Apple apologists can suck it! CR no longer recommends iPhone 4 due to reception issue

[NFS4]

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/el...m-issues-signal-strength-att-network-gsm.html

It's official. Consumer Reports' engineers have just completed testing the iPhone 4, and have confirmed that there is a problem with its reception. When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side—an easy thing, especially for lefties—the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal. Due to this problem, we can't recommend the iPhone 4.

Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that "mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength."

The tests also indicate that AT&T's network might not be the primary suspect in the iPhone 4's much-reported signal woes.

We did, however, find an affordable solution for suffering iPhone 4 users: Cover the antenna gap with a piece of duct tape or another thick, non-conductive material. It may not be pretty, but it works. We also expect that using a case would remedy the problem. We'll test a few cases this week and report back.

Apple needs to come up with a permanent—and free—fix for the antenna problem before we can recommend the iPhone 4.

 

[MJinZ]

Maybe you should have tested a few cases before issuing this report at all CR?

Seriously, we already know Apple's got problems but did you really need to remind us how incompetent you are CR?

 

[Pliablemoose]

The signal problem is the reason that we did not cite the iPhone 4 as a "recommended" model, even though its score in our other tests placed it atop the latest Ratings of smart phones that were released today.

So they're not recommending their highest rated phone...

Yeah, another CR fail.

 

[NFS4]

Maybe you should have tested a few cases before issuing this report at all CR?

Seriously, we already know Apple's got problems but did you really need to remind us how incompetent you are CR?

Why should they have to test cases? If you need a case in order for the phone to work properly, that = FAIL in my books.

 

[RedRooster]

I highly doubt the vast majority of prospective iPhone buyers are going to be swayed by a single online review site.
It's an IPHONE for God's sake, no research required!

 

[NFS4]

So they're not recommending their highest rated phone...

Yeah, another CR fail.

Would you recommend the fastest, most fuel efficient, sexiest family sedan on the market if it stalled at highway speeds and was repeatedly shown to do so?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Would you recommend the fastest, most fuel efficient, sexiest family sedan on the market if it stalled at highway speeds and was repeatedly shown to do so?

Bad analogy, I played with an iPhone 4 yesterday, and it was pretty damn good. And honestly, I NEVER see an iPhone that's naked, everyone has a case, and they freak out when they see my naked ipad.

BTW, I have a Nexus One that does the exact same thing.

 

[AMDZen]

Would you recommend the fastest, most fuel efficient, sexiest family sedan on the market if it stalled at highway speeds and was repeatedly shown to do so?

Yes ... great analogy since that is exactly the same thing.

Its more like "would you not buy a car because the radio will be hindered if you touch the dash in a certain way". Last I checked, satalite radio isn't a dealbreaker for a lot of people even though its a shitty technology under numerous conditions.

Apple hatists can suck it! Everyone will continue to buy the iPhone and CR will have no impact on its sales.

 

[NFS4]

Bad analogy, I played with an iPhone 4 yesterday, and it was pretty damn good. And honestly, I NEVER see an iPhone that's naked, everyone has a case, and they freak out when they see my naked ipad.

BTW, I have a Nexus One that does the exact same thing.

So what you're saying is, just buy a case and deal with it?

My wife has an iPhone 3GS (no case) and if I hold it with the "death grip", I might lose one bar at most and the internet speeds drop by about 5 to 10%.

If I hold my iPhone 4 in my hand with the "death grip" I loose all bars. My internet speeds drop to nearly nothing.

 

[NFS4]

Yes ... great analogy since that is exactly the same thing.

Its more like "would you not buy a car because the radio will be hindered if you touch the dash in a certain way". Last I checked, satalite radio isn't a dealbreaker for a lot of people even though its a shitty technology under numerous conditions.

Apple hatists can suck it! Everyone will continue to buy the iPhone and CR will have no impact on its sales.

