Placing a key on iPhone 4 also drops signal

[stepone]

The problem seems to be founded in bridging the 2 antenna's (wifi to 3g) as this youtube video shows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvH-i7rKPJc&feature=player_embedded

Simply placing a key between the 2 causes the signal strength to exhibit the same issues as holding the bottom left corner with your hand.

Various people must be more or less conductive resulting in you having issues or not...

The phone having issues with a hand covering the antenna & smothering the signal is one thing (& common with other phones 2) but this seems to indicate that it's a design flaw as bridging the 2 antenna's with any conductive material (be it a key or a hand) appears to be what's causing the signal degradation.

Can anyone else with an iPhone 4 try this & see if it's repeatable?

 

[sjwaste]

Why would you put a key on your phone?

 

[stepone]

er... if you'd bothered to read the post I point out that anything conductive bridging the 2 antenna's seems to be the root cause of the problem.

The fact that a key was used is irrelevant, it's merely used to demo that the issue can be caused by things other than a hand covering the antenna...
after all you're not going to be spending your days balancing a key on the left side of your iPhone4!

 

[sswingle]

I think the point is, what if the phone is in your pocket with keys and loose change?

 

[Sheep]

I think the point is, what if the phone is in your pocket with keys and loose change?

Don't put your $200+ phone in your pocket that also contains keys and coins?

I'm curious to see if these reception things are SOFTWARE related as some sources claim. I don't see that being very likely but we'll see if a software update is released that can fix it. The fact that Apple's selling $30 bumpers that just happen to fix the issue when they've never had an OEM case for any other iPhone is kind of a smoking gun...

 

[Fingolfin269]

Don't put your $200+ phone in your pocket that also contains keys and coins?

Lol. This sounds eerily similar to 'don't hold it in that way'. Jobs, is that you?!

 

[Sheep]

Lol. This sounds eerily similar to 'don't hold it in that way'. Jobs, is that you?!

I owned a Palm Pre which with its cheap plastic body was a freaking scratch magnet before I slapped a full-body case on it. Don't talk to me about keeping phones safe in my pocket.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I owned a Palm Pre which with its cheap plastic body was a freaking scratch magnet before I slapped a full-body case on it. Don't talk to me about keeping phones safe in my pocket.

I'm actually tying this on a palm pre. You're right, its kind of beat up but I consider these things to be pretty much throwaway devices since I upgrade once per year. I've never owned a case for any cell phone.

 

[gorcorps]

Really? Another fucking thread on this problem? There's already one here, and in the Apple area, AND in OT. Enough already... Use the god damned threads that are there already.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Really? Another fucking thread on this problem? There's already one here, and in the Apple area, AND in OT. Enough already... Use the god damned threads that are there already.

Although I haven't actually held an iPhone 4, and haven't tested my theory, but I'm 100% certain that if I put one in a lead lined box, it drops calls.

 

[vshah]

i wonder what would happen with a metal case on the iphone 4....

 

[zerocool84]

i wonder what would happen with a metal case on the iphone 4....

You'd get awesome reception until you touch it.

 

[Phynaz]

Hey, I hear that if I put an iPhone 4 in my pool the signal will drop.

 

[JD50]

Hey, I hear that if I put an iPhone 4 in my pool the signal will drop.

What a ridiculous statement. Most guys are gonna have their phone in their pocket right next to their keys, which makes this a valid complaint. Apple fanboys are silly.

 

[gorcorps]

What a ridiculous statement. Most guys are gonna have their phone in their pocket right next to their keys, which makes this a valid complaint. Apple fanboys are silly.

Who needs a fucking video to tell them that? If we know that bridging the gap between antennas can halt the signal with just our hand, then anybody with even the smallest amount of neurons firing can figure out a metal bar in the same position will do the same thing.

And besides, nobody who values their phone keeps it in the same pocket as keys. That's just asking for trouble...

 

[zerocool84]

Who needs a fucking video to tell them that? If we know that bridging the gap between antennas can halt the signal with just our hand, then anybody with even the smallest amount of neurons firing can figure out a metal bar in the same position will do the same thing.

And besides, nobody who values their phone keeps it in the same pocket as keys. That's just asking for trouble...

Holding it in your hand yes you can definitely complain about the bad reception but putting a nice new phone in a pocket with keys??? That's just dumb but hey people can do as they please.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Why isn't there an insulating coating on the metal?

 

[Narmer]

Holding it in your hand yes you can definitely complain about the bad reception but putting a nice new phone in a pocket with keys??? That's just dumb but hey people can do as they please.

Who cares if it's new or not. People just put it in their pocket and forget about it or what else may be in that pocket. Same thing with women and their bags. The point is still valid because you may not be receiving calls or text messages while it's in your bag/pocket.

 

[Phynaz]

Who cares if it's new or not. People just put it in their pocket and forget about it or what else may be in that pocket. Same thing with women and their bags. The point is still valid because you may not be receiving calls or text messages while it's in your bag/pocket.

All evidence is this only affects 3G, EDGE is still fine. So you would still receive calls.

 

[Phynaz]

What a ridiculous statement. Most guys are gonna have their phone in their pocket right next to their keys, which makes this a valid complaint. Apple fanboys are silly.

So calling me a fanboy is the best argument you have.

Here's a clue: I don't own an iPhone nor a Mac.

And BTW, "most" guys have the common sense not to place a touch screen device in the same pocket as their keys.

 

[JD50]

So calling me a fanboy is the best argument you have.

Here's a clue: I don't own an iPhone nor a Mac.

And BTW, "most" guys have the common sense not to place a touch screen device in the same pocket as their keys.

Why not? I've always had my cell phone in my pocket, half the time with keys. I've never scratched my screen. Up until my droid I always had a screen protector, it's not even necessary with the droid.

Regardless, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the number of people that carry their phone in their pocket with a set of keys greatly outnumber the amount of people that take their phone into a swimming pool...

 

[Capt Caveman]

Don't people have more than one pocket? I carry my keys in my right pocket. Wallet in back pocket. iPhone in my left pocket.

 

[JD50]

Don't people have more than one pocket? I carry my keys in my right pocket. Wallet in back pocket. iPhone in my left pocket.

I carry my wallet (money clip kinda thing) in my right pocket and keys in my left pocket, and then sometimes my phone in my left pocket. My phone usually sits in my car since I can't bring it into work and I like having as little in my pockets as possible, that's why my keys aren't in the same pocket as my wallet.

 

[slag]

Don't people have more than one pocket? I carry my keys in my right pocket. Wallet in back pocket. iPhone in my left pocket.

work phone/pager plus iphone in one pocket
security dongle plus keys in another pocket
wallet in back pocket
badge clipped to belt
heaven forbid i have any loose change or loose bills floating around in my pockets or a pack of gum or anything else

 

[rpanic]

The point is holding it, key, or whatever else comes out it shouldn't have this problem period.