A reader of Gizmodo he had problems with the proximity sensor, and of course the signal, so he took the phone to an Apple Store in New York to ask for a replacement of the terminal. Once there, the Apple representative diagnosed the device and discovered that it was working improperly, so he decided to change the terminal on the spot, telling the owner that all iPhone 4 terminals brought with problems with the proximity sensor were changed on the spot. The new terminal received by the client was a little different from the hardware point of view compared to the old one: the proximity sensors were more prominent (that is, they were visible, while they were not visible on the old terminal) and the phone's antennas have a slightly changed color, it is now more matte The owner would have tested the new phone and could not reproduce the signal problems with the proximity sensor, neither in the store nor when leaving it.
Did Apple change the iPhone 4 production process to solve this problem? To receive back all terminals with signal problems and replace them with new ones? All that can be done... if the user is right, then Apple makes a "silent callback" for its terminals, that is, it replaces all affected terminals with some new, different products. The difference could be in applying a solution to the phone's antennas that would prevent their possible connection by putting your finger between them.
I don't know what to say, for now there is only one testimony, so I am waiting for others, but it would seem that Apple would have solved the problem with the signal.
I've been following all of the iPhone 4 stuff since I got mine the day before release. I was able to replicate the signal issue. I also had the proximity sensor issue, causing inadvertent mute button pushing. There were a few other software issues I was experiencing so I consulted Apple at the Fifth Avenue store in New York. They replaced my phone. The diagnosis showed that the OS was corrupt and certain utilities were failing. [They claimed that] all phones with a proximity sensor issue were being sent back to Apple for further study.
Well, when I got the new phone it was different. It was different hardware. The black [plastic] bezel isn't as black on the new one. I couldn't see the proximity sensor at all on the previous iPhone 4, now I can. The stainless steel band on the new phone is less 'steel-y' and more matte. I've also tried to replicate the signal drop and failure. While I can't say for sure that it is entirely fixed, there is certainly a huge improvement. I'm guessing they coated the steel with something, took some black out of the bezel and sent them out without saying too much about it. I also think Apple is willing to warranty a phone for any reason except the signal issue.
The guy next to me said that he had to press the home button several times before the phone would come back from stand-by. This happened once. The Apple tech ran the diagnosis, everything was fine. They still replaced his phone. I think they're doing a 'silent recall'.