Even that analogy is sucky (as are most analogies). Because holding the phone in a normal manner for surfing the web (in the palm of your left hand) causes the problem.

A more apt version of your analogy would be, "would you buy a car that would lose radio reception every time you put your hands on the steering wheel"
:awe:

 

[metalmania]

People using iphones with cases are pathetic.

 

[Pliablemoose]

So what you're saying is, just buy a case and deal with it?

My wife has an iPhone 3GS (no case) and if I hold it with the "death grip", I might lose one bar at most and the internet speeds drop by about 5 to 10%.

If I hold my iPhone 4 in my hand with the "death grip" I loose all bars. My internet speeds drop to nearly nothing.

I can send you some duct tape to fix that

 

[NFS4]

People using iphones with cases are pathetic.

I equate it to putting a black "bra" on the front of your car.

 

[AMDZen]

Even that analogy is sucky (as are most analogies). Because holding the phone in a normal manner for surfing the web (in the palm of your left hand) causes the problem.

A more apt version of your analogy would be, "would you buy a car that would lose radio reception every time you put your hands on the steering wheel"
:awe:

Bullshit. The 3GS has the exact same problems on various videos all over youtube or anywhere else. Proving its at least partly an issue with iOS 4.0. Maybe your wife doesn't have iOS4 yet.

Also - Maybe you hold the phone that way but I don't, and nobody I know does. Not a single person I know can re-create the problem in real world conditions. If they can they should get a case, 5 dollars online and your stupid not to get one any way. Accidents happen. Believe what you want. I love my iPhone4 and everyone who has one loves it. IF they don't, they can return it no questions asked and no restocking fee.

 

[KeypoX]

I wouldnt buy one. But some people dont care i guess. I find it crazy how people defend apple though. I guess in an apple forum thats what you should expect though? Some people remain objective here, but only a few.

Yes ... great analogy since that is exactly the same thing.

Its more like "would you not buy a car because the radio will be hindered if you touch the dash in a certain way". Last I checked, satalite radio isn't a dealbreaker for a lot of people even though its a shitty technology under numerous conditions.

Apple hatists can suck it! Everyone will continue to buy the iPhone and CR will have no impact on its sales.

WTF are you talking about? You buy a phone to be used as a phone. The iphone only works as a phone if you hold it a certain way. His analogy was way better than yours. But maybe he should have said if you hold the steering wheel a certain way the car shuts off. Or the steering doesnt work. His was primary purpose (car) vs primary purpose (phone). Yours was not.

 

[NFS4]

Bullshit. The 3GS has the exact same problems on various videos all over youtube or anywhere else. Proving its at least partly an issue with iOS 4.0. Maybe your wife doesn't have iOS4 yet.

Also - Maybe you hold the phone that way but I don't, and nobody I know does. Not a single person I know can re-create the problem in real world conditions. If they can they should get a case, 5 dollars online and your stupid not to get one any way. Accidents happen. Believe what you want. I love my iPhone4 and everyone who has one loves it. IF they don't, they can return it no questions asked and no restocking fee.

My wife has iOS4.

So what you're saying that you're right, and everyone who is having problems is wrong? Consumer Reports is wrong, Anand is wrong? Ooook.

 

[AMDZen]

WTF are you talking about? You buy a phone to be used as a phone. The iphone only works as a phone if you hold it a certain way. His analogy was way better than yours. But maybe he should have said if you hold the steering wheel a certain way the car shuts off. Or the steering doesnt work. His was primary purpose (car) vs primary purpose (phone). Yours was not.

Even though I can hold the phone death grip style on speaker phone, and was unable to get a call to drop, doing my own testing, for over 5 minutes, and the person on the other line said my voice remained completely and perfectly clear (and a lot better then my old phone and any other cell phone I've ever used) - that certainly equates to me not being able to use my phone at all.

Even anand said the same thing - he drove around for hours, death grip style and was unable to get a SINGLE DROPPED CALL.

