Swedish researcher claims iPhone 3G's sensitivity is poor

A Swedish researcher said he thinks he's discovered why the iPhone 3G has a hard time connecting to 3G networks.

(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

Updated 3:15pm with some clarifications due to language issues.

A wireless researcher in Sweden claims to have identified the issue causing iPhone 3G reception problems around the world.

Ny Teknik, a Swedish tech newspaper, has published the account of a scientist at the University of Gälve who investigated the iPhone 3G and discovered that the phone is not as sensitive to 3G signals as other phones. Claes Beckman is claiming that the iPhone 3G's nominal sensitivity is below that of published standards for 3G phones, meaning the phone drops the connection with a 3G tower more quickly than other 3G phones as it moves away from the tower and averages slower data speeds when connected.

UPDATED 3:15pm - Ny Teknik wishes to make clear that Claes Beckman was not the researcher who originally discovered the sensitivity issues. That person wishes to remain anonymous for fear of being fired for testing the iPhone 3G on his organization's equipment. Ny Teknik contacted Beckman and the university to confirm the credibility of the research, which he did "without hesitating," according to the author of the article.

Beckman The researcher told Ny Teknik that such an issue would have been easily discovered in the certification process for the iPhone 3G in the various countries in which it is now available, implying that a manufacturing problem is to blame. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai, is believed to be the manufacturer of the iPhone 3G, and reportedly increased production of the unit at the beginning of this month.

On Wednesday, Vodafone Australia joined the ranks of carriers blaming Apple for the reception issues with the iPhone 3G. T-Mobile Netherlands is telling its customers that either a hardware or software issue is to blame, and a financial analyst has also gone on record predicting problems with the iPhone's 3G chipset. Apple has been silent on the issue, and AT&T has denied that there are widespread issues with the iPhone 3G.

I put in requests to researchers at Stanford University's Microwave Integrated Circuits Laboratory, as well as the University of California's Berkeley Wireless Research Center to see if they'd be willing to duplicate the findings. I'll let you know if they respond.

As an aside, thanks to everyone who has been sending in their iPhone 3G stories, but I have a new request. If you have tried to return your iPhone 3G anytime after Sunday at an Apple store, and you'd be willing to answer a few questions, please send me an e-mail ([e-mail]).

[tdreher]

[coryschulz]

I live in a major city, so this shouldn't really be a problem for me. Plus I have Wi-Fi most places I go (home, school, work, friends places, local businesses).

[ejeon1989]

Not really, as many people are having problems in major cities like Atlanta, New York, LA, etc. So, you might get lucky, or you might not.

[chishmishdeez]

I think apple folks skipped Field Test in order to launch it sooner ;)

[pol;0987]

Is Tom Krazit our on the spot Consumer Advocate or really pressing the issue with the iPhone here? I've never seen him as passionate about any phone and gawd knows there have been Blackberry's, Nokia's, and Blackjack's alike that have had performance issues, so I guess I'm wondering what's driving the fervor Tom?

[Tom Krazit]

My job is to cover Apple, not the mobile phone industry in general.

[joetesta70]

He's doing a great job. Keep at it Tom!

[Vegaman_Dan]

I appreciate the request for user information with specific times and symptoms. This sort of feedback shows me that Tom isn't simply rehashing press releases from companies but is actively trying to get information independantly verified and then seeing if this meshes with what actual end users are saying.

It's refreshing to see this level of detail in researching a story. Tom's credit has just gone up a notch for me.

[S!egfried]

I think he is doing a good and BALANCED job. I'm very pleased how CNET have been covering this issue. For a while it seemed CNET was on Apples payroll....

[vtchuck2000]

If Microsoft had made this device, they would have been crucified ten times over by now for not admitting something is wrong. As an original iPhone user, I am SO glad I didn't take the plunge.

Apple would be better off stating there is problem with a batch of iPhones instead of keep going "No comments" to the public. When I XBox 360 died with a Red Ring of Death, I swore off of MS hardwares forever, but Microsoft's swift response of free exchange to another unit and extending warranty to 3 years was what gained my trust back.

[anilsudh]

Many people are still within the 30 day return period. So why don't they just return the phone if its not working for them.

