar 2 as big as bar 3, they will thikn they have 3 bars when they have 2 and so on and so forth.

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On the contrary!

OS Reload Updated - 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

To me this just gets funnier and funnier every day.

Oh boy, how I love a good laugh. Thanks 'uncle' Steve, you're da best!

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This is a useful feature

zd-crap 15th Jul 2010

The blogoshpere will denigrate this improvement (they have to generate traffic by creating controversy), but I welcome this feature. This is useful. If you *own* an iPhone, you know that it is very difficult to see the difference between one bar and no bars, especially outdoors. The first bar is too small, the second is not much better. I would like a digital readout, but this is a good start.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

Droid101 15th Jul 2010

@zd-crap
You are honestly defending this? Like, really?

Wow, the Kool Aid must have been all powder this batch.

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Please

People 15th Jul 2010

@Droid101 This bar thing is much todo about nothing.

Now the new algorithm used, that's worthy of discussion. Care to comment?

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Only one thing to say

NonZealot 15th Jul 2010

@Droid101
I'm constantly surprised that the Apple zealots can still say things that surprise me.

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Like I said, it's useful....you need to own the phone.

zd-crap Updated - 15th Jul 2010

@Droid101

Yes. It's useful (and you're a tool). Why do you comment on a product you don't own, and then expect anyone to give a sh8t what you have to say? (Not logical, is it?)

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@Droid101

This report is bogus - the slope of a graph is but one change to the signal reporting.

Apple claimed they would change the signal reporting. They did what they said - the article fails to report the real change.

And you need to stop hanging round kool-aid dispensers and blaming others for your habit. When you are making no sense the rest of the world seems to be crazy and you believe you are fine. Time to learn the truth.

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Bonus Points for the 'Tap reference Adrian

iTeaBoy 15th Jul 2010

Bravo!

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Awesome

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

I just changed the numbers on my tape-measure...now I'm like, 7 feet tall!

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

Yeah - but my signal level reports lower after the update - so your sarcasm is misguided.

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Maybe Steve Jobs can...

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

...change the weather apps to read a constant 72 degrees and sunny.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

Or he can do what he said and report the signal level as lower - which is what they did

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How do we know this new algorithm is correct?

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

I mean, they've been using the old one for years and years, and apparently, they don't do much testing.

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How do you define 'correct'?

OS Reload Updated - 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

Are you using a linear scale, a logarithmic scale, an arbitrary haphazard scale, something else?

You have to make that clear first.

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I define "correct" as...

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

@OS Reload ... accurately presenting signal strength relative to a pre-determined set of parameters.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@OS Reload

Yes - a signal level scale is arbitrary.

@ trickytom2

Yes - but those values are determined by whom?

Now they are apparently pre-determined by AT&T - but who are they to me?

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

And what exactly does the signal level mean? As someone else said - they would like numbers in dBm.

Then you can argue about the signal reference level as dB is a relative scale.

When you know exactly what the graph should be saying you can specify that it is passing or failing the test - the graph is representing a value the user cannot otherwise judge in an arbitrary way.

It's a bit like a tape measure saying Tall, Medium, Short & Tiny - what exactly is the cutoff for Medium?

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How about the news headlines?

trickytom2 15th Jul 2010

Steve Jobs could just change the CNN app to only present good news!

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@trickytom2

Again - Apple changed the software to present less good news - my signal level is now reported lower as promised.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

shornby@... 15th Jul 2010

Well- it's 1 louder, isn't it?

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@shornby@...

And 4 is softer than 5

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for the sake of curiosity

OneTwoc21 15th Jul 2010

and maybe somebody here can shed light on this, isnt there a legal issue that goes along with giving people the wrong signal strength for all these years? Not too sure what the legal term would be but i would think there would be some kind of class action suite no?

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If you can PROVE intentional deception MAYBE

use_what_works_4_U 15th Jul 2010

@OneTwoc21
Why do you ask, bills too high this month? This lawsuit happy mentality is disgusting.

To answer your question, I don't think any such suit stands a snowball's chance in Hades. According to Apple's recent press release ATT has recently supplied a more accurate formula than what was used before. Presumably Apple can show that the formula they are implementing is one the recently received. That being said the inaccuracy we've had before now is an inaccuracy of ignorance not of malice.

