iPhone XR better antenna

[rebretz000]

Based on the report from WiWavelength the iPhone XR will have a stronger antenna, better signal in the mid band frequencies than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Looks like this will be my phone after all.
https://www.wiwavelength.com/2018/09/iphone-xr-trades-4x4-mimo-for-greater.html#comment-form

 

[Spencerdl]

I personally think the XR is going to be one of Apple's best selling devices...and not because of a better antenna. The overall package and great price range will be very attractive to Apple consumers in my honest opinion.

 

[rebretz000]

I originally bought the XS but just them back because of the antenna issue. I really want to move over from Android and get the Apple Watch Series 4.

 

[Spencerdl]

I originally bought the XS but just them back because of the antenna issue. I really want to move over from Android and get the Apple Watch Series 4.

I keep hearing about Apple antenna issues and I've been using Apple devices on the Verizon network since my iPhone 5s and never had any issues. I do know that in certain areas with me having one bar on my signal strength indicator, my Apple device was still performing very well compared to an associates Android that was registering higher bars on the indicator in said area. I personally think the Apple antenna woes are blown totally out of proportion. Once you surpass the approx $800 mark in pricing on a smartphone their pretty much the same with little things that separate them in my honest opinion and the antennas are not going to be that much different. Don't be fooled into thinking it's a drastic change and or difference. Real world experience is your best bet...just my .02 cents.

 

[rebretz000]

I keep hearing about Apple antenna issues and I've been using Apple devices on the Verizon network since my iPhone 5s and never had any issues. I do know that in certain areas with me having one bar on my signal strength indicator, my Apple device was still performing very well compared to an associates Android that was registering higher bars on the indicator in said area. I personally think the Apple antenna woes are blown totally out of proportion. Once you surpass the $800 mark in pricing on a smartphone their pretty much the same with little things that separate them in my honest opinion and the antennas are not going to be that much different. Don't be fooled into thinking it's a drastic change and or difference. Real world experience is your best bet...just my .02 cents.

I tested the signal strength for a few hours prior to making my decision to send them back. On average in my house the iPhone XS was getting -10 dbm to -15 dbm worse signal than my Pixel 2. That's a pretty big difference. Especially considering the reception at my house in pretty good on T-Mobile. I was standing in my front door with the door open and my Pixel 2 was at -87 dbm and the iPhone XS was at -95 dbm. I turned 90 degrees to the left with the door still open and the iPhone XS dropped to -106 dbm. Still standing in the same place just not facing out the door. The Pixel 2 didn't change. That right there was the biggest indication to me that the antenna are sub-par in the iPhone XS. In my basement the iPhone XS couldn't even get a signal, and since my basement is finished I hangout down there. Based on the difference in signal strength at my house I wouldn't get any signal at my in-laws at all since my Pixel 2 has a fairly weak signal there to begin with. Based on what I experienced and what that FCC report says I think the antenna issues in the iPhone XS will only get more traction. There is definitely a problem. It reminds of the horrible antenna in the Galaxy Nexus as compared to the Motorola Droid Razr HD years ago. Whenever I was going to be traveling and using Google Maps I had to pop my SIM into the Moto because the Galaxy Nexus would drop reception a lot because it had weaker antenna/reception.
In my home office the average ratings for signal strength were:
Pixel 2 -100 dbm
iPhone 5C -100 dbm
Nexus 6p -100 dbm
iPhone XS -110 dbm
One of those is not like the other.

I know the Apple rep I talked to was very interested in the drop in signal I had when I said I just turned 90 degrees one way in an open door. If I hadn't already packed up the phones I was going to take a video for him.

Others may not have that drastic of a difference but I can't take a chance on spending $2600 on two phones to maybe have a signal when I go places.

