Fans fly to forums to signal iPad 3 Wi-Fi woes Apple's iPad 3 is drawing fire for its wireless performance, with many an owner complaining about poor Wi-Fi reception. Tests performed by staff in Apple's own stores allegedly show it too. Numerous reports on the Apple support forum highlight the hitch, claiming the New iPad has a much weaker Wi-Fi pick-up than its …
Mine, I don't recognise any of this.
Great WiFi, no overheating, I smile everytime I switch it on.
Is this a conspiracy by those who don't own one?
It is so good I am selling my HTC sensation upgraded to ICS and buying an iPhone. Sorry guys but it is so much slicker.
I hand my head in shame.
I do believe it's "hang" not "hand".....
Why is it a conspiracy? iPad2 vs "new iPad" = different hardware -> will be different under different conditions. For some it may be better, for some it may be worse.
Best of luck with your "so slick" iPhone. I'm glad it's interface is good for you. As for me, I like to do things my way and I consider iOS not slick, in fact alot of the time I find it darn right frustrating (and yes I have an iOS device which I use daily).
Wasn't this specifically quoted as being a miniscule problem last week, seems the thousands I mentioned before was absolutely correct, and with the "Genius" bar confirming the performance woes.
Don't worry though Appletards, it'll only be £249 to replace the product you bought with one exactly the same with specs matching what they advertised.
They'll only be charged if it's out of warranty. If it's a manufacturing defect, (which seems most likely) they'll be replaced by apple.
I do wonder though how many this affects, in pure numbers and as a percentage. Anyone know? Then we'd know if it was a minuscule amount or a massive amount.
They've sold loads of the things so problems are to be expected with some of them while not with others as pointed out in the article.
People who are complaining do tend to shout the loudest. Some more detail would be welcome
Good point - when you've sold that many items, even a minuscule amount of defects is enough to generate a lot of postings on the forums.
Even if 0.01% of items are affected, that's still 300 users, and if only half of them posted to a forum, that's several pages of complaints making it seem like an epidemic, rather than a minor issue.
So you're enough of an Apple fan to know the precise replacement price down to the £ but don't know that they would only charge that if YOU break it (like dropping it or after a bath in the bathtub) ?
If the Wifi is a real issue - not something with the users' sometimes crappy home router - Apple will of course replace it free of charge, as they do for anything that leaves the customer unhappy.
'they would only charge that if YOU break it'
What, you mean like the iPhone if they see the water damage indicator has triggered causing them to accuse you of getting it wet. This after it has been proven that just holding it in a slightly sweaty hand or winter weather can cause the indicator to go off making it just an exercise in trying to avoid warranty obligations.
That's been settled in the US. That none problem. It was the highest selling single handset. If it didn't work people wouldn't buy it and apple wouldn't be making huge profits. But don't let facts get in the way of making a pointless comment that only reveals your own opinion and inability to face a fact or two
I was expecting an El Reg article soon about iPad 3 connectivity, but didn't expect it to be with wireless. There are a number of iPad3 owners having issues with 3G (including myself) as detailed in the following Apple forum:..
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3819552?start=0&tstart=0
Other then replace the hardware (which doesn't fix the fault), Apple support seem powerless to do anything about it.
The article mentions 'Several reports already talk of hardware overheating'
No, they talk of the iPad running a bit warmer. Overheating implies that the raised temperature is causing failures.
There's some sloppy writing in the Reg recently
...RENAME! I think El Reg is almost ready to rebrand reghardware as regapplerapestoriesforlaughs. Please El Reg, I think you've given fandroids enough to cream off over the last few weeks. Stop letting your apprentices much the site with short-story crap.
Real-story: Probably a dodgy batch with a loose wire because they went through the factory like speedy gonzales on crack-cocaine.
1. Debunked - 'problem' blown out of proportion for page hits - like many other 'problems'
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/26/2903454/new-ipad-temperature-comparison
2. only png's
3. Well known - most people get the wifi model outside the US
4. Some people - how many? Certainly not all
Loads of people - Huge customer satisfaction ratings. Apples quarterly results are out April 24 and then we'll see how many they've sold. It'll be lots
WiFi isn't what I'd expect from anything using an N signal. I was surprised when I lost connectivity near the front of the house last week. I wanted to see how the screen would handle bright sun (quite well actually) but losing signal completely had me confused for a minute until I realised why pages weren't loading. If I use my Desire HD I can still see the signal half way down the street.
Both devices can access wireless N, one is new, one is around 18 months old. If I had to guess which had the worse signal I'd be picking the 18 month old phone but it isn't. Even sitting in the same room as the router I don't always get full signal and while it isn't really an issue for what I use it for it doesn't bode well.
