iPhone 12 mini (Poll) 12 mini signal reception

[macdogpro]

Hi 12 mini users / ex users,

I noticed the poor signal reception on the iPhone 12 mini has been mentioned several times on numerous threads here. Also there’s a few months back thread discussing about this with few responses.

It’s been few months since release day and several iOS updates. I would like to conduct a survey for my YouTube content regarding this issues, since some of my viewers been asking for this.

I don’t experience this my self, my reception has been more or less the same with my previous iPhone 6 with the same carrier. Would like to know everyone else’s experience without having you guys to drop a comment, but those who are willing are of course welcomed 🙂.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[jay968]

I bought the mini first but returned it when I saw that signal strength in field test mode indicated an average of about 7dBm worse reception than my previous phone, an Android. I decided to try the iphone 12 when I returned the mini and have been very happy with it.

I'm not sure if that mini may have just been defective or not, but I've never looked back.

BTW, don't judge anything using the signal bars. They are arbitrary and really mean nothing.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I haven't had any reception or disconnect problems with my mini.

 

[macdogpro]

I bought the mini first but returned it when I saw that signal strength in field test mode indicated an average of about 7dBm worse reception than my previous phone, an Android. I decided to try the iphone 12 when I returned the mini and have been very happy with it.

I'm not sure if that mini may have just been defective or not, but I've never looked back.

BTW, don't judge anything using the signal bars. They are arbitrary and really mean nothing.

Noted, even though I find it’s showing the same two bars as my iPhone 6 inside my room (albeit no issue on internet speed from my carrier) and showing full four bars inside our dining room. Outside the house, I haven’t notice any issue on the reception.

 

[jay968]

Noted, even though I find it’s showing the same two bars as my iPhone 6 inside my room (albeit no issue on internet speed from my carrier) and showing full four bars inside our dining room. Outside the house, I haven’t notice any issue on the reception.

That's good but again take my advice. Don't go by the signal bars. It just so happens that the mini I had always showed more bars than my 12 does, but the 12 got better reception according to the measurements in field test mode.

Bottom line, if the phone is reliable and works for you, don't worry about it.

 

[Ram65]

The mini might be using intel modems

 

[macdogpro]

The mini might be using intel modems

So it’s a different modem manufacturer from the rest of the 12 series?

 

[arfbsantoso]

The mini might be using intel modems

Really?

 

[Significant1]

The mini might be using intel modems

No, there is no 5G intel modems. It is using the same Quallcomm modem as its sieblings. If mini has worse reception, I think it is because, it is easier to cover with your hands. Like Steve Jobs said, you are not holding it right.

 

[macdogpro]

No, there is no 5G intel modems. It is using the same Quallcomm modem as its sieblings. If mini has worse reception, I think it is because, it is easier to cover with your hands. Like Steve Jobs said, you are not holding it right.

Initially, I suspected this way too. Since the 5G antenna on the US model is on the right side, where our palm might covers it when holding the phone. But isn’t the rest of the 12 series has the same exact antenna position?

I have the non US model and my carrier still not providing a 5G connection, so can’t confirm myself.
Maybe it also explains why I don’t have the reception issue.

 

[Significant1]

Initially, I suspected this way too. Since the 5G antenna on the US model is on the right side, where our palm might covers it when holding the phone. But isn’t the rest of the 12 series has the same exact antenna position?

I have the non US model and my carrier still not providing a 5G connection, so can’t confirm myself.
Maybe it also explains why I don’t have the reception issue.

That is only the antenna for mmWave 5G (High frequency giving very high performance, but those frequencies has short range and require line of sight). The US model like the global version has another antenna for the lower 5G frequencies.

 

[jay968]

So much attention is paid to the modems when discussing signal strength when in reality the more obvious culprit is the antenna. Iphones have a history of having inferior reception as compared to Android phones. This has been going on for years, whether they have used Qualcomm or Intel modems. I've gone back and forth between Iphones and Android phones since the first Iphone came onto the market and have seen this myself. I prefer Iphones for various reasons but anytime I've owned an Android, I got better and more reliable reception. Each time a new Iphone appears, I do a lot of research into its reception capabilities and when I read about the possibility of Iphone 12 models possibly improving in this area, I decided to try one, first the mini which disappointed me. Almost ready to just get a refund and go back to my Android, I decided at the last minute to just give the regular 12 a try. It's about the first Iphone I've ever owned that does about as good a job as the Androids I've owned. The Xr wasn't bad either to be honest. For what it's worth, my wife has an 11 Pro Max and it routinely gets about 7dBm worse reception (just like the mini) than my 12 does at any given time.

As far as the mini is concerned, not that I have any inside info, but it stands to reason that the antennae in that phone may be inferior due to its size. I don't know this for fact but it makes sense to me, especially considering the fact that the mini does definitely use the same modem as the rest of the 12 lineup.

As I said in an earlier post, if it works and you're happy, stop worrying about it. Frankly there is more to a good call than just the signal strength and even a phone with great signal strength can sound bad and have poor call quality. Some phones are actually better at handling and making perfectly good use of a poor signal than others and the Iphones actually do a very good job.

 

[yticolev]

I've always like the dBm setting on iPhones for a quick visual of signal strength while out and about (no way bars means anything objective), but the real test is connection. Dropped calls on iPhones are almost non existent for me.

I've never heard of an Android advantage here but when it comes to 5G, there could be a platform advantage one way or the other. As far as I know, only Apple is using their own antenna design, everyone else uses Qualcomm's implementation. Pretty sure Apple wouldn't be using their own if Qualcomm's version was better, but they may have done it for packaging reasons. Only applies to mm wave of course.

