iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max Wi-Fi, LTE Connectivity Issues Reported by Some Users

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were released in their first batch of markets last week, on September 21, with reports coming in that the iPhone XS Max outsold the smaller iPhone XS by a huge margin. However, all’s not well in Apple land as some users have taken to Apple’s Support forum and Reddit to report issues with the Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity on their newly-bought iPhone XS series models.

A user last week posted an issue with Wi-Fi connectivity on Apple Support forums, as reported by 9to5Mac. “I used to have full bars at my bed with iPhone X, now the Max only has 2. And it has trouble reconnect [sic] to the Wi-Fi after airplane mode is turned on with Wi-Fi turned on,” he said. The post was followed by comments reporting Wi-Fi and Cellular issues with their respective iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max units. Users claim that their iPhone X, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPad (2017) work just fine with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands on their home networks.

Moving on to Reddit where a post by user “dvcspl” has created an uproar among dozens of users who are experiencing the same issue on Apple’s 2018 flagship iPhone models. Here a user claims that while signal bars remain similar to the level seen on iPhone X, overall speed is lower and the iPhone keeps switching to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi instead of the faster 5GHz option. Dozens also claim lower signals and speeds for LTE connectivity, once again with reports from both iPhone XS and iPhone Max users.

Networking blog WiWaveLength published a blog post on Monday that speculates about the new development. According to the report, the RF performance loss may be linked to weak antenna gain which, likely, cannot be solved by putting a case on the iPhone in question. iOS revisions or carrier updates can change the way the baseband modems interact with wireless networks, but at this stage it’s uncertain what’s wrong. An official response by Apple is still awaited.