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

[Ka0t1x]

Not going to let a $10 piece of rubber get in the way of me enjoying my new iPhone. I'd say 90% of people that use an iPhone have a case for it.

 

[TheWart]

Not going to let a $10 piece of rubber get in the way of me enjoying my new iPhone. I'd say 90% of people that use an iPhone have a case for it.

pretty much

Apart from NSF4, I think that most of the outrage here on AT over this issue is from folks who have never used -and definuitely dont own- an iPhone 4. Pretty funny actually.

oh well, me and my friends+fam who have one will go on our merry way using the phone lol

 

[Nothinman]

Not going to let a $10 piece of rubber get in the way of me enjoying my new iPhone. I'd say 90% of people that use an iPhone have a case for it.

Agreed, I just enjoy the whole fiasco because it really is a stupid thing they should've caught in QA and I dislike Apple. I've talked to an acquaintance of mine with an iPhone 4 and he hasn't had any reception issues.

 

[NFS4]

For those that try to downplay the issue, I just took two pictures and two screenshots of my iPhone 4.

1) Sitting on the counter, five bars with 3G, running SpeedTest

2) Comfortably in my hand (in this position, I can navigate with my thumb, or use my dominant right hand to punch in information if need be), one bar -- now auto switched to EDGE, running SpeedTest

I hold all smartphones in the manner as shown in the second grouping of pictures. My wife's 3GS, the EVO 4G I have here, and my iPhone 4 -- only the iPhone 4 coughs up a lung.

 

[NFS4]

My wife's iPhone 3GS using the same conditions as above:

 

[AMDZen]

Why the fuck haven't you returned your phone then NFS4?

Its not your right to own the phone. Return it now to get 100% refund, or buy a case to live with it / determine another way to live with it.

Pretty simple.

 

[NFS4]

Why the fuck haven't you returned your phone then NFS4?

Its not your right to own the phone. Return it now to get 100% refund, or buy a case to live with it / determine another way to live with it.

Pretty simple.

I was waiting to see if there was going to be some solution. I sold my iPhone 3GS the day I got my iPhone 4 so I'm kinda stuck.

 

[AMDZen]

I was waiting to see if there was going to be some solution. I sold my iPhone 3GS the day I got my iPhone 4 so I'm kinda stuck.

The 30 days isn't just for the phone, you get out of the contract too. Buy another 3GS for $100 and resign the contract once again. Or whatever

 

[Tegeril]

I was waiting to see if there was going to be some solution. I sold my iPhone 3GS the day I got my iPhone 4 so I'm kinda stuck.

So use the money from the iPhone 4 return and the sale of the 3GS to go back and buy another 3GS.

 

[TheWart]

So use the money from the iPhone 4 return and the sale of the 3GS to go back and buy another 3GS.

Yea I would do this.

Out of curiosity, have you tried the same test with a case?

 

[NFS4]

Yea I would do this.

Out of curiosity, have you tried the same test with a case?

I actually went out and bought a bumper case from my local Apple store and it actually resolved the reception issues.

However, because of the way Apple designed the openings around the dock connector and headphone jack, I can't use the line-in cable in my car or my third-party USB cables for syncing charging (and I have a crapload of them; my car, wife's car, wall chargers, sync cables, etc.).

So I sold it on eBay for $35

I ordered a third party bumper from eBay and am waiting on that to arrive from China. Full cases just don't do the phone justice IMHO.

As for returning the phone, then getting the 3GS, I thought about that too... however, I still think that I'll use the bumper I have on order and wait it out to see if Apple makes amends in some way (be it a return for a properly functioning device at some point or whatever).

Even with the reception issue, I have a hard time going back to my wife's 3GS. The difference in screen quality is just bonkers.

 

[TheWart]

I actually went out and bought a bumper case from my local Apple store and it actually resolved the reception issues.

However, because of the way Apple designed the openings around the dock connector and headphone jack, I can't use the line-in cable in my car or my third-party USB cables for syncing charging (and I have a crapload of them; my car, wife's car, wall chargers, sync cables, etc.).

So I sold it on eBay for $35

I ordered a third party bumper from eBay and am waiting on that to arrive from China. Full cases just don't do the phone justice IMHO.

As for returning the phone, then getting the 3GS, I thought about that too... however, I still think that I'll use the bumper I have on order and wait it out to see if Apple makes amends in some way (be it a return for a properly functioning device at some point or whatever).

Even with the reception issue, I have a hard time going back to my wife's 3GS. The difference in screen quality is just bonkers.

I just got this case a few days ago and it is pretty slick. It also does not cover near the bottom dock area, so I think your old connectors will be good to go with it on. It is not a think case, but will protect against scratches and it comes with a couple of screen protectors.

 

[AMDZen]

I actually went out and bought a bumper case from my local Apple store and it actually resolved the reception issues.

However, because of the way Apple designed the openings around the dock connector and headphone jack, I can't use the line-in cable in my car or my third-party USB cables for syncing charging (and I have a crapload of them; my car, wife's car, wall chargers, sync cables, etc.).

