In the days following the launch of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, some owners complained of weak 4G LTE reception on their expensive new smartphones. Apple didn't respond to those reports at the time, but fast-forward to today and it's been revealed that Apple is looking into the issue.
Apple appears to be reaching out to iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners for help figuring out the LTE connectivity issue. iPhone XS Max user Devin Meredith said on Twitter that Apple wants to ask him about his iPhone's reception problems. Apple also wants to install a baseband logger to track his phone's connection to the cell tower, Meredith says.
@reneritchie Apple just reached out to me to see if I could answer some questions about my Xs Max reception issues they’re doing an outreach to some affected users and are asking to install a baseband logger to track my connection to the tower
— Devin Meredith (@Devmer11) October 3, 2018
Other reports from iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners say that they've spent time talking with Apple on the phone, running tests and installing profiles to log information for Apple's engineers to examine.
Some owners of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have said that their phones have weaker cellular reception compared to older models, and others report that their phones frequently drop their LTE connection. The issue doesn't appear to be affecting every new iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max owner, but it seems to be widespread enough for Apple to be investigating it.
Apple recently released a new iOS 12.1 beta, and some that've installed the beta update say that their cellular reception has improved. That beta did included updated modem firmware as well as new carrier firmware for Verizon, which is the carrier that most reports of cellular issues seem to be stemming from.
While we still don't have an official statement from Apple on this issue, it is good to hear that the company is actively investigating it and working with those affected to get the problem solved. iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners, are you having cellular connectivity issues?
