Applies to:

• iPhone 4 (GSM)
• iPhone 4 (CDMA)
• iPhone 4s

Component affected:

• External antennas

Symptoms:

• Loss of signal when the device is held a certain way

Apple Repair program:
Started: July 16, 2010
Ended: September 30, 2010
Archived URL: N/A
Current URL: N/A

This was not a repair program but a patch. A bumper case was offered to iPhone 4 owners that experienced the signal issues on their phone via an iPhone 4 Case Program app available in the App Store at the time. Those that preferred to use their phones without a case to enjoy the sleek design, were left with a choice; add a bumper or buy another case that looks better. Those that already had a case (and were often unaware of “Antennagate”) could simply stick with the case they had or get a bumper.

The bumper became loose after a little while and the sleep/wake button had a very annoying rattle that could be hear when walking while on the phone. The program ended on September 30th, 2010 but if you called Apple or went to a store and complained hard enough you’d still get a bumper. For everyone else, the bumper was $29 (yes, they actually MADE money off of their shitty design)

The Issue:
With the antenna bands also being the edge of the device, touching/covering them in a certain way would cause the 3G signal to weaken or even drop completely.

The Fix:
No known fix but using a case or bumper lessened the issue.

Other links:
https://www.macworld.com/article/1152899/iphone_4_cases.html