I'm not a lawyer but my understanding is that for such a suit to succeed Apple would need to be shown as knowingly deceiving the customer and the customer would have to prove that the deception directly caused them quantifiable harm. I don't see that.

I wouldn't lobby against such a suit, but if it were to succeed in any meaningful way, I would fear for an expensive future of products and services priced to withstand nuisance suits preemptively.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@macadam

And what's more - how do you define right and wrong in bars of signal?

Can anyone yet tell me what the definition of 4 bars was when they saw it?

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One bar is still one bar

Hameiri 15th Jul 2010

I don't really have any problem with this, but I hope they have changed the algorithm to be more accurate.

I think they are keying on the display when some people are losing calls.

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One bar is service, bottom line.

zd-crap 15th Jul 2010

@Hameiri

One bar works for me. I have made a number of calls hiking at over ten thousand feet with my 3GS. I got five bars, which I now know was really three...but the calls still got made. Bottom line. If the phone showed three bars, or one, it still works. I'll be curious to see how my new iPhone 4 does in challenging situations like that--I expect as good or better, despite all the hysteria to the contrary.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

@Hameiri

Some people will lose calls.

The situations Apple have addressed - and I am not saying it is the only issue is:

1. If the user was in a signal area that showed as say 3 bars and holding the phone dropped the signal slightly the bars would drop dramatically even though the real loss was not very great.

2. If the phone was showing say 2 bars which was really a marginal signal area, and the user held the phone over the gap and the signal dropped from marginal to non-existant the user would lose calls, and believe that the holding of the phone had taken them from acceptable signal to dropout, when really the signal was so low they needed to use any phone with some expectation of dropouts in that area.

There is no dispute that holding the phone would affect signal - any RF device is affected by any humans near the antenna - the only question is the extent of the effect.

Yes definitely they have changed the algorithm to report lower - the exact opposite of the implication of the picture in the article and of the 'smart' sarcasm from the harpies in the blog.

Why do I have to do the job that the reporters on ZDNet seemingly have no wish to do - to find the truth and to report the facts.

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My Take

CowLauncher 15th Jul 2010

Believe nothing. The haters will hate...the lovers will love. This seldom changes. Where is the real truth? I would like to hear from people that actually own an iPhone 4. I mean actually own one. Or better yet hold one in my hand. Pretty soon here in Canada. I'll tell you what I find compared to my iPhone 3G. I am very sensitive to signal strength because I tether for my internet at my acreage home.

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Bigger Bars...

Ceridan 15th Jul 2010

Those bigger bars will fix the problem caused by "the grip of death" and will also solve the bluetooth issue and the proximity sensor...

On an unrelated note, it also upgrade the portable RDF from version 4.0 to 4.01... because it was noticed that some members of the Holy House of Jobs where starting to think for themselves instead of being mindless automatons.

PS: yes... this post is dripping with sarcasm and attempt at humor... Anny correlation between the fictionnal portable RDF and the Apple religious mouvement with reality is intended...

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Anny [sic]....fictionnal [sic] mouvement [sic]

zd-crap Updated - 15th Jul 2010

@Ceridan

It's also dripping with errors. (No matter how hard you try to appear clever, the truth will out.)

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Yo, Adrian! A question about integrity.

zd-crap Updated - 15th Jul 2010

I'm curious, do you ever rue the day you gave up being a legit blogger, and started serving the almighty page view? (I seem to remember one or two legit blogs of yours, back in the day.)

Really, posting about the height of the bars and pretending this is Apple's fix is intellectually dishonest. I know you're bright enough to grasp that. My question is, why do you do it anyway?

The height of the bars does solve a real problem, as anyone who owns the phone and uses it while commuting or outside knows. Let's not pretend this is a fix for the antenna 'issue' (which many real world iPhone owners can't seem to duplicate smothering the phone with both hands).

Sure, Apple created this problem when they made the decision to make AT&T's signal look good, but that said, I've never once dropped a call; this is a non-issue for most people outside of NY and San Francisco, but unfortunately, most of the tech blogosphere seems to live there.

Give it a thought, Adrian. I know you're better than this.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

non-biased 20th Jul 2010

@zd-crap Actually, I have a really hard time even considering this a blog post, what did it take about 5 minutes. I would give credit where credit is due but none here.