 

[Spencerdl]

I tested the signal strength for a few hours prior to making my decision to send them back. On average in my house the iPhone XS was getting -10 dbm to -15 dbm worse signal than my Pixel 2. That's a pretty big difference. Especially considering the reception at my house in pretty good on T-Mobile. I was standing in my front door with the door open and my Pixel 2 was at -87 dbm and the iPhone XS was at -95 dbm. I turned 90 degrees to the left with the door still open and the iPhone XS dropped to -106 dbm. Still standing in the same place just not facing out the door. The Pixel 2 didn't change. That right there was the biggest indication to me that the antenna are sub-par in the iPhone XS. In my basement the iPhone XS couldn't even get a signal, and since my basement is finished I hangout down there. Based on the difference in signal strength at my house I wouldn't get any signal at my in-laws at all since my Pixel 2 has a fairly weak signal there to begin with. Based on what I experienced and what that FCC report says I think the antenna issues in the iPhone XS will only get more traction. There is definitely a problem. It reminds of the horrible antenna in the Galaxy Nexus as compared to the Motorola Droid Razr HD years ago. Whenever I was going to be traveling and using Google Maps I had to pop my SIM into the Moto because the Galaxy Nexus would drop reception a lot because it had weaker antenna/reception.
In my home office the average ratings for signal strength were:
Pixel 2 -100 dbm
iPhone 5C -100 dbm
Nexus 6p -100 dbm
iPhone XS -110 dbm
One of those is not like the other.

I know the Apple rep I talked to was very interested in the drop in signal I had when I said I just turned 90 degrees one way in an open door. If I hadn't already packed up the phones I was going to take a video for him.

Others may not have that drastic of a difference but I can't take a chance on spending $2600 on two phones to maybe have a signal when I go places.

Without getting into the actual numbers because I didn't go that far into it. I do know that different iPhones react differently with different carriers. Since I've been with Verizon and Apple, I was able to get service in many different locations compared to others with the same device or different devices. In my home T-Mobile, AT&T & Sprint are horrible where Verizon doesn't skip a beat. There is a lot that goes into radio signals and antennas. I'm not saying your tests aren't plausible, but in my real world experience my Verizon iPhones seem to always out perform and get signal where others don't...and that's why I pay the extra money...LOL. For the record the difference between 100dbm and 110dbm is not that much of a difference.

 

[rebretz000]

There's enough of a difference for it to be noticeable. At -112 dbm is when calls can begin to drop. If the iPhone XS sits at -110 dbm on average in my house then there are times when I couldn't make or receive calls.
In a lot of areas Verizon really isn't that much better than T-Mobile or AT&T. I left Verizon because of weak signal in my area. Once they turned on their new XLTE, as they like to call it, bands signal strength, range, building penetration went down. LTE band 4, Verizon's new one, doesn't have the range or building penetration of band 13 so region where they turned that on and program the phones to connect to band 4 over band 13 will have decreased range. That's what happened in my area. I had dropped calls all through my town. Comparing signal strength will actual numbers T-Mobile is on par with Verizon, both networks average -95 dbm in my area. Verizon may cover more fringe areas but it's definitely not worth wasting $200 more a month to go on Verizon for slightly better fringe coverage. The Verizon coverage got so bad and I was able to prove it that I was able to be let out of my contract with penalty. Networks and manufactures can manipulate the number of bars a phone will show but they cannot alter the dbm. That's how I know the iPhone XS antennas are weak. For two of them to perform the same with the same results is not a coincidence. Add in that all the other phones in my house get a good signal in my basement and the only one will no reception is the iPhone XS and that's pretty damning evidence.
Your area my be okay on Verizon, mine on T-Mobile is not, but the initial reports are a good percentage of early adopters having issues. Another add in is the Wiwavelength blog on September 12th that basically predicted this. For me, adding all this up and looking at it logically is enough proof that sending back the iPhone XS is the right call.

 

[Mr Segundus]

The XR only has 2x2 MIMO while the XS/XS Max has 4x4 MIMO. I’m not sure how the XR is supposed to have a stronger signal. *

 

[Mr Segundus]

I found this: https://appleinsider.com/articles/1...lar-signal-strength-thanks-to-better-antennas

 

[Wotchered]

Well that’s two directly opposing sets of information I’ve read here !

 

[Rodzp]

I can not post numbers but there is two areas near me that drops the call when you go through. It has done it for years. Last week I dropped a call on my 7plus in the one area. Today was the first day I have not dropped a call there the only change was I switched to an Xr Friday. I will check the other area also.