As I said, it this was really such a serious problem - don't you think 1000's of people would be rushing to return their phones, with NO restocking fee and no questions asked?

I certainly wouldn't keep mine. I'm not apologizing for Apple, I have no problems - numerous people have no problems and thats just the way it is. The only people bitching and moaning are people who don't even have the phone.

 

[NFS4]

Even though I can hold the phone death grip style on speaker phone, and was unable to get a call to drop, doing my own testing, for over 5 minutes, and the person on the other line said my voice remained completely and perfectly clear (and a lot better then my old phone and any other cell phone I've ever used) - that certainly equates to me not being able to use my phone at all.

Even anand said the same thing - he drove around for hours, death grip style and was unable to get a SINGLE DROPPED CALL.

As I said, it this was really such a serious problem - don't you think 1000's of people would be rushing to return their phones, with NO restocking fee and no questions asked?

I certainly wouldn't keep mine. I'm not apologizing for Apple, I have no problems - numerous people have no problems and thats just the way it is. The only people bitching and moaning are people who don't even have the phone.

From Anand's review:

The main downside to the iPhone 4 is the obvious lapse in Apple's engineering judgment. The fact that Apple didn't have the foresight to coat the stainless steel antenna band with even a fraction of an ounce worth of non-conductive material either tells us that Apple doesn't care or that it simply doesn't test thoroughly enough. The latter is a message we've seen a few times before with OS X issues, the iPhone 4 simply reinforces it. At the bare minimum Apple should give away its bumper case with every iPhone 4 sold. The best scenario is for Apple to coat the antenna and replace all existing phones with a revised model.The ideal situation is very costly for Apple but it is the right thing to do. Plus it's not like Apple doesn't have the resources to take care of its customers.

 

[speg]

I'm still holding onto my theory that the next round of launches is being delayed because they're adding a coating to the next batch.

 

[AMDZen]

My wife has iOS4.

So what you're saying that you're right, and everyone who is having problems is wrong? Consumer Reports is wrong, Anand is wrong? Ooook.

What I'm saying is that there are numerous reports showing the problem with the 3GS as well all over youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MKeTk-jLNE

Various other sites are reporting it as well.

 

[AMDZen]

From Anand's review:

Also from his review

That brings me to the way that signal quality should really be reported - Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). SNR is essentially a measure of how much of the signal is compromised by noise or interference. It's readily apparent that because the iPhone 4 works almost perfectly fine at -113 dBm, it has much better sensitivity. The deciding factor for reporting the signal quality metric is then SNR, something Apple and other handset manufacturers will have to move to eventually instead of just power. In reality, reporting based on SNR makes a lot more sense, since I couldn't make calls drop driving around an entire day cupping the phone, despite being at -113 dBm (1 bar) most of the time.

 

[Nothinman]

Yes ... great analogy since that is exactly the same thing.

Its more like "would you not buy a car because the radio will be hindered if you touch the dash in a certain way". Last I checked, satalite radio isn't a dealbreaker for a lot of people even though its a shitty technology under numerous conditions.

Apple hatists can suck it! Everyone will continue to buy the iPhone and CR will have no impact on its sales.

Except that your car keeps working even if the radio doesn't have reception, but if your cell phone loses reception it becomes virtually useless.

 

[NFS4]

Also from his review

You must also realize that the review was written from two perspectives on two sides of the U.S. (Brian is in Tucson, AZ and Anand is in Raleigh, NC).

What you quoted was Brian's Klug's portion of the review.

 

[Paperlantern]

*Sits back an enjoys the argument*

Ya'll are hilarious. *cant wait til his iPhone 4 arrives*

I finally figured out why all of you have so many posts as well. None of you seem to be acquainted with the multi quote buttons, and/or the EDIT button. Oh well, carry on, let me get another bag of popcorn.

 

[NFS4]

Engaget confirms as well

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/consumer-reports-confirms-iphone-4-antenna-problems-and-so-do/