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Early HTC One X adopters have been no strangers to WiFi issues affecting the device since its launch. And where most were addressed by HTC via a handy software update, a new problem is making the rounds across various forums and blogs. It looks like a new WiFi issue has been discovered this time caused by an iPhone 4-like death grip that, when held just the right way, causes the device to drop WiFi bars like they’re going out of style.
The problem has been well documented in a thread over on XDA-Developers where you can find videos and testimonies from other users experiencing the same problem. The models most affected seem to be HT23 and HT24 (check model number by going into Settings > About Phone > Phone Identity). There are a number of fixes that range from simply taking the device in for a warranty exchange, or — for those early adopters who eagerly jumped on the device on day 1 and found their device is no longer under warranty– more intrusive methods that involve cracking the device open and getting your hands dirty. But really, contact HTC first.
Rather than saying, “You’re holding it wrong,” HTC has addressed the issue, and is currently looking for feedback from users affected with the WiFi death grip problem. They have their engineering team hard at work on replicating the issue but in the meantime, put down the scalpel and sit tight. We’ll keep you posted.
Nexus Lab | Android Authority | Android Police | Recombu | Android Guys]
You’re still holding it wrong…
In other news Apple has filed a lawsuit against HTC for allegedly “stealing” the death grip feature…U.S. costumes is investigating… :-/
Also can the new update for the att version drains my whole battery in 3 hours!.. Am I the only one experiencing this?
I’ve heard of this before. Make sure the “Best WiFi performance” option under WiFi Advanced settings is turned OFF.
http://i.imgur.com/Izm1h.png
Sorry for the late response… Thanks I’ll try it out.
Galaxy S III here I come!!
Doesn’t the SIII instruction booklet come with instructions how NOT to hold it because of a “deathgrip” issue?
If you read the GS3 manual, you will see it also has death grip problems and tells you not to hold the bottom of the phone.
How can it already be out of warranty? What kind of law do you have in USA?
In Slovakia, where I come from, the law obliges every seller to provide 24-month full warranty on every product (of course except fresh food etc.)
I think he meant the return window, not the actual warranty.
Ah, that makes sense. And, just out of pure curiosity, what is the actual law? Is the warranty enforced by US law somehow, or is it up to the seller’s decision?
That’s a great question, I had to look it up for myself. Anyway, it seems as though there are no government laws requiring a waranty of any length; rather, it’s required that all warranties be presented to the buyer in “plain” written English.
Warranties are generally much shorter here, not just with phones, there’s very little legal consumer protection in comparison with Europe.
this article is COMPLETELY WRONG. with the affected phones, you NEED to squeeze the top right of the phone to get the signal working properly. You’ve got it the wrong way round.
Again, how is it possible that such a major flaw is not found during product development and more importantly during carrier field testing. I not only blame HTC for this, but ATT as well.
If I was a customer with this handset I would make ATT give me a refund for the device. If enough customers return the handsets and ATT gets stuck with them, then maybe HTC will be held to a higher standard the next time the try to sell a device to ATT, or any other carrier.
My Razr Maxx has the same issue if I hold the bottom of the phone. Wifi strength drops.
Well here’s a REALLY surprising piece of news. No doubt the antennas are cut & pasted into the case the same way they were on the Sensation. At least on the Sensation it’s a simple thing to try a different cover…. For anyone wanting to test their device, the easy way is to install a signal analyzer app (wifi analyzer, etc) then watch the signal dramatically degrade as you put your hand anywhere near the top of the phone. It’s not just wifi either, at least on the Sensation, it’s the same for the cell signal and bluetooth (which is dropped by the connected device if you hold the phone at the top). I won’t buy another HTC device until they change this awful design flaw.
+1 for the wallpaper in this photo. WR’s overhead against the worst value-for-money team on the planet.
This happened on my Evo 3D also, didn’t think there could actually be a fix for this :S