Apple's latest firmware update iOS 10.0.3 offers to fix the LTE connectivity issues found in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — and in no other devices does it do that — as Tech Times reported early this week.
The news may have dismayed owners of iPhone and iPad models from previous generations, but it now seems even those who own the latest handset haven't been spared the trouble of a "fix" that doesn't really work.
iOS 10.0.3 Reportedly Works Only For Verizon Subscribers
Only iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners registered with Verizon have gotten iOS 10.0.3 to solve the issue of losing LTE connectivity on the flagship phones. T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint subscribers who also own an iPhone 7 are still stuck with the same problem, according to posts in a MacRumors forum.
In fact, the call reception issue not only affects iDevices from other carriers but also those from other countries, including the UK and China.
Such a limited market segment, covered by what should be an important fix, suggests that iOS 10.0.3 updates only the modem firmware for Verizon's iPhone 7 users. These iPhone 7 units sold by the carrier use the Qualcomm modem, unlike others that use Intel, notes Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly.
How To Fix LTE Connectivity Issues In iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus
Before iOS 10.0.3 landed, some users had opted to switch from the Voice over LTE function to simply the Data LTE as a temporary workaround but, as Kelly suggests, it might be better to just sign up for testing the preview version of iOS 10.1. The upcoming iOS iteration might provide more stability than iOS 10.0.3.
"I can confirm from my own iPhone 7 that the iOS 10.1 beta software appears to have a more substantial modem firmware fix, taking it from 1.00.05 to 1.01.13," Kelly writes.
iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus Bluetooth Connectivity Issues
Earlier this month, reports also pointed to issues with Bluetooth connectivity on Apple's flagship phones, something that was not seen in previous models. Users have complained about their iPhone's failure to connect automatically to paired devices, or their iPhone's incessantly being disconnected.
Some car models, such as the Toyota Venza, Volkswagen Jetta GLI, Ford Focus and BMW 335i, have even been found to have issues with the iPhone 7's Bluetooth, suggesting that this iPhone 7 problem might have more to do with the hardware than with the software.
Older iPhone models operating the latest firmware version have not been reported to suffer such glitches as does the iPhone 7.