OK basic Scientific principles here. How the hell are these comparisson tests being conducted.
I have a horrible feeling that they are looking at the bars and damning the thing as faulty.
Take an iPad 2 and and iPad 3.
1. Turn on ONE of the devices.
2. Find a ping testing app (I am an Fandroid but I am almost sure such an app must exist)
3. Perform ping tests on several web sites measuring the response times on each one and record them.
4. Turn Off the Device
5. Repeat steps 1-4 using the other device and record differences.
6. Take another iPad 2 and iPad 3 repeat steps 1-5
7. Repeat step 6
8. Display your information in a usable form to gives the best comparrsion and conclude whether or not the problem exists.
I can't stand Apple and will choose Android every time... But I hate inaccurate science even more.
Didn't all those blogs and web nerds who reviewed and salivated over the new iPad do da not test it and tell their readers it doesn't work? Was it all just a rehash of the Apple waffle. Come on nerd guys and gals get a grip and test the bl**dy stuff so we don't waste our hard earned dosh on tech that doesn't work.
Also lets not forget an "impartial and unbiased" news site, I won't name it by name, merely post their website link to their article has upgraded their reviews of the iPad from mediocre to the best thing in the history of the universe after being lent on by Apple.
http://news.consumerreports.org/electronics/2012/04/new-apple-ipad-tops-our-tablet-ratings.html
To the people writing the problem off - I suggest you actually take a look at the support forum.
* The problem occurs across a wide range of routers, including Apple's own.
*There appears to be a death grip problem on units affected by the poor WiFi - but the death grip is not the cause of the problem - it is a symptom.
* The problem has been reported across several countries
* The problem occurs in devices purchased online AND in-store.
* The problem has been confirmed by Genius staff in various Apple stores - by directly comparing iPad2's with iPad3's.
* Most testing has been done with the SpeedTest.net app - for testing throughput - but the most common issue reported does not need an app to test it - the WiFi simply disconnects and refuses to reconnect - while it works fine in the same location using other devices.
It's easy to claim there is not a problem and write it off without actually researching what people are experiencing.
The same issue advice should be applied to the heat issue - the device might not be overheating - but some people report that it is uncomfortable to hold it when it get's hot - whether it is overheating or not is immaterial - if people find it uncomfortable to hold - that is a problem.
I see the same Fandroids make the same jokes over and over again.
The difference is of course when a story refutes a previous claim, you chose to believe the previous claim because it supports your point of view
You're not interested in facts or being impartial.
The real fact of the matter is that apple is hugely successful because they make products that people want, that work and that people have experienced for themselves and know from their own experience that sensational headlines are just that.
I have a iPhone 3GS through work and bought a iPad 3 simply because the screen looked awesome , i dont have a laptop and wanted something that didn't require me to power up my beast of a pc to check a web page ( work don't like us using their devices on non work related stuff) . Bottom line is:
iPad gets warm, not hot, after 30 mins on a game or hd movie but never a problem or uncomfortable.
Iphone 3Gs seems to have a similar wifi range and speed over same distance. This is using a "n" router but the 3GS doesn't have n capability so one would expect the iPad to be far superior. Sorry folks - it ain't.
Same genre. Have wok supplied 3GS and bought myself new iPad on launch day. Tested using work network via speed test.net
3GS
39ms ping
8.78 up
10.38 down
iPad
25ms ping
12.1 up
14.89 down
Also have not noticed any difference between the two in ability o receive signal. iPad is 16gb wi-fi only.
Suspect any issues are related to bad batch and/or the '4g' versions.
How far are you from the router ? I'm on 30 meg connection and up close as in 6ft I get 29.79 on the iPad . The 3Gs can only manage about 9 at the same distance but I put that down to the 3GS having less horsepower/hardware. At 50 metres the 3GS pisses all over it
I've got a wifi 3rd generation iPad. Signal strength wise it seems fine and I've not tested speed. At home I've not had any issues, perhaps because I've not seen any (as will be explained in a tick).
At work we have a 'public wireless network' that requires authentication when you connect. With my phone I log in when I arrive and it still works when I leave. If I head out for lunch on return and my new conenction I have to re-authenticate. On my iPad I find I have to re-authenticate after only around 4-5 minutes on inactivity, where as colelagues with iPad2s have no such problem.
I suspect some thing is causing my iPad to drop and reconnect regularly and the only reason i've not noticed it at home is there I have just WPA key and MAC address access lists as security.
Time to see if this is one of the common complaints and then plan a trip to a near by Apple store
Just tested speed using speedtest.net along side my HTC Desire Z using the same tester and same target location.
Run side by side multiple times and on every occasion my iPad gets better results than my phone, so looks like losing connection is my only issue, but a right PITA one.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