So I sold it on eBay for $35

I ordered a third party bumper from eBay and am waiting on that to arrive from China. Full cases just don't do the phone justice IMHO.

As for returning the phone, then getting the 3GS, I thought about that too... however, I still think that I'll use the bumper I have on order and wait it out to see if Apple makes amends in some way (be it a return for a properly functioning device at some point or whatever).

Even with the reception issue, I have a hard time going back to my wife's 3GS. The difference in screen quality is just bonkers.

The iFrogz Luxe Lean case I got from Best Buy, $24.99, is fantastic. Its like there is no case at all since its so thin. Soft rubberized plastic outside and svelt plush inner lining inside. Its worth the premium over $5 ebay knockoffs.

Here is the review with a lot of pics

http://www.igear360.com/2010/07/03/review-ifrogz-luxe-lean-case-for-the-apple-iphone-4/

I like it a lot and it won't have the issues you're talking about

 

[NFS4]

Actually in the AT&T store right now picking up my free MicroCell, so that may resolve my problem.

 

[TheWart]

Actually in the AT&T store right now picking up my free MicroCell, so that may resolve my problem.

Did they just give one to you or had you called and complained about poor reception?

Please post back here with your results once you get it up and running as I am interested to see if it makes a difference.

 

[NFS4]

Did they just give one to you or had you called and complained about poor reception?

Please post back here with your results once you get it up and running as I am interested to see if it makes a difference.

I just got a letter in the mail randomly saying that I was an MVP and that I could go in and get one. There was a coupon saying that it was free for me.

I never called AT&T and complained.

 

[speg]

Interesting, how is your signal normally at home? It will be interesting to see if you can still force the phone to drop calls now that you have a (presumably) full strength signal.

 

[NFS4]

Well, that does it. MicroCell has resolved my reception issues at my house. 5 bars anywhere in the house -- even in my downstairs bathroom which is notorious for degrading the signal to one or two bars.

I can now receive calls when holding the phone in the "death grip" -- something I couldn't do before. It even stays at 5 bars when using the "death grip".

 

[TheWart]

Well, that does it. MicroCell has resolved my reception issues at my house. 5 bars anywhere in the house -- even in my downstairs bathroom which is notorious for degrading the signal to one or two bars.

I can now receive calls when holding the phone in the "death grip" -- something I couldn't do before. It even stays at 5 bars when using the "death grip".

Glad to hear it solved your problem, at least at home.

 

[umrigar]

using a case is either pathetic ... or smart.

ever drop an unprotected iphone to the ground? does your heart skip a beat? or are you wealthy enough to just buy another one when it breaks?

i finally found an Agent 18 case i like for my 3G. don't care that it makes the iPhone thicker - it's got grippy sides and keeps it from sliding when i don't want it to - which is always.

you people are pretty judgmental - as if how YOU like YOUR iPhone makes it the ONLY way to use it.

why don't you go get an EVO or other Google phone if you hate Apple so much?

 

[Anubis]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/apple-deleting-mentions-of-consumer-reports-iphone-4-piece-on-f/

 

[mmntech]

The iPhone 4's antenna is a sloppy design. There was no need for this phone to have an external antenna. The old models work just fine with internal ones. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

People can argue a case fixes the problem, but it adds a hidden cost to the device. You use a case to protect it from damage, not to fix a design flaw that should have been corrected before it left the lab.

It's a bigger blow to Apple than they'd like to admit. Rather than fix the problem, they've ignored it. Tried to sweep it under the rug. It will be interesting to see how consumers react when it launches in Canada in a couple of weeks.

 

[TheWart]

The iPhone 4's antenna is a sloppy design. There was no need for this phone to have an external antenna. The old models work just fine with internal ones. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

People can argue a case fixes the problem, but it adds a hidden cost to the device. You use a case to protect it from damage, not to fix a design flaw that should have been corrected before it left the lab.

It's a bigger blow to Apple than they'd like to admit. Rather than fix the problem, they've ignored it. Tried to sweep it under the rug. It will be interesting to see how consumers react when it launches in Canada in a couple of weeks.

Well, I wish they would keep the design but just coat that one area with something (heck if nail polish works, there must be some industrial equivalent). I say that because as my own anecdotal experience confirms (along with the AT review and just about every other review), the reception on the iPhone 4 is much improved compared to the previous models. I have yet to find a dead spot and I have no trouble talking in areas that proved troublesome for my 3G.

As for how Canadians react, I imagine that there won't be too much of an uproar. In my experience, the network coverage up there is quite robust, and the antenna issue isn't an issue when the signal is strong (see NSF4's situation for an example). I think that is why there have been fewer upset people overseas compared to here in the US. Overseas, the network coverage and penetration, on the whole, beats AT&T, so most people don't even notice this issue.

 

[Spicedaddy]

I'll more than likely pick one up when they're released here, but I won't buy a stupid case to fix the problem.

What I'll do is put a piece of flashy green masking tape on the lower left corner, this way people will notice it. When they ask why I taped that corner, I'll tell them: "Because Apple engineers are f*cking morons."

 

[SandEagle]

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?

wtf is up with the 'use a case' solution? i hate using cases on my phones. this is not a solution