Antenna band on iPhone 4, bad design?

[theeedude]

http://gizmodo.com/5571171/iphone-4-loses-reception-when-you-hold-it-by-the-antenna-band

Seems like antenna is getting grounded by the user's body, so instead of sending signal into the air, it's sending it into the ground through the user.

They may want to put some isolating clear coat on that band so that this doesn't happen.

 

[TheWart]

I used to be able to do this on my old Ericsson, and it even 'works' on my 3G and many other phones I have used. The only thing you have to avoid is holding the phone like a neanderthal holds a club, lol.

I mean who talks on a phone and grips it like a rock?

I am not too worried given that none of the reviewers (who had the phone for ~week) raised this as a concern. I might have to chalk this up to the electronic hypochondriacs, but we will see.

 

[theeedude]

I used to be able to do this on my old Ericsson, and it even 'works' on my 3G and many other phones I have used. The only thing you have to avoid is holding the phone like a neanderthal holds a club, lol.

I mean who talks on a phone and grips it like a rock?

I am not too worried given that none of the reviewers (who had the phone for ~week) raised this as a concern. I might have to chalk this up to the electronic hypochondriacs, but we will see.

Could be weather/use case specific, maybe worse in humid conditions where there is better path to ground. But the point is the phone should be designed so the user doesn't have to worry about holding the phone "wrong way."

 

[TheWart]

Could be weather/use case specific, maybe worse in humid conditions where there is better path to ground. But the point is the phone should be designed so the user doesn't have to worry about holding the phone "wrong way."

And I think the overwhelming number of people who are saying that they don't have this issue means that they succeeded in their design.

 

[theeedude]

And I think the overwhelming number of people who are saying that they don't have this issue means that they succeeded in their design.

They may not have encountered it yet, or blamed it on AT&T.

 

[TheWart]

They may not have encountered it yet, or blamed it on AT&T.

I don't think that is the case because it is a easily reproducible issue (grip the phone like a rock or a rope and see if the bars drop).

Believe me, everyone who knows of the issue is trying to reproduce it haha.

 

[theeedude]

I don't think that is the case because it is a easily reproducible issue (grip the phone like a rock or a rope and see if the bars drop).

Believe me, everyone who knows of the issue is trying to reproduce it haha.

And click on that Gizmodo link, there are 15 videos up already.
It's not rocket surgery, you ground the antenna, part of the signal goes into the ground instead of the air. The lower the resistance of the path to ground the worse your signal gets.

 

[TheWart]

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/23/iphone-4-signal-declines-while-being-held-an-old-issue/

Edit: As this points out, this almost certainly isn't a new issue and one that people complained about with the 3G.

I will test it out when I pick up the phone tomorrow and let AT know if I have the issue!

 

[dwell]

Negative Apple news. From Gizmodo. I am shocked!

 

[theeedude]

People are also reporting yellow discoloration issues with the Vagina display.

 

[thescreensavers]

lol what crappy design! It seems a common silicon case should solve the issue.

 

[TheWart]

Negative Apple news. From Gizmodo. I am shocked!

Yea, they are clearly bitter over the whole prototype fiasco, but it is not as if they are making this issue up.

It is obviously possible to mess with the antennas if you hold the phone just right (or wrongly lol). My lack of concern stems from:
a)the vast majority of people who have gotten the phone so far report this to be a non issue
b)it is not/not reproducible by everyone with the iPhone 4 (many have tried and report they dont lose bars), which makes me believe it is not some massive design/engineering flaw.

 

[TheWart]

People are also reporting yellow discoloration issues with the Vagina display.

Ahh, and your true colors come through. Just when you seemed relatively mature, you reveal that you are just another rabid anti-apple poster.

 

[theeedude]

You were the dude crapping on EVO for having touch screen responsiveness issues when used on Styrofoam, of course when Apple has reception issues when used as intended, in hand, that's no problem. I guess you think Apple has some "Magical" antenna whose reception does not deteriorate when partially shorted?

 

[TheWart]

You were the dude crapping on EVO for having touch screen responsiveness issues when used on Styrofoam, of course when Apple has reception issues when used as intended, in hand, that's no problem. I guess you think Apple has some "Magical" antenna whose reception does not deteriorate when partially shorted?

Whatever you say dude. I think you are right, there is a serious design flaw with the iphone. You should definitely NOT buy it!




that will just mean 1 less person in line haha

 

[theeedude]

Sure thing, bro. You can have the spotted screen poor antenna design all to yourself.

 

[dwell]

Hate to interrupt senseamp's little schadenfreude moment, but looks like an iOS 4 bug, not the drastic design flaw sense' and Giz are praying for:

Yet, in some places where the signal was relatively weak, the iPhone 4 showed no bars, or fewer bars than its predecessor. Apple says that this is a bug it plans to fix, and that it has to do with the way the bars are presented, not the actual ability to make a call. And, in fact, in nearly all of these cases, the iPhone 4 was able to place calls despite the lack of bars.

http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100622/apple-iphone4-review/

People on Ars are reporting it happening on the 3GS too, and that does not have the same antenna.

senseamp no chance your name is Jason Chen, is it?

 

[Zebo]

That's ok Apple sell a rubber bumper for only $29.99 that insulates your body from phone. Plus I'd highly recommend it. Dropping glass on edge will break your phone.

 

[theeedude]

Hate to interrupt senseamp's little schadenfreude moment, but looks like an iOS 4 bug, not the drastic design flaw sense' and Giz are praying for:



http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100622/apple-iphone4-review/

People on Ars are reporting it happening on the 3GS too, and that does not have the same antenna.

senseamp no chance your name is Jason Chen, is it?

Read the Gizmodo article, the speed test actual throughput drops dramatically, so it's not just bar reporting.

 

[Kadarin]

Hate to interrupt senseamp's little schadenfreude moment, but looks like an iOS 4 bug, not the drastic design flaw sense' and Giz are praying for:

Yet, in some places where the signal was relatively weak, the iPhone 4 showed no bars, or fewer bars than its predecessor. Apple says that this is a bug it plans to fix, and that it has to do with the way the bars are presented, not the actual ability to make a call. And, in fact, in nearly all of these cases, the iPhone 4 was able to place calls despite the lack of bars.

http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20100622/apple-iphone4-review/

People on Ars are reporting it happening on the 3GS too, and that does not have the same antenna.

senseamp no chance your name is Jason Chen, is it?

How much do you want to bet that this "bug fix" will simply be instructions for the phone to display four bars no matter how strong the signal?

 

[QueBert]

How much do you want to bet that this "bug fix" will simply be instructions for the phone to display four bars no matter how strong the signal?

I would guess the fix will correct the DISPLAY problem, seeing how my friends 3GS is acting wonky with the bars after the 4.0 update was installed.

 

[Zebo]

some antenna expert predicted this
http://translate.google.dk/translat...d-antenne-problemer-1.362104.html&sl=da&tl=en

 

[Anubis]

I used to be able to do this on my old Ericsson, and it even 'works' on my 3G and many other phones I have used. The only thing you have to avoid is holding the phone like a neanderthal holds a club, lol.

I mean who talks on a phone and grips it like a rock?

the way the dude is holding it in the first video is the way ive seen 99.9% of people hold their phone

 

[gorcorps]

That's a bummer. Nothing a small strip of clear tape can't fix though. I also plan on having a case on it at all times so it shouldn't be an issue. Still a problem though...

 

[tatteredpotato]

I wish Apple would do me a favor and make an android phone. I always liked the iPhone hardware, but never cared much for the software. HTC is getting a lot better at making a sexy phone though, they just don't have that extra little polish you get from Apple.