iPhone Reception Problem: You may be holding it wrong
Apple has a message for you if you notice problems with the reception on your shiny new iPhone 4. The problem isn’t the phone–it’s you. If you hold your phone so that your gubby little hands bridge the metal antenna bars that wrap around the phone, the signal will suck more than usual. Apple’s high-tech solution: don’t hold it that way.
When the engineers at Apple were asked about the issue, the answer was “Hold the phone differently or buy a protective case (from an Apple Store, of course)”. This is not a joke. The statement was the official response from Apple as the answer to the reception issue. The news about reception problems (network) was reported by “Engadget”. The official answer was in two parts, it began with an email reply from Steve Jobs and then by a longer statement.
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling acknowledged that the issues experienced by users were real, but he played down their importance.
”Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, depending on the placement of the antennas,” Mr Dowling said.
He declined to say whether Apple experienced the issue during testing of the phone and suggested users not hold the phone in a way that covers both sides of a small black strip on the lower left side.
Analysts and investors did not appear too worried, and, given the long lines outside Apple stores, consumers appeared unconcerned by, or unaware of, the potential reception issues.
Gizmodo has a thread with nearly 2,000 posts, Engadget is pushing 900 posts, and Mac Rumors is nearing 1,000 posts with regards to iPhone 4 reception issues. I have witnessed the same issues with the iPhone 4 that I picked up this morning (yet don’t have any such reception issues with an HTC EVO 4G that I am currently testing or a year-old iPhone 3GS). The iPhone 4 starts off having 4 to 5 bars sitting by itself on a table, but if you pick the phone up and “palm it”, you may drop down to 1 bar or even get a “No Service” message.
For those that have just plunked down $200 or $300 on a new iPhone 4 (or more if you are upgrading before your contract is eligible), having your cellular connection drop out while doing something as simple as holding the phone in your hand is unacceptable.
Apple made a phone with an external antenna that has problems with reception when it comes in contact with the human body, then blames the consumer for holding the iPhone 4 in a perfectly reasonable fashion.