[jake49]

has apple even mentioned something wrong with the 3g? why is everyone comparing microsoft and apple?

[anilsudh]

Well my iPhone is really sensitive because I get 3-5 bars in all the place where I work and live.

[ilias_14]

Don't you find it surprising that a scientist in a University is afraid of publishing his name because he could be fired for using the organisation's equipment? This is a University, in Sweden, not a Government lab in a country under dictatorship. I don't buy it. Was he the janitor conducting a "scientific' experiment? And what exactly did he quantify? And where's the graph with the measurements compared with other handsets?

I do not know what the problem is with some iPhones and why Tom Krazit has religiously embraced the assumption there is one, but I propose you check the following: enter field testing mode (dial *3001#12345#* on the phone) and notice the number top left (it's probably a SNR measurement of the 3G signal in decibel). I have noticed that the signal quality drops (the number increases) by 20db when I embrace the phone with my hand relative to holding it from an edge. I doubt it is a manufacturing error that my hand absorbs signal power. However (and I am not an electrical engineer) I am willing to assume that the iPhone's firmware has some flaw in interpreting the signal's in standby and thus assuming whether a connection is good or not. In fact, given that 3G is CDMA, not TDMA, the quality of the useful signal cannot be interpreted just by the strength of the signal. So it could be that the firmware does not interpret the signal quality correctly rather than some kind of component or hardware design false.

Which makes me wonder again what this guy in Sweden was supposed to have measured.

[ilias_14]

Oh, I forgot to mention that the 20db drop in the aforementioned experiment costs you 2bars if you hold the phone tightly with both your hands and you are patient enough for a reading to register (from 5 bars to 3 bars in my case). Somehow I doubt that my hands really attenuated the signal that badly--the phone things so but it must a misinterpretation by the firmware.

[Jahntassa]

Given that 3G is NOT CDMA or TDMA in this case, but HSPDA, I think you're a bit confused.

[Trnsl8r]

The anonymous researcher doesn't work at the university.

[aristotle_dude]

Jahntassa, I think you are confused. HSPDA is the data transmission layer on top of UMTS and it uses the W-CDMA transmission protocol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-CDMA

[masa928]

My iPhone in Japan has a bad reception. Also iPhone crashes a lot... But I don't know if it's the Softbank or not... Also it can't handle emoji (smileys in Japan.) That's a really must have in Japan.... I also wish we can download podcast from the wireless network... But at least from the wi-fi (Which it can't!!) There are many problems in the iPhone 3G in Japan that I can't recommend it for now... Maybe people in Japan should wait about 3-4 more months... Not worth buying it yet... I actually regret buying for now.

[pi1ot]

I own a iPhone (3G) in Irvine, CA where the AT&T map shows all blue, so I should be completely surrounded by 3G. My phone works only about 25% of the time and only when I'm within visual sight of a tower. Pathetic. A total waste of money. I regret buying one, and luckily I didn't make the mistake of trading in my PC for an Apple.

[bigmc6000]

Oh right, because 3G reception has so much to do with the performance of your laptop. Let's just realize this - Apple has been in the cell phone market for all of 14 months now vs computers for over 30. But, if you're convinced that this somehow equates I'm sure Apple is more than happy to not have you as a customer.

[trojanshawn]

I live in Aliso Viejo, CA. Work in Newport Beach, CA and go to UCI for my MBA program. Unless you need to download stuff all the time, I suggest turning off the 3G. I typically have full bars at all of these places using the EDGE network.

[Marcia Boone]

I live in Atlanta, GA and have excellent service. I had Nextel for 8 years and never had a dropped call with them or AT&T. I love iPhone and am so glad I stood in line 7 hours at Lenox Mall Apple Store. I was even south of town by 45 miles and still had great service for phone and email.

[jaguaraja]

What does it mean on the 3g iPhone when it does show the E or 3G symbol, but only shows a square with a circle within it? What kind of connection is that?