I see a one bar drop in my signal on average which is probably more accurate. Since it's more accurate I am having a hard time seeing how so many are jumping all over it but I guess it's the blinders of pure hatred.

You also mention that Apple created this problem when they made the decision to make AT&T's signal look good. Is there actually any reliable information showing that Apple made a conscious decision to do this versus AT&T providing them with the faulty algorithm? This isn't some fanboy excuse, it's legitimate question.

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Some people have nothing better to do with their time, folks

Laraine Anne Barker 15th Jul 2010

Wish I had all that time to waste.

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Is There ANY sense to this?

tangentjohn@... 15th Jul 2010

Apple comes out with a snazzie new iPhone 4, one of the most highly touted features of which is the GORGEOUS design with the shiny strip around it which is really the new improved antenna. Touching said antenna shorts it out, so Apple sells a rubber band to cover up said snazzie new gorgeous feature so the new improved Apple iPhone 4 will even WORK! And you guys are buying it??? Sheesh.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

non-biased 20th Jul 2010

@tangentjohn@... Try getting your facts straight let alone post something in response to the actual "blog". The bumper case is not required to make the phone even work, some users might need it to prevent shorting the antenna when held a certain way. Granted it is an issue but there is a BIG difference, guessing the blinders prevented you from seeing that.

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RE: My, look at how the iPhone 4 signal bars have grown!

ceheinzm 15th Jul 2010

The Spinal Tap reference is hilarious! "It goes to eleven."

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And the other change you forgot to mention!!!!!

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

The bars are a graph - and what you are saying is that the slope of the graph has changed.

What has also changed is that the reported number of bars has changed as well.

Because I saw this article I downloaded and installed the update.

My desk is in a low signal area where I have had reception problems with my previous phones, and often had call dropouts with previous (non-apple) phones.

With the iPhone I have had quite good call quality in the same location that the other phones would often fail.

Before this update my iPhone reported 5 bars, full signal.

After this update my iPhone reports 4 bars.

This is not just a change in bar height.

DO YOUR JOB AND STOP SPREADING LIES!!!!!!

RESEARCH YOUR ARTICLES!!!!

PRINT THE WHOLE STORY!!!!!

When you say:
As you can probably guess, this doesn?t in any way improve signal, it?s purely a visual tweak that makes bar 1 as big as bar 2 used to be.

You are misrepresenting the purpose of the upgrade as stated in the Apple letter.

Ugh ? this is what happens when engineers give in to designers.

No - this is a change in the reporting by changing the number of bars shown for a given signal.

This is also a change in the slope of a graph, which is a change in the mathematics of the graph.

Your assertions are misleading, misinformed, not researched and do no justice to the problem, nor to the readers of ZDNet!!!

But this do help feed the anti-Apple brigade's delusional rantings. If that is your role in life - then you are doing OK!!!

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Death grip applies to Sony-Ericsson Phones

richardw66 15th Jul 2010

I just replicated the 'death-grip' with my Sony-Ericsson K750i phone.

I placed my phone where I had previously tested iOS 4.0.1

My K750i reported the same levels as the Iphone 3GS with iOS 4.0.1

When I held the K750i in my hand the signal level dropped to 1 bar and the colour changed to orange indicating severe loss of signal

The K750i has always been a really good practical phone. It still is.

The K750i behaves like an iPhone 4

Why would I think that the iPhone 4 is in any way faulty?

And the signal level match between the iPhone 3GS with iOS 4.0.1 and the K750i indicates that Apple's new software is performing in a perfectly acceptable way and not misleading at all.

I think it is about time some people got over the hype and hysteria - and that sanity returned.

Adrian Kingsley Hughes - you have misled your readers and done Apple a huge disservice.

Mr Kingsley Hughes - go and do some decent journalism and work out why A Sony-Ericssson phone that is perfectly good can exhibit this behaviour and an iPhone cannot be allowed to!!!!

The best answer still is that the old signal level was giving people false hope of 5 bars, and the new signal level represents a more helpful representation.

The interesting point is that a signal level on my K750i that would lead me to think I had an acceptable level would go down to marginal when the phone was held - with no special effort as to how - I just held it and immediately the signal went critical.