Gizmodo reports that iOS 4.1 has reincluded the Field Test mode to iOS. Field Test mode allows you to get a numerical figure for your antenna strength rather than the traditional bar measure. To get to Field Mode:
- First, upgrade your iPhone 4 -- or any iPhone -- to iOS 4.1. - Dial *3001#12345#* into your phone [and press Call].
Pressing Home will exit you from the Field Test mode. For reference, Anandtech provides a good discussion about bar strength and signal values. Since that article was published, Apple has remapped the signal strength to # of bar ratio. More negative numbers are worse, and Anandtech reports they were surprised they were able to hold calls with signals as low as -113db.
Most customers won't care about their numerical signal strengths, but the antenna strength changes generated a lot of publicity surrounding the iPhone 4 launch due to issues with new antenna system.
Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about.
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