 

[macdogpro]

So much attention is paid to the modems when discussing signal strength when in reality the more obvious culprit is the antenna. Iphones have a history of having inferior reception as compared to Android phones. This has been going on for years, whether they have used Qualcomm or Intel modems. I've gone back and forth between Iphones and Android phones since the first Iphone came onto the market and have seen this myself. I prefer Iphones for various reasons but anytime I've owned an Android, I got better and more reliable reception. Each time a new Iphone appears, I do a lot of research into its reception capabilities and when I read about the possibility of Iphone 12 models possibly improving in this area, I decided to try one, first the mini which disappointed me. Almost ready to just get a refund and go back to my Android, I decided at the last minute to just give the regular 12 a try. It's about the first Iphone I've ever owned that does about as good a job as the Androids I've owned. The Xr wasn't bad either to be honest. For what it's worth, my wife has an 11 Pro Max and it routinely gets about 7dBm worse reception (just like the mini) than my 12 does at any given time.

As far as the mini is concerned, not that I have any inside info, but it stands to reason that the antennae in that phone may be inferior due to its size. I don't know this for fact but it makes sense to me, especially considering the fact that the mini does definitely use the same modem as the rest of the 12 lineup.

As I said in an earlier post, if it works and you're happy, stop worrying about it. Frankly there is more to a good call than just the signal strength and even a phone with great signal strength can sound bad and have poor call quality. Some phones are actually better at handling and making perfectly good use of a poor signal than others and the Iphones actually do a very good job.

Is reception effecting regular calls only or does it also effecting on VOIP too? I rarely do regular calls anymore. Making calls more on Facetime call, Whatsapp call, etc. in the past few years.

I’m doing okay with my mini’s reception, but as I said in the original post, this is more to conduct a survey; how many of us experiencing bad reception on the mini. But of course a discussion about the possible culprit is always interesting to have 🙂

 

[jay968]

VOIP (Voice Over IP) means that the phone is using the internet and a data connection to make the call instead of your cell provider's cellular service which it uses to make traditional cell calls. So yes, the VOIP call can have a poor connection too, just as download speeds can be poor when you have poor reception.

On the other hand, I have a feeling you may be asking about a VOIP connection using a WiFi connection in your home. Yes this too can be poor but it is a seperate connection from the cellular connection from a tower, so it may actually be a much better signal since it is right there in your home.

 

[macdogpro]

VOIP (Voice Over IP) means that the phone is using the internet and a data connection to make the call instead of your cell provider's cellular service which it uses to make traditional cell calls. So yes, the VOIP call can have a poor connection too, just as download speeds can be poor when you have poor reception.

On the other hand, I have a feeling you may be asking about a VOIP connection using a WiFi connection in your home. Yes this too can be poor but it is a seperate connection from the cellular connection from a tower, so it may actually be a much better signal since it is right there in your home.

Ah okay, just as I thought. As long as we use provider’s service that‘s when we rely on reception.

Actually no, I’ve been using cellular connectivity exclusively to test this matter, even when I’m home or near wifi connection.

 

[jay968]

Ah okay, just as I thought. As long as we use provider’s service that‘s when we rely on reception.

Actually no, I’ve been using cellular connectivity exclusively to test this matter, even when I’m home or near wifi connection.

Yes, you're using the cell provider's service even for your data connection. Keep in mind too that your cell provider and phone may be (probably are) using VoLTE (voice over LTE) which can use the data connection to make voice calls.

Know that if you are in an area where there is poor cell service but you get good WiFi (such as in a hotel that offers free WiFi) you can still use your phone for the data connection and thus use your VOIP apps to make the calls as you do now. I do this at times and even have a phone with no SIM card in it that I can use a Google Voice number to make and receive calls over a WiFi connection.

 

[PvtAnimalMother]

Hi 12 mini users / ex users,

I noticed the poor signal reception on the iPhone 12 mini has been mentioned several times on numerous threads here. Also there’s a few months back thread discussing about this with few responses.

It’s been few months since release day and several iOS updates. I would like to conduct a survey for my YouTube content regarding this issues, since some of my viewers been asking for this.

I don’t experience this my self, my reception has been more or less the same with my previous iPhone 6 with the same carrier. Would like to know everyone else’s experience without having you guys to drop a comment, but those who are willing are of course welcomed 🙂.

Thanks in advance guys!

I have both the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro. Both are used everyday. I switch SIM cards constantly to compare signal ever since I noticed weaker or poorer signal with LTE and voice. Example. If I’m in an area with low signal, the mini drops calls and anything streaming like music buffers when the phone is in my pocket. Happens everywhere with low coverage, my pro has no issues holding a solid connection. I ditched the mini and been using the pro

 

[taneff]

I have really worth getting reception quality. I live in Europe very close to a big city, in the outer suburbs I often only have 1-2 bars of EDGE in many areas here, sometimes switching between 1 bar of LTE. In areas where I always had LTE reception I often only have bad EDGE signal. As said I live close to a big city and nowhere do I have this problem with a cheap Samsung work phone. My provider is the one with the best signal in my country. The others are not as good. And strangely it is getting worth with each update. I never had that problem in the beginning of owning it. Never with another iPhone. Yeah I had iPhones with not good to bad reception quality, but not a reception that is getting worth with each month and update on one device.

A month ago I had to do a full reset because I haven't gotten any reception anymore. I was in a foreign country with roaming included, working like it always does. When I came back no signal anymore. Network reset, switching from e-sim to normal sim, nothing helped. Only a hardreset.

iPhones never haven been the best in reception quality but this is getting ridiculous. I am thinking of switching although I love my 12 Mini very much. And going to a 13 Mini now is not in my consideration when Apple is really messing up the 12 Mini firmware. I mean the closer the 13 Mini release the worth the reception quality? Strange coincidence.