How a Software Engineer Resolved iPhone 4’s ‘Antennagate’ Issue with Just 20 Bytes

Fifteen years ago, Apple launched the iPhone 4, a device renowned for its stunning stainless steel design and chemically-strengthened aluminosilicate glass. This sleek unibody chassis made it one of the most sought-after gadgets of its time. However, its beauty was marred by a major controversy, now infamously known as ‘Antennagate.’

The issue arose when users learned that gripping the iPhone 4 in a certain way caused a significant drop in cellular reception, leading to fewer bars being displayed. During this challenging time, Steve Jobs controversially remarked that customers were holding the device incorrectly. This reaction did little to quell the backlash, which ultimately led to a class-action lawsuit, forcing Apple to navigate the storm of public dissent.

Fast forward to today, when Sam Henri Gold, a software engineer, unveiled a simple solution to the long-standing iPhone 4 dilemma using just 20 bytes of code. Gold achieved this breakthrough by meticulously comparing the original iOS code with a later update. His analysis revealed that the core code was sound; rather, it was the lookup table that had caused the misunderstanding regarding reception.

Gold discovered that Apple had set overly optimistic parameters when converting bytes into dBm values. Consequently, most users would consistently see 4-5 bars, but the signal strength would plummet sharply when the device was held in a certain manner, leading to user frustration.

hey wanna see something kinda interesting? this was the entire fix to the iPhone Antennagate in 2010.20 bytes.pic.twitter.com/XSSBmg2rCr

— sam henri gold (@samhenrigold) October 7, 2025

With the update, the signal display values were recalibrated to reflect more accurate readings, making it less likely for the bars to drop below five. Thus, Gold’s findings further substantiate Apple’s original claim that the issue was inherently software-related.

The Cost and Compensation of the Antennagate Scandal

The fallout from the Antennagate incident came at a hefty price, costing Apple around $175 million. The company later provided a summary of its internal investigation, confirming that the algorithm for displaying signal strength was flawed.

“Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.”

To alleviate the dissatisfaction among its customers, Apple offered a Bumper or case program for affected device owners. The company allocated $175 million to address the financial implications tied to the flawed antenna design. As history shows, Apple later revamped its design with the iPhone 4S, successfully circumventing similar issues.

For further insights, refer to: Sam Henri Gold

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