[dehall622]

i believe this means it is a GPRS connection

[Trnsl8r]

GPRS (i.e. a slower version of Edge... sort of)

[jake49]

E stands for Edge which is the slower service found on the old iphone... 3g is atts faster network... the square with a circle means your iphone is streaming using a connection

[alexacker]

bigmc:

That is not a fair response! I am a FanBoy too (been working on macs since 1984) but think about it outside of the Apple space: If you buy a Weber grill, or KitchenAid blender and it gives you nothing but headaches - ARE YOU GOING TO BUY IT AGAIN NEXT TIME?

We are all consumers and measure brand affinity by experience. If the experience sucks, why should he buy from Apple again? Instead of yelling at him, why don't iPhone 3g users come together and demand a satisfactory response from Apple.

I, myself, am glad I didn't rush to buy one. My 1st gen iPhone works like a charm.

Good luck to all, and bigmc: get a life.

[Krupin2]

I WAS going to buy the iPhone and now I'm afraid too.....I think it would be interesting if CNET did a vote to see how many people wouldn't buy an iPhone now because of this negative PR.....maybe that would motivate Apple to step up and comment. I just don't understand the people who are still buying it???

[drmuon]

I actually haven't had any problems with my reception but I am in NYC. I'm heading out to the desert in Utah in September so that should be the true test.

Fix mobileme!!

[AppleSuxLeo]

Apple denies there is a problem and refuses to comment ! One of many reasons I would never own an Apple product.
No wonder the Mac section at Frys never has any foot traffic

[Vegaman_Dan]

Apple hasn't denied anything at this time. Neither have they confirmed anything either. They are infamous for their stony silence in the face of customer uproars.

[IowaNinersFan]

Same here and Apple products are proprietary. All fluff, no stuff.

[tvshhoter]

I have been reading so many negative reviews about the I-phone. I finally had to post and say that I have been "VERY" pleased with mine. I am in Houston and about eighty percent of the time I have 3G access. Even driving down the freeway I stay in 3G mode and have found that in some very rural areas north of the city, say 60 plus miles, I still get a strong signal on the "E" network.
Just this weekend I was fishing and the kids were watching Star Wars Lego videos on You Tube. They did do some fishing, just got tired and wanted to sit in the car!! :) Anyways, no other service even works in this remote part of Texas, I was very impressed. I could look at my emails every morning and surf through local newspapers and television station websites.
Of course this is all relative to where you are. I suppose I am blessed with my geographical location! I love the GPS, Pandora is just incredible and the games are great time killers. Pandora is like having satellite radio. Living in a city with tons of traffic I just pop on the map and see in realtime where the hot spots are.
I have had a couple of dropped calls, but who dosen't . The major negative is that at least once a week I have to reset the phone because I stop recieving emails.

Overall as you can see I am happy with the phone. I do not doubt others they have problems, like I say I thik it has to do with where you are.

[jake49]

yeah your really lucky where u live! My iphone doesn't even get 3g even though the map shows me in the middle of it... all my other families 3g non apple phones work... just not mine...

[virgoaries]

Hi all.

I am an iphone 3G user in Canada - a rogers customer. I have also been experiencing loss of wireless 3G service, call failures very frequently, especially when i am traveling. The problem started surfacing 2 weeks after i purchased the iphone 3G! Also, on some occasions, my iphone freezes when i do an upgrade on some of my APPS that i downloded from APP store.

thanks,
mohsin

[DOGBERT6412]

Till they own up to the problems and fix them they are going to tick people off and they will not by the Iphone. Sorry Apple you should have gone with anouther Carrier. Old mother ATT is just that old and forgotten. And for you Apple you should have come to the plate sooner that later regarding the 3G issues. The are about 300 people that I have surveyed and they all say till it is on a stable platform and there are decent business apps out there rather that kiddie toy programs you can kiss their money goodby and they will go elsewhere. I totaly agree. I am a firm believer that HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

[DOGBERT6412]

Till they own up to the problems and fix them they are going to tick people off and they will not buy the Iphone. Sorry Apple you should have gone with anouther Carrier. Old mother ATT is just that old and forgotten. And for you Apple you should have come to the plate sooner that later regarding the 3G issues. The are about 300 people that I have surveyed and they all say till it is on a stable platform and there are decent business apps out there rather that kiddie toy programs you can kiss their money goodby and they will go elsewhere. I totaly agree. I am a firm believer that HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.