Marco Quatorze, the director of Value Added Services of Telcel in Mexico, claims that Apple will push an iPhone 4 hardware revision (a redesigned antenna), by End of September, to fix the highly publicized Antenna issue.

The iPhone 4′s Antennagate controversy pushed Apple to hold a press conference where they blamed their signal bars calculation formula and also announced free cases for all iPhone 4 owners. Apple has already fixed the signal bars calculation formula in iOS 4.0.1 update and the free cases program is also expiring by end of September.

MacRumors reports that

According to Marco Quatorze, Telcel’s Director of Value Added Services, the iPhone 4 sold in Mexico will initially be the same hardware as that sold in the U.S. and elsewhere, with Apple offering a free case to address potential issues with antenna performance. But he also noted that as of September 30th, when the free case program expires, revised hardware without the reception issues will become available.

Before the case giveaway was announced, various reports indicated that Apple was working on a hardware fix for the issue. It’s unclear whether there is any truth to this statement or whether the Telcel’s director is simply assuming the hardware revision since Apple put September 30th expiry on its free iPhone 4 cases program.

New York Senator Charles E. Schumer has written a letter to Steve Jobs expressing concern over the problems with the iPhone 4.

Schumer says the solutions offered to date are “insufficient” and urges Apple to act swiftly on the matter.

July 15, 2010

Charles E. Schumer

[via AppleInsider]

In a new and interesting article by iFixit reveals that Apple is probably starting to distribute four new models of iPhone without any problems with the antenna.

These new models “reviewed” simply have a non-conductive coating on the lateral area at the antenna and apparently the problems with the reception in America are much more limited.

iFixit has received several reports from users and then decided to check the news less replaced by an Apple iPhone 4 Dayon complaining bought at a problem with the bluetooth that has nothing to do with the antenna.

As soon as he was given the new iPhone, immediately took the new serial device and have found that while the former belonged to week 25, the new has been assembled in week 27 and then 15 days Apple has had time to apply this thin, invisible coating that reduces the hand.

Check a serial code is very simple because it relies on the following format:

* = Aa ID factory from which
* B = year of manufacture
* Cc = Production Week
* Ddd = Unique identifier
* Ee = color
* F = capacity

The iPhone iFixit have the following serial:

* 85025xxxA4S (16GB device purchased and set aside)
* 86025xxxA4T (32GB device used for testing)
* 86027xxxA4T (32GB new device made by Apple to replace)

In the coming days iFIX will be able to tell us whether this change there was in effect and see if the complaints finally finished. The only good thing about the delay in marketing in Italy, is the fact that the iPhone will arrive directly “latest”.

Update: According to some analysts’ calculations, a replacement of all 4 iPhones already sold, Apple would cost $ 1.5 billion. Would recover the money, but by solving problems and offering antenna devices as “refurbished” or other devices to replace damaged

Thanks for reporting Danilo Antonelli

We’ve received only one report, so take it with a hill of salt: A Gizmodo reader claims that, after Apple replaced his iPhone 4, he couldn’t reproduce the sharp loss of signal. He says that the hardware seems slightly different:

I’ve been following all of the iPhone 4 stuff since I got mine the day before release. I was able to replicate the signal issue. I also had the proximity sensor issue, causing inadvertent mute button pushing. There were a few other software issues I was experiencing so I consulted Apple at the Fifth Avenue store in New York. They replaced my phone. The diagnostic showed that the OS was corrupt and certain utilities were failing. [They claimed that] all phones with a proximity sensor issue were being sent back to Apple for further study.

Well, when I got the new phone it was different. It was different hardware. The black [plastic] bezel isn’t as black on the new one. I couldn’t see the proximity sensor at all on the previous iPhone 4, now I can. The stainless steel band on the new phone is less ‘steel-y’ and more matte. I’ve also tried to replicate the signal drop and failure. While I can’t say for sure that it is entirely fixed, there is certainly huge improvement. I’m guessing they coated the steel with something, took some black out of the bezel and sent them out without saying too much about it. I also think Apple is willing to warranty a phone for any reason except the signal issue.

The guy next to me said that he had to press the home button several times before the phone would come back from stand-by. This happened once. The Apple tech ran the diagnostic, everything was fine. They still replaced his phone. I think they’re doing a ‘silent recall‘.

We doubt Apple would do something like this. While it would seem smart to silently modify the production process—coating the antenna was the solution suggested to us by a chemical engineer—and only replace the units of those who actually protest about it at the store, it would not be good for the company. If it were real and it got uncovered, it would open yet another can of worms. Apple hasn’t answered our questions about this subject.

Again, this is a single isolated reader report. We have not been able to confirm it. Following his claim, we exchanged one of our units, but we didn’t get any different hardware back. The antenna reception problem is still there.

However, since some industry people are asking already for a recall—instead of free cases—we thought it could be worth asking readers about their experiences.

If you exchanged your iPhone 4, have you had a similar experience? If so, write to jesus@gizmodo.